P1 Competitive economy
1.3. More exports by the Central Baltic companies to new markets
Central Baltic
01.04.2019 - 31.12.2021
€1 063 833
€817 790
Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang municipalities in Vietnam as well as the Guangzhou region and the Hebei province in China, are currently implementing Smart City Master Plans (or equivalent masterplans) and are actively looking for different smart solutions to implement these plans. SMEs specialised in smart solutions in the Central Baltic region, have the potential to provide such solutions but, need business support to reach the actual deals.
Project 4SmartGrowth aims at increasing export possibilities in these markets for Central Baltic SMEs by taking advantage of the already existing business connections that project partners have established separately. In the framework of the project, promising SMEs will be selected and trained to increase their export opportunities in these markets.
These activities will be supported by export missions and pilots.
SISP Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
Country: SE
Partner budget: 265.583 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 199.187 EUR ERDF
Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol
Country: EE
Partner budget: 199.150 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 169.278 EUR ERDF
Tampereen kaupunkiseudun elinkeino- ja kehitysyhtiö Tredea OY
Country: FI
Partner budget: 199.100 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 149.325 EUR ERDF
Turku Science Park Ltd
Country: FI
Partner budget: 200.000 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 150.000 EUR ERDF
Västerås Science Park AB
Country: SE
Partner budget: 200.000 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 150.000 EUR ERDF
Achieved results
4Smart Growth increased export of Central Baltic region SME's to China and Chile
The overall objective of the project was to jointly use the existing business intelligence and connections that partners had with 2 regions in China and Chile for increasing the export of the CB region SMEs. Project main planned result was to reach 3-4 sales agreements in 3 markets during or shortly after the project, and to organise export missions for 30 SMEs from CB clusters to new markets.
Due to the COVID-19, the project had to adapt and implement a turnaround from the traditional physical traveling to external markets with a digital matchmaking program. This taught the consortium that it is possible to arrange successful export activities online. 35 companies attended digital matchmaking activities in 3 markets. By the end of the project 3 sales agreements (one in Chile and 2 in China) and 2 commercial representation agreements were signed. There are still 41 pilots under discussions that hopefully will turn in to agreements in near future.
- COVID-19 changed the physical travelling to external markets to a digital matchmaking program
- successful export activities can also be organised online
- 3 sales agreements (one in Chile and two in China) and two commercial representation agreements were signed