The Alt Pirineu i Aran Cooperative Hub is celebrating a decade of activity, during which it has consolidated a cooperative business network rooted in the territory. This initiative, launched in 2016 as part of the Generalitat de Catalunya's Cooperative Hub program, has become a driver for the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in the region, promoting quality employment and addressing local challenges such as housing access and the development of agroecological projects.
Initially led by the Comarcal Councils due to a lack of a consolidated cooperative fabric, the Hub has witnessed how, over ten years, the SSE entities of the Pyrenees have taken the lead, demonstrating the maturity and growth of the cooperative ecosystem in the region. During this decade, more than 40 cooperatives have been established, and over 180 individuals have been supported in their job integration, fostering stable, territory-linked employment.
The cooperative model has proven its resilience, with 67% of cooperatives increasing their turnover and 42% expanding their workforce last year, according to the Baròmetre Cooperatiu 2024 from the Federació de Cooperatives de Treball de Catalunya. The initiative has also promoted collaboration among micro-enterprises, self-employed individuals, and local administrations, with examples such as the Associació d’Artesanes i Artistes a Mà de Tremp and the Escorxador Pirineus cooperative.
The Pyrenean SSE is also tackling strategic challenges, such as facilitating housing access through projects like Llosats. Furthermore, initiatives like the Espai Cooperatiu de Sort and a future cooperative hub in Cerdanya for cultural, agroecological, and service projects have been launched. Between 2022 and 2025, Pyrenean SSE entities attracted 1.7 million euros in grants to consolidate business projects.
The Hub defines itself as a space for co-constructing public policies, collaborating with administrations and territorial agents in strategic forums such as the Housing Table of Alt Pirineu i Aran and the Agricultural Succession Table, to support entrepreneurship in the Pyrenees.
