EU Rural Innovation Forum 2

The second edition of the EU Rural Innovation Forum (EU-RIF 2) will be held in Jonava, Lithuania, on May 5 and 6, 2026. This European gathering will bring together policymakers, rural networks, EU-funded projects, organizations, businesses, researchers, and entrepreneurs to share experiences and advance the development of smarter, more resilient, and sustainable rural communities.

The event is part of the activities of the FUTURAL project, funded by the Horizon Europe program, which focuses on the design and validation of community, technological, and business innovations aimed at boosting the sustainable development of rural areas.

OBJECTIVES

• Analyze and learn from experiences in the implementation of Smart Villages.
• Explore other examples of smart rural innovations (e.g., the FUTURAL innovation, invitation-only projects).
• Discover tools to empower rural innovators (e.g., metasearch platform, business models, policies, governance frameworks).
• Analyze how Smart Villages and other smart rural tools should evolve in the future to adapt to the needs of rural communities.

AGENDA

May 5, 2026

• 11:00: Welcome by institutional representatives.
• 11:15: Objectives of the EU Rural Innovation Forum and purpose of the day
• 11:30: Panel “Understanding Smart Villages: From concept to practice”
• 13:00: Lunch break.
• 14:15: Workshop “What does it mean to be smart?”
• 16:30: Coffee break.
• 17:00: Session on tools for Smart Villages and other rural innovators
• 17:45: Conclusions and closing remarks.

May 6, 2026

• 09:00: Opening and purpose of the day within the framework of the FUTURAL project.
• 9:15: Training workshop “Enabling smart rural futures”
• 10:45: Coffee break
• 11:15: Panel on integrating Smart Villages into future policies
• 12:15: Workshop on sustainable business models for rural innovation
• 13:00: Conclusions, next steps, and lunch

DATE: May 5-6, 2026.

LOCATION: Jonava Cultural Center (Lithuania).

More information at FUTURAL