At a time when local businesses are struggling to survive against the pressure of large digital platforms and changing consumer habits, innovation has become a necessity rather than an option. In this context, initiatives like Komerz, planned by the Girona Chamber of Commerce for November 15th, emerge as a breath of fresh air for a sector seeking to reinvent itself. Komerz is a hackathon—an intensive event focused on innovation, learning, and collaborative work—organized by the Girona Chamber of Commerce with the support of the Directorate General of Commerce. Over a weekend, young talent, businesses, and professionals from the region come together to address real challenges facing local businesses, contributing both technological and non-technological ideas and solutions.

He local commerce in Barcelona It's becoming the exception to the rule: the proliferation of large chains and overcrowding in tourism are pushing these types of establishments into the margins. Furthermore, high rents in stressed areas make it difficult for private or small-member businesses to operate without financial support. A street-level law firm, a traditional upholstery shop, or a store that focuses on Barcelona design are some of the services that have had to make a name for themselves in the face of the difficulties and costs of opening a physical store in the Catalan capital. Often, this has been done through initiatives designed to boost projects that aim to contribute to diversifying the local economy.

Last May, during Temps de Flors, Girona's picturesque Sant Domènec hill woke up filled with cemetery crosses symbolically planted with the names of local businesses in the city. a protest action of the Platform for the Decrease in Tourism against the opening of a large cycling temple in the magnificent Odeon Theatre, which will open next month, completely renovated. Amidst the crosses was the name of Cal Rei, an emblematic century-old Girona homewares and furniture store, which closed its doors in the spring of 2022.

As concerns about sustainability increase, the way we will eat in the future remains a question that requires deep and urgent reflection. What role will local products play in this new food model? What changes will we need to make to ensure a more efficient, sustainable and competitive system? These questions were the focus of the technical day. The challenges of agri-food distribution networks for sustainable logistics, an event of which the ARA newspaper is one of the collaborating media and which has served to highlight the need to rethink the marketing model of local products.