Opportunities for Regions: PoliRuralPlus at Smart Countryside in Practice

At the Smart Countryside in Practice seminar on 21 August 2025, part of the Země živitelka fair in České Budějovice, Markéta Kollerová (Plan4all) introduced the PoliRuralPlus project and its Open Calls – concrete opportunities for municipalities, NGOs, businesses, schools, and individuals to bring new ideas into practice.

From Vision to Practical Tools

In her presentation, Markéta Kollerová highlighted the project’s mission: to connect policies, innovations, and citizens through technology in order to support the sustainable development of rural and urban communities. She showcased examples from nine pilot regions across Europe, including the Czech-Bavarian border region, where an innovation network is being built to strengthen cooperation between local actors.

Among the tools already in development are:

PoliRuralPlus Advisor, a data-driven digital advisor,
JackDaw (Kafka), integrating AI with geospatial data,
Vulture, MAA Tool, MapWhiteboard, and Atlas – all designed to bring modern technologies closer to regional practice.

Opportunities Through Open Calls

A major focus of the presentation was the project’s Open Calls, which distribute a total of €900,000 to support innovative solutions:

Outreach (2024) – supported six projects, including the Czech initiative FarmTourist by Úhlava, o. p. s., focusing on tourism in rural areas.
Mobilise (2025) – engaging schools, startups, and municipalities through hackathons and ideathons; Czech project DIPS is among those funded.
Develop (2025) – received more than 100 proposals across Europe, aiming to create or expand digital tools.
Enhance (September 2025) – the final call will open this autumn, offering funding up to €25,000 per project to test and improve existing solutions.

How to Apply

Participation is simple: applicants submit an electronic form via the project’s Digital Hub at poliruralplus.eu
Proposals are evaluated within one month, based on their relevance to the call’s objectives, real impact on the region, and feasibility of implementation.

Czech Role in European Innovation

As Markéta Kollerová emphasized, the Czech Republic is not only a participant but also a key contributor to PoliRuralPlus. Thanks to its cross-border pilot region and the active involvement of Plan4all, CTU FIT Prague, and the Czech Centre for Science and Society, Czech stakeholders have a strong voice in shaping how modern technologies can support rural development.

“PoliRuralPlus is not only about inspiration – it’s about real opportunities. Thanks to the Open Calls, anyone can bring their ideas into the European innovation space and contribute to the future of our regions,” said Markéta Kollerová.