Empowering scale-up of CB tech-sector companies

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Finland-Estonia-Latvia-Sweden (Central Baltic)

Date of latest update: 2025-01-21

Description

Description (EN):

Many newly established tech companies in the CB region operate inside a somewhat limited environment. They are micro/small/mid-size companies that operate in small markets providing a limited range of products or services and often struggle with similar challenges. Such limits in business operations are followed by obvious consequences: they are unwilling to network and find common ground or interest with other companies in their sector or geographical location to build cooperation and prepare e.g. joint offers to bigger procurements; they are unable to find and go to new markets, they do not attract new capital and, therefore, many of them just go out of business or remain stagnant. Fostered by the EU and national/regional digital strategies and policies, the demand for scalable business models will grow rapidly in the upcoming years based on the usage of new technologies. To ensure the competitiveness of the technology sector in CB region, the competencies and readiness of micro and small companies to use new technologies, products/ services, and develop further their business models must be increased. The project aims at developing and implementing a CB Scaler Support Program consisting of a set of services that empower CB tech-sector companies, mostly focusing on smart manufacturing, ICT, e-governance, and smart mobility, to scale up. The Program consists of training and coaching modules with both generic topics, such as marketing and business model, and tailormade modules, such as specific competence or skills development. Some of the mentioned modules are existing in partners´ portfolios and need adjustment to address the target group, some services are missing and need to be developed. In total partners expect 90 target group companies to attend the Support Program, and 30 companies to achieve a scaleup status as defined by the Central Baltic Program.

Actual Achievements (EN):

The main focus in period 1 from March 2023 to August 2023 was on getting the project started,planning and preparing the activities that support the targeted end results of this project in close collaboration with the project partners. To this end these activities included project initiation (contractual management), familiarisation with the Central Baltic Programme requirements, overall management of activities and regular online meetings with the project partners, which have exchanged knowledge and approaches regarding how to engage SMEs and have established a common understanding of how to successfully achieve the project targets. The main activities was to scouting SMEs trough different comunication channels (project partner business contacts, organizing face-to-face and online meetings, sending out newsletters, info in partners web pages) and identifying their specific needs and set clear targets for their growth and development. During this period, project partners have been diligently working towards creating a structured and comprehensive framework to support SMEs. Essential was the establishment of a survey and a set of questions, designed to enable SMEs to articulate their specific needs and set clear targets for their growth and development. Within the collaborative partnership, the Scaler Support Program's services have been defined and articulated, ensuring clarity and coherence in its implementation. These services have been categorized into two key modules: Generic and Tailor-Made Modules. Additionally, a set of main priority topics has been identified within these modules. These include: Sales & Marketing: Equipping SMEs with strategies to enhance their market presence and customer reach. Product Management & Innovation: Fostering innovation and effective product management practices. International Markets & Export: Providing guidance on expanding into international markets and optimizing export opportunities. People Management: Enhancing skills in managing human resources effectively. Financial Management: Strengthening financial management capabilities. Fundraising: Offering insights into fundraising strategies and opportunities. Overall, the progress achieved thus far demonstrates the project partners' dedication to creating a robust support program that is tailored to the specific needs of SMEs and promises to be a valuable resource for their development. During the second Project period, the following activities took place: - Project partner meeting in Tallinn on 6th of September 2023 - Project partner and Joint Secretatiat (JS) meeting in Helsinki on 7th of December 2023 - Project partner meeting in Tartu on 25th of January 2024 (in sTARTUp day Tartu) - Project partner meeting in Riga on 19th of February 2024 - Weekly online meetings with project partners to follow up on project progress - Scouting SMEs to participate in the Scaler Up programme - Jointly created marketing materials for social media within the partnership to attract target companies - Updated a enroling survey and consistently refined the methodology materials, which is also contribute in Handbook materials - The project partners have diligently worked toward creating project plan of action - Ongoing communication with the SMEs Provided trainings/matchmaking events for SMEs - *20th and 21st of September 2023 - Smalltalk and Netwirking (Estonia) *5th of October - Scaling workshop with Jin Han (Latvia) *18th of October 2023 - Kick-off Finland *15th of November - NEXPO pitching (Tallinn) *28th of November - Virtual Tech Day by Toyota (online, Finland) *29th of November - Slush Side event (Finland) *15th of December Go To Market and Positioning workshop (online, Finland) *25th of January 2024 - sTARTUp day side-event "Challanges in Scaling up" (Tartu) - The project partners have diligently worked toward creating a structured and comprehensive framework for the Scaler Up Programme to support SMEs in their growth journey (trainings, events) - Calendar for year 2024 activities was created - Jointly work to find and provide SMEs with potentional experts/trainers and mentors for SMEs In parallel, project partners has invested efforts in strengthening our projects online presence and communication channels - updating our website, leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn and and all project partners uses their communication channels (social media, newsletters, web pages) to spred info about ESCALTECH project and its opportunities.

Project outputs: 90 CB companies participated in the CB Scaler Support Program(EN)

Thematic information

Education and training SME and entrepreneurship

Priority: (VI-A_CB_P1) Innovative business development

Priority specific objective: RSO1.3. Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO1 A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity

Type of intervention: 015 Digitising SMEs or large enterprises (including e-Commerce, e-Business and networked business processes, digital innovation hubs, living labs, web entrepreneurs and ICT start-ups, B2B) compliant with greenhouse gas emission reduction or energy efficiency criteria

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Latvijas Informācijas tehnoloģiju klasteris

Partner’s ID if not PIC: LV40008121251

Address: Skolas, LV-1010 Rīga, Latvia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.itbaltic.com

Total budget: EUR 558 995.60

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 447 196.48

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 111 799.12

Contractors:

Name: SIA XYZ Combinator
VAT registration or tax identification number: N/A

Dimecc oy

Name: Dimecc oy

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FI21790304

Address: Åkerlundinkatu , FIN-33100 Tampere, Finland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.dimecc.com

Total budget: EUR 649 050.64

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 519 240.51

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 129 810.13

Eesti Infotehnoloogia ja Telekommunikatsiooni Liit

Name: Eesti Infotehnoloogia ja Telekommunikatsiooni Liit

Partner’s ID if not PIC: EE100556467

Address: Lõõtsa , 11415 Tallinn, Estonia

Department address: Estonia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.itl.ee

Total budget: EUR 582 981.72

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 466 385.37

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 116 596.35

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Empowering scale-up of CB tech-sector companies

Project acronym: ESCALTECH

Project ID: CB0100105

Project start date: 2023-03-01

Project end date: 2026-02-28

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) (EN) | synergies in target audience (SMEs), technology focus (AI, advanced manufacturing, etc.), regionality, service portfolio (training & competence development, test before invest, networking & matchmaking, access to financing). (EN), ADMA TranS4MErs program (EN) | https://trans4mers.eu
ADMA TranS4MErs program will accelerate factories to become Factories of the Future embracing the ecological, digital, and societal challenges. The project aims to support ambitious SMEs on their transformation journey, ensuring that Europe embraces the transformation of the economy and society and brings benefits to ALL citizens and businesses. ESCALTECH project aims to increase awareness of growth-oriented tech-SMEs and help them grow through e.g. product and process development, digitalization and experience exchange. Once companies have identified their main challenges, needs and growth paths, ADMA Trans4mers can be their “next step” and offer funding for specific trainings in advanced skills and digital technologies via its open calls.
(EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 791 027.96

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 432 822.36

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 1 432 822.36. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

List of 90 companies that were scouted and approved for the Scaler Program
Mapped needs of the participating companies
CB Scaler Support Program generic modules
CB Scaler Support Program tailormade modules
List of experts for CB Scaler Support Program
Agendas and signature sheets of the events (trainings, workshops, etc) for 1st batch
Agendas and signature sheets of the events (trainings, workshops, etc) for 2nd batch
Documented evidence of the scaled-up status of the 30 companies
Handbook of the CB Scaler Support Program

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

Other EU SME Strategy: Activities of this project support all key objectives of this strategy: 1. Reducing regulatory burdens on SMEs (means: automation and digitalization of documents, cross-border networking and collaboration), 2. SME access to finance (means: guidance and support to SMEs seeking for funding to their digitalization efforts), and 3. SME internationalization (means: matchmaking between SMEs and supply networks of larger enterprises).
Other Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition: As part of its service portfolio, this project provides tools for tailored skills development.
Other This project will link with the operations of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) through its national contact points. Project will actively inform the participating companies about the services of EEN, organize joint events, and collaborate in communication.
Project will also seek for close collaboration with Startup Europe once its Eastern Partnership Network has been set up.
Other Digital Europe Programme (DEP): This project will support the participating companies in acquiring, testing, and enhancing their digital competencies and solutions. Especially companies in the manufacturing industry will increase their efficiency and competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Other European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) network: Once the EDIH network has been established, this project will seek and set up collaborative relationships with relevant EDIHs and offer their services to the participating companies. The relevance can be defined based on EDIH’s technical, regional, or industrial focus.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 004 - Enterprises with non-financial support, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO04) Enterprises with non-financial support: 34.0

Programme Result Indicator:

PSR2 Number of scaled up new growth companies, Measurement unit: companies

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Finland-Estonia-Latvia-Sweden (Central Baltic)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-01-21

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

63 / 63 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

251 / 251 (100%)

Notes on the data

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Empowering scale-up of CB tech-sector companies

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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