RuralSilverHubS addresses three common challenges in the Sudoe area: aging, rural depopulation, and limited access to certain services. The increasing population over 55 in rural areas creates new needs that demand innovative solutions engaging this demographic. Framed within RSO4.1, it seeks to vitalize rural areas by articulating entrepreneurial responses to enhance the quality of life for the silver population. This demographic acts as a key agent in addressing its challenges and for territorial transformation, decision-making, valuing resources, heritage, and the local community itself. The main achievements are the creation of “Social and Digital Innovation Laboratories in Depopulated Rural Environments” (RS-Labs) and the Rural Silver Economy (RSE) Observatory. Through the RS-Labs, synergies are fostered among key territorial agents, promoting entrepreneurial measures that respond to challenges identified thanks to the silver population. The RSE Observatory’s creation aims to collect and generate specific data in Tarragona and Burgos (Spain), Nouvelle Aquitaine and Occitanie (France), and also in Algarve and the Norte de Ave region (Portugal) to aid decision-making. A specific indicator capable of measuring the silver economy in the rural areas of the Sudoe space will be designed. Through the participation of the quadruple helix and transnational cooperation, a broad impact is achieved in the rural areas of the Sudoe space, enhancing the knowledge and responsiveness of agents regarding the rural silver population by sharing experiences and working methodologies. RuralSilverHubS brings the silver economy closer to rural areas and, furthermore, addresses the needs of the silver population, generating new jobs that encourage the rooting of the younger local population while attracting new talent to villages. This achieves an innovative and multi-agent solution to the aging and depopulation of rural areas.
