This abstract was presented at the In-Situ Project Final Conference, held from 11 to 13 May in Valmiera, Latvia. It analyses the Fundão video game cluster as a case study within the GAME-ER Horizon Europe project, examining how cross-sectoral collaboration can contribute to territorial resilience and innovation-led development in rural regions. Focusing on Fundão, a Portuguese municipality affected by depopulation and economic marginalisation, the presentation explores how interactions between traditional and digital sectors have supported its emergence as an innovation-oriented ecosystem. Based on primary data collection, including semi-structured interviews, documentary analysis, and participatory mapping exercises, it identifies the mechanisms through which collaborative partnerships create mutual value and foster place-based territorial transformation.
Leça et al. (2026) studied this question.