Central Baltic Project Database - New products and services

Category:

At a glance text:

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

Project link:

Smart Clusters for Smart Growth through Joint Business Intelligence

IHMEC accelerated sales in the Middle-East for companies developing indoor hygiene products

Ari Brozinski — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 07:30:18 +0000

IHMEC project aimed at creating business opportunities for Estonian, Finnish and Swedish companies at Saudi Arabian markets. The project supported number of companies from the Central Baltic region from several sectors to being able to achieve sales, raise investments and to prepare collaboration agreements.

upported companies came to the project from various business segments – water control and solutions, timber building, surface materials, cleaning chemicals, hospital equipment, furniture solutions etc. – where the common nominator for all of these was indoor hygiene solutions. Altogether 28 companies participated in the project activities.

Besides direct export market entry support, the project supported companies indirectly in entering process. The project tested several surface materials from the viewpoint of hygiene. Partners also created an indoor hygiene databank (indoorhygine.fi) to illustrate and distribute information about the indoor hygiene, its importance, and possibilities. Knowledge of companies’ products from the perspective of indoor hygiene can be a selling point when entering to the market.

COVID19 pandemic shook the world when the project was in halfway of the implementation. This unfortunate situation brought plenty of new opportunities for the companies in the field of indoor hygiene. The importance of the project increased, new contacts were created and media attention was received.
The project resulted in indoor hygiene solutions which can be exported in Saudi Arabian markets. By the end of the project, IHMEC actors have reached altogether two (2) sales, two (2) distributor agreements, one (1) non-disclosure agreement (NDA), and two (2) memorandums of understanding (MoU) in the field of indoor hygiene.

The project produced 3D animation “indoor hygiene model space” (IHMEC Indoor Hygiene Solutions) which can be used for marketing purposes by the involved indoor hygiene cluster projects. Future export possibilities are also supported through an indoor hygiene model in room which will be created in a hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Indoor hygiene solutions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCdmQDSj6HM

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Category:

Labour market and employment

At a glance text:

Help companies enter the Saudi-Arabian market in the field of indoor hygiene
28 participating companies
New hygiene products that can be exported

Project link:

Opening indoor hygiene SME’s exports to Middle East construction markets

Act Local improved local employment possibilities in rural areas

Ari Brozinski — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 07:01:11 +0000

The project improvement local labour market opportunities by implementing community service pilots based on local development plans. The development plans and pilots were implemented in four regions – Ape, Alutaguse, Engure and Setomaa.

The development plans and pilots were supported by several practical and theoretical trainings which were targeted towards local people. Altogether over 400 participants took part in the trainings.

Local community service pilots were implemented in 15 rural village communities in above mentioned regions. Pilots took several different forms based on the local needs which were found through the development process of the development plans. As an example, pilots included local market days, cultural events, recording studio, outdoor cinema and beach volley activities.

Tags:

Community integration and common identity

Attachment:

Final report - Ape region

Final report - Engure region

Final report - Setomaa and Alutaguse regions

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Improved community

At a glance text:

Improved labour market opportunities in four regions
Over 400 participants in
15 rural villages

Project link:

Creation of new employment opportunities for people living in rural remote areas through designing and piloting village community services

BATSECO-BOAT improved sewage collecting services in 20 locations

kersti — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 07:32:35 +0000

The BATSECO-BOAT project achievements are based on making investments in altogether 11 new sewage pump-out stations, which of five are located in Finland, four in Estonia and two in Sweden. In Finland the project supported also the renovation of altogether nine old floating pump-out stations, so that those could be used for another 10 years.

At the end of project duration, the BATSECO-BOAT project has improved sewage collecting services in altogether 20 locations.

The project has produced information to support the decision making when investing in sewage collecting technologies. Reports produced by partners cover topics from recent technological assortment to chemical analyses of the sewage collected from leisure boats. In addition, the starting level of sewage collecting network before investments and analysing the legislative framework and mapping the boat traffic in Norrtälje archipelago has been covered, the latter piloting completely new way of collecting and elaborating data from AIS Class-B transmissions from leisure boats. The service costs of sewage collecting networks in Finland, Sweden and Estonia were also handled in a report.

Project website: www.batseco-boat.eu

New pump-out station locations:
Finland: Aspö, Björkö, Högsåra Kejsarhamnen, Pähkinäinen and Seili;
Sweden: Ellan and Stora Högskär;
Estonia: Eisma, Hara, Kelnase and Leppneeme

Renovated pump-out station locations: Hakkenpää, Nötö, Vänö, Borstö, Örö, Kirjainen and Velkuanmaa. Two renovated stations from Högråra (Kejsarhamnen) and Pähkinäinen will be relocated for boating season 2022. New proposed locations are Hämmarö strait in Rymättylä/Naantali and Vikom in Nauvo/Parainen.

Tags:

Coastal management and maritime issues

Attachment:

Technology assessment

Category:

Improved small port

At a glance text:

The project achievements are based on making investments in altogether 11 new sewage pump-out stations.
The project has improved sewage collecting services in altogether 20 locations.

Project link:

Best Available Technologies of Sewage Collecting for Boat Tourism

NatureBizz designed and implemented a cross-sectoral professional training programme for green entrepreneurship and business development

kersti — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:54:49 +0000

Project NatureBizz designed and implemented a cross-sectoral professional training programme for green entrepreneurship and business development. The training programme is targeted at established and future micro-entrepreneurs exploiting business opportunities and implementing business operations based on local natural resources.

The needed skills were identified by performing research activities in four countries. The identified skills were aligned and translated into professional training programme of green entrepreneurship and business development. The NatureBizz Handbook that can be used both by learners and teachers, was designed.

The training programme consists of eight modules with the assignments. The modules form a solid basis for green micro-entrepreneurs to develop their business. Each module includes a practical tool to support business development. The modules are the following:

1.           Managing Green Micro Business
2.           Understanding Green Consumers
3.           Building a Green Brand
4.           Steps Towards Sustainable Quality
5.           Green Product Development and Service Design
6.           Managing Supply Chains in Green Micro Business
7.           Communication in Customer Journey
8.           Green Entrepreneurs Go International

The new training programme was piloted in the four participating countries: Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden during spring 2020. Training days exploring the content of the modules were organised for future and established green entrepreneurs to increase their business skills. In total, certificates were issued to 175 participants.

The results of the research which were done in all participating countries before developing the training programme, have also significant value. They gave valuable insights to green entrepreneurship and business and can be used as a basis in curriculum and course design. All the partners use research results and case examples in their courses as study material.

In addition, during the implementation of the project, new industry-academia relationships were established with micro entrepreneurs and their umbrella organisations and universities. By developing training programme for green entrepreneurship, project also supported sustainable development and enhanced the possibility of integrating sustainability values in entrepreneurship and business education.

Project website: www.projectnaturebizz.eu

Tags:

education and training

Handbook of Green Business Planning in Micro-Enterprises

Attachment:

Sweden country report

Finland country report

Latvia country report

Estonia country report

External link:

Category:

Aligned vocational education and training programme

At a glance text:

The needed skills were identified by performing research activities in four countries;
The identified skills were aligned and translated into professional training programme of green entrepreneurship and business development;
The NatureBizz Handbook that can be used both by learners and teachers, was designed;
Central Baltic area report: Business from nature:skills needed in green entrepreneurship and business development

Project link:

Business and Wellness from Green Economy Growth

FINEEX Music – Strengthened bonds with the music industry in Japan

annika.holmstrom — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 14:41:01 +0000

The project “Boosting music industry exports to Japan through cross-sectoral collaboration” (FINEEX Music/Finest Sounds) aimed at increasing sales and new export contracts of Finnish and Estonian music industry companies in Japan. The most important achievements:

1) New contacts to Japanese music business were established and old ones strengthened, and a lot of silent knowledge from experienced exporters shared. Existing connections with Japanese music industry were updated, and trust built between them and new generation of exporters.

2) Export activities and sales of music companies on the Japanese music market were boosted. New companies in Finland and Estonia were attracted, and export strategies were built for them.

For 38 music companies new export concepts to Japanese market were developed;
75 music sector companies and artists participated in the sales promotion trip and songwriting camp in Japan;
All together 134 companies participated in project activities;

3) About 300-400 persons (from brands, SME's and Universities) participated in the project activities. They received information and competences about the Japanese market which will be beneficial in future export activities

Tags:

Lead Partner project website

External link:

Category:

At a glance text:

For 38 music companies new export concepts to Japanese market were developed;
75 music sector companies and artists participated in the sales promotion trip and songwriting camp in Japan;
All together 134 companies participated in project activities;
300-400 people participated in the project activities.

Project link:

Boosting music industry exports to Japan through cross-sectoral collaboration

CB HealthAccess - Export of products within the Health and Wellness sector

annika.holmstrom — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:48:25 +0000

The project “Access to Distant Markets in Health and Wellness” (CB HealthAccess) has helped a number of SMEs from the CB region, within the health technology sector, to achieve sales, raise investments, and to close different type of collaboration agreements in four distant markets; South Korea, the United States, India and Uganda.

In total 58 individual companies in the health technology sector from Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden participated in the project. Some of the companies were active in more than one market during the project. The participation in the different markets was allocated as follows:
In the South Korean market activities; 25 companies were involved.
In the US market activities; 22 companies were involved.
In the Indian market activities; 12 companies were involved.
In the Ugandan market activities; 10 companies were involved.

Direct results within the project period, in short: 5 sales were achieved, 4 investments were raised, and 1 agreement with a business partner was signed.

Indirect results within the project period, in short: 3 preliminary agreements for co-operation were signed, 1 contract was closed, 2 cooperation projects were started, 1 test marketing was started, 1 study in a hospital was started.

In addition, in the end of the project many companies were still in negotiations or working on meeting local regulations in order to continue their access to the markets.

On a more general level the project has raised awareness of, and interest in, distant markets. As the market of health technologies is global, the companies need to expose themselves and their products to international competition and consumers in other countries in order to be able to develop more competitive products and market adaptations.

Tags:

health and social services

Market_entry_2pager_S-K.pdf

Attachment:

South-Korea_Health_market_intro.pdf

Press_release_Uganda.pdf

USA_Health_market_intro.pdf

USA__market_entry_offer.pdf

External link:

Estonian Lead Partner website about the project

Turku Business region website about the project

Swecare website about the project

Swedish Medtech website about the Final conference in the project

Pressrelease about SMEs entering the South Korean market

Video presentations about South Korea, in Swedish

Pressrelease about SMEs entering the US market

Pressrelease about SMEs entering the Indian market

Pressrelease about SMEs entering the Ugandan market

Category:

At a glance text:

58 individual companies in the health technology sector participated in the project activities in the South Korean, the US, the Indian and the Ugandan market. Some of the companies were active in more than one market during the project.
5 direct sales within the project period were achieved, 4 investments were raised, and 1 agreement with a business partner was signed.
Indirect results within the project period: 3 preliminary agreements for co-operation were signed, 1 contract was closed, 2 cooperation projects were started, 1 test marketing was started, 1 study in a hospital was started.

Project link:

Access to Distant Markets in Health and Wellness

Archipelago Partnership encouraged to new business ideas, network and development

ester.miiros — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 12:36:15 +0000

The project Archipelago - strategic partnerships for business development inspired entrepreneurs in the archipelago and rural areas to develop through partnerships and training in Finland (including Aland Islands) and Sweden. The archipelago regions have certain challenges: small scale communities, depopulation, aging generation, strong seasonality, lower accessibility, etc.

The project wanted a minimum of 60 existing SMEs to take part of a development process, - the result was 185 companies involved in activities during three years. Different companies joined along the way, some participating in only one activity, whereas others participated in several.

As the main results the project targeted to achieve 5 new startup companies and 10 new business models developed by existing companies.
By the end of the project 12 new startups and 22 new business models through diversification and new seasonal solutions were achieved thus exceeding the targeted results.

The exceeding results show these activities were needed and filled a gap among the archipelago entrepreneurs. The partners’ solid start-up expertise, coaching techniques and innovative models for cross-border business development as the "Loopa” method were just on spot and successful tools in the project.

Students were also engaged in almost all project activities and therefore the actual amount exceeded the targeted by far (more than 200 student projects by about 80 students). Student involvement included course work, theses, hackathon, communication activities and internships.

The use of digital technology resulted in a new platform for information and networking www.archipelagobusiness.nu, which one partner stays responsible for.

The project results have already created new working methods and networks in the Turku archipelago area, so the lessons learned during project time have been capitalised.

“The main achievement is that we managed to reach and inspire a large group of archipelago entrepreneurs to develop their businesses together with each other. We managed this through our numerous activities, the matchmaking seminars, business clinics, accelerator program, international forums, and benchmarking trips, as well as through student assignments and individual consulting by our experts.
The entrepreneurs received new contacts, ideas, and tools and most importantly, courage to expand their current businesses into new areas and fields.
They also received hands on assistance regarding pricing, marketing, and search engine optimization, for example. … and more importantly, the entrepreneurs learned that they are not alone.”

Project website with all information https://www.archipelagobusiness.eu/

Tags:

Rural and peripheral development