SocialTech4EU as a model for the European social economy
During the conference Cooperatives as drivers of change, the project Social Tech for Europe for Resilient and Responsible Ecosystems (SocialTech4EU), coordinated by Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini Srl SB in collaboration with Torino Social Impact, has been recognised as a model for the European social economy.
The conference was held in Brussels on 18 March 2025 and hosted by the European Commission in collaboration with the European Economic and Social Committee, Cooperatives Europe, and the European confederation of industrial and service cooperatives (CECOP), with the aim of highlighting the role of cooperatives as key actors in boosting economic resilience and social cohesion in the European Union.
During the event, SocialTech4EU was highlighted among key examples of social cooperatives driving innovation. Moreover, during the panel Clusters and Hubs: Uniting for Strategic Empowerment, representatives from the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) at the European Commission spotlighted SocialTech4EU as a leading model for a European social economy cluster.
Launched to promote the digital and green transition (twin transition) within European social enterprises, enhancing their competitiveness and sustainability, SocialTech4EU was co-funded by the European Union under the Joint Cluster Initiatives (Euroclusters) for Europe's recovery. After two years of intense activity, the project successfully concluded in September 2024.
"The recognition of the SocialTech4EU project by DG GROW represents an important acknowledgment of the value of supporting the proximity economy ecosystem" commented Debora Greco, Head of FGB's Innovation Hubs & Urban Regeneration Unit. "It shows how crucial it is to promote alternatives to the for-profit economy, capable of fostering sustainable and inclusive development models".
