This interactive storymap explores the case of Brožiai Smart Village, where community-led initiatives, digital experimentation and local entrepreneurship developed despite limited high-speed internet access.
Through interviews and local examples, the publication highlights key questions facing communities across the Nordic-Baltic region:
- Can Smart Villages emerge without strong digital infrastructure?
- What role do 5G and reliable broadband play in sustaining local innovation?
- How can digital tools strengthen rural resilience, local economies and regional attractiveness?
- What risks emerge when communities become increasingly dependent on digital systems?
The Brožiai case demonstrates that digital infrastructure is not always the starting point for rural innovation, but it is critical for scaling initiatives, supporting businesses and enabling long-term regional development. The publication also highlights the continuing “last kilometre” challenge in rural connectivity, where gaps in fibre and 5G coverage still limit opportunities for many communities.
Read the storymap to explore how one rural community is rethinking development at the intersection of innovation, connectivity and local resilience.
This publication is the first in a series of three storymaps produced in the Nordic-Baltic Connectivity project (NB-Connect), led by Nordregio and funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The following two highlight the cases of Tavelsjö, Sweden, and Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, and will be published during spring and summer 2026.
