Network of Entrepreneurship and Employment Support Hubs

By project PICOBELLO

Published on 25 November 2024

Spain

Galicia

About this good practice

The program addresses the issue of improving employment management within the demographic and social reality of Galicia. Greater support for entrepreneurship in rural areas is needed, along with efforts to revitalize the labour market. This will help enhance interaction between rural and urban areas.
Through this network, the goal is to attract and retain talent and stabilize the population.
This network is composed of entrepreneurship hubs distributed throughout the community, promoting closer advisory services within a social economy linked to the environment.
Through these hubs, training, financing, and coworking are provided to entrepreneurs in different stages of their project development.
The network leverages local resources by using analytical tools like the "Territorial Intelligence System for Entrepreneurship (SIE)." This system provides data on market details and the productive structure of the territory where the project will be established. It also offers information on the region's industrial and economic sectors, as well as business development opportunities based on the territorial needs.
It includes mentoring actions leading by top-level professionals who advise from the inception of an idea to the launch of the project.
The program supports generational succession in small businesses, promotes population stabilization, encourages the establishment of digital nomads, and increases job dynamism opportunities in areas far from major urban centres.

Expert opinion

The initiative provides an example of a programme supporting entrepreneurship in rural areas of Galicia, Spain. It consists of a network of hubs offering localised training, coworking spaces, mentoring, and financing, tailored to different stages of entrepreneurship. Tools like the Territorial Intelligence System for Entrepreneurship (SIE) provide data to guide business development. The programme promotes talent retention, generational succession in small businesses, and the settlement of digital nomads. With a 2024 budget of €30.6 million, nearly 2,400 initiatives have been supported. Recognised with the European Entrepreneurial Region Award 2025, the programme demonstrates how targeted support, local hubs, data-driven strategies, and institutional cooperation can foster entrepreneurship and innovation in rural, low-density areas. This good practice would most benefit European rural regions with existing intermediary and entrepreneurship support organisations.

Arnault Morisson

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

The 2024 budget is €30.6M, with €3M for maintenance of the hubs network and the rest for entrepreneurship projects. The Galicia government (Xunta) provides its own staff, while public-private partners, through agreements, have hired up to 30 technicians for support and advice on entrepreneurship.

Evidence of success

Until June 2024, nearly 2,400 business initiatives were supported in just under two years. More than 5,300 mentoring sessions were conducted, around 450 meetings with local entities were held, and hundreds of training sessions and events. 59% of the projects presented are led by women.
Galicia receives the European Entrepreneurial Region Award 2025 for "the regional government commitment to generating wealth and employment to retain population in rural areas."

Potential for learning or transfer

The implementation of this hub network in Galicia is a good practice as it combines a tailored approach, local talent utilization, equitable access to resources, and institutional collaboration. This helps address rural challenges like depopulation and aging while fostering sustainable, measurable growth.
There are also significant opportunities for innovative entrepreneurship in rural areas, such as supporting existing small businesses, promoting sustainable tourism, and developing enterprises rooted in artistic and cultural activities. Additionally, supporting the succession of small family businesses is crucial.
Close support is essential to prevent entrepreneurs from taking long trips to access services. The entrepreneur network provides this support locally, offering guidance and financing based on a deep understanding of the region's business capabilities and pre-identified opportunities.