LEINNers from Mondragon Unibertsitatea start an experience in Navarra to end the depopulation of the villages
LEINNers from Mondragon Unibertsitatea start an experience in Navarra to end the depopulation of the villages
LEINNers from Mondragon Unibertsitatea start an experience in Navarra to end the depopulation of the villages
They have created an incubator called VIVID to respond to the challenge of depopulation that benefits the people and young people
The international entrepreneurship network of Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Mondragon Team Academy, and the Fundación Emplea have organized a conference to publicize entrepreneurial experiences in rural areas and the opportunities that rural areas offer to young talent. The project consisted of students from Mondragon Unibertsitatea's LEINN (Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation) degree program living together in a village in Navarra, San Martín de Unx, to experience the consequences and learn about the causes of the depopulation of villages, and propose solutions to repopulate them. A pilot test that aims to be applied to the rest of the villages of the State. The conference took place on Tuesday, January 24 at the Oñati campus under the name "Models of entrepreneurship and innovation in the fight against depopulation and rural development", organized by Fundación Emplea and Mondragon Team Academy.
This conference aims to show the results of the VIVID Incubator, one of the most relevant lines of the VIVID rural innovation laboratory. The incubator aims to attract young people from both the LEINN degree and other profiles to set up multidisciplinary teams and respond to challenges that the town offers and generate value for both the town and for young people.
Three experiences that have taken place in 2022 with students who have lived for months in the village to identify the causes of depopulation and provide solutions have been narrated in the appointment.
The first experience was developed within the framework of repopulating tourism. To this end, the students have carried out a process of immersion in the territory, they have interacted with the locals and have faced the challenges they are facing.
The second experience (framed in the format of the final project), consisted in designing the concept of a new rehabilitated space in the village that aims to become the place where to question, create and communicate everything related to depopulation and wine in Navarra.
Finally, the third experience has been based on investigating whether San Martin de Unx and the region of the Middle Zone of Navarra could be supplied with alternative energies, specifically with green hydrogen. This experience has been led by a renewable energy engineer and a student of LEINN of Mondragon Unibertsitatea.
During the day, all these experiences have been presented by the protagonists, who have told their immersive experiences, the good reception they have had in the village and the possibilities of imagining themselves in the future living in rural areas.
In the second part of the event, a networking space has been shared among attendees, students from other degrees or courses eager to learn about the possibilities that can offer the rural area and specifically the VIVID Incubator. The director of Lanbide of the territory of Guipuzcoa, the Director of Development of Rural Municipalities of the Provincial Council and other agents who have accompanied the day also attended.
Once the day was over, Mondragon Team Academy and VIVID, have valued in a very positive way the results and experiences obtained in this 2022. They are also committed to continue in this line of collaboration and anticipate new projects for 2023.