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CENTRAL BALTIC "SOFT LANDING" ZONE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE COMPANIES (SMEDGE)
Start date: Feb 28, 2009, End date: Sep 30, 2011 PROJECT  FINISHED 

In order to improve the overall economical competitiveness and to support internal harmonization of the Central Baltic (CB) region (SWE, FIN, LV and EST) joint concept for cooperation and expansion of local SME-s must be created. It is crucial to prepare the companies for entering (and help them to determine their readiness for) other CB markets. After the respective decision is made by a firm, there are still many difficulties to face: language and cultural barriers, features of intellectual property protection, finding partners, marketing, handling governmental regulations, taxation and accounting, etc. The best and most natural way to support these companies is to use the business incubators and technology/science parks as the first entry points in order to help the companies achieve a soft landing to the markets of CB region. Therefore one of the main outcomes of the project is a joint support model to prepare the local companies for expansion into other CB markets through combination of activities: conducting market research, consultation services (market positioning, partner search etc), organizing international brokerage events, joint trainings, seminars and exhibition exchange. Through the model, the companies will receive a clear vision of the risks/opportunities to enter other CB markets. The other main objective of the project is to increase the chances of success and reduce the overall risks for companies from other countries, entering national markets of CB region, through joint developing and piloting of the "soft landing" service package. It will help companies face the difficulties that are common while entering foreign markets. Achievements: The SMEDGE project aimed at developing useful service packages helping the SMEs to enter foreign markets faster and more cost efficiently in the Central Baltic region. The project developed a soft landing services model consisting of a combination of various internationalisation activities: trainings, market research, brokerage events, joint seminars and consultation services, etc. The development was done by cooperating with SMEs interested in expanding their business abroad. The activities support the companies in determining if they are ready to enter the foreign markets, thereby allowing them to spend their international expansion capital more effectively. As a part of the development process, the project also organised workshops with business incubators and technology/science parks to develop the model and distribute it further.
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  • 80%   769 110,00
  • 2007 - 2013 Central Baltic (FI-SE-EE-LA)
  • Project on KEEP Platform
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