Social innovation that scales, connects and transforms Europe

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In 2025, our work across Europe took a decisive step towards more strategic cooperation, focusing not only on designing innovative projects, but also on transferring, scaling up and consolidating solutions that are already demonstrating a tangible impact in local communities.

From strengthening the European Network for Inclusion Innovation to launching new projects and successfully bringing others to a close, 2025 was a pivotal year in advancing towards a more inclusive labour market that is more responsive to the structural inequalities that persist across Europe.

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Social Innovation Labs and a stronger, more strategic European network

The European Network for Inclusion Innovation continues to establish itself and grow. In 2025, it reached 543 organisations across 35 countries, expanding both its geographical reach and its capacity to influence policy. This growth was accompanied by a strategic shift: the network has evolved from being primarily a space for exchange into an active facilitator of the scaling-up of social innovations.

Against this backdrop, the Social Innovation Labs have been launched as collaborative working spaces designed to identify, transfer and adapt innovations that have already been tested. The first European challenge launched in 2025 focused on integrating a health perspective into pathways to social and labour-market inclusion, an area in which Spain has built up extensive experience through Vives Emplea Saludable. Throughout the year, organisations from different countries began working on ways to replicate this model, reinforcing the idea that employment, health and wellbeing must be addressed together to achieve more stable and sustainable employment outcomes.

13th European Forum on Inclusive Employment and Entrepreneurship

In keeping with this approach, the Network held the 13th European Forum on Inclusive Employment and Entrepreneurship, under the theme “Social Innovation: The Path to Systemic Change”. Once again, the Forum reaffirmed its role as a platform for networking and collective learning, as well as a strategic space at a pivotal moment for the future of social innovation: the start of the new European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) programming period.

Throughout the event, civil society organisations, public authorities, businesses and experts explored how to translate evidence into policy decisions, sharing proven initiatives that are already driving systemic change and promoting more inclusive and resilient public policies in communities and regions across Europe.
 

And if you don’t want to miss the 14th annual edition of our European Forum, held under the theme “Moving towards more innovative, more inclusive, and more connected systems”, reserve your spot now for November 13. Online and in-person formats.

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European projects: completed initiatives and ongoing work

Projects coming to an end in 2025

• Green at You: The project came to a successful close, delivering particularly significant results. Between 2023 and 2025, 19 pilot programmes were delivered in Spain, Greece, Italy and Serbia, involving 537 participants, more than 60% of whom were women. Green at You was a pioneer in awarding 950 university micro-credentials carrying ECTS credits, with 72% of participants obtaining at least one officially recognised certification. In addition, participants' skills improved by an average of 29.5%, establishing the project as a European benchmark for inclusive training in support of the green transition.

Projects continuing to grow and consolidate

• NOVAFOODIES: In 2025, the Guide to Social Inclusion and Gender in the Aquaculture Sector was published and disseminated, promoting more inclusive and gender-responsive practices in a strategically important sector. Pilot training courses were also delivered in Spain, Ireland, Greece and China. In the Spanish pilot, 75% of participants reported an improvement in their employability, and the same proportion said they felt more motivated and confident after completing the training. These results demonstrate the project's value in bridging the gap between technical training and real employment opportunities.
   
• SPACE-NEST: Led by Action Against Hunger at European level, the project is working to regenerate disused rural spaces through the social economy and the values of the New European Bauhaus. In the province of Málaga, 63 key stakeholders in the rural ecosystem and 38 underused spaces have been mapped, with 17 spaces prioritised for transformation. At European level, SPACE-NEST has already brought together a transnational network of more than 160 organisations, positioning itself as a catalyst for place-based innovation in response to challenges such as depopulation and the deterioration of cultural heritage. First mission: Italy · Second mission: Slovenia · Third mission: Spain
   
• CREASSE: The project continues to promote the Social and Solidarity Economy as a driver of inclusive employment in rural areas. In Extremadura, more than 150 people have taken part in its first training programme, and an ecosystem of more than 130 local, regional and European stakeholders has been strengthened. This work is laying the foundations for sustainable collective initiatives with a medium-term impact.
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• Women 5.0: In 2025, the Women 5.0 Competence Framework, aligned with DigComp and EntreComp, was consolidated. Awareness-raising activities and European events focusing on digitalisation and artificial intelligence were also held. These activities have helped strengthen a transnational community of women entrepreneurs, directly addressing the gender gap in access to and use of technology.
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Last year was a year of consolidation and strategic focus for our European projects. The combination of a stronger network, Labs geared towards scaling up innovation, projects delivering measurable results, and a clear commitment to health and equality reinforces a shared conviction: social innovation only makes a tangible impact when it is shared, adapted and scaled up.