Northborne - Accelerating bold futures from remote beginnings

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Sweden-Finland-Norway (AURORA)

Date of latest update: 2026-03-11

Description

Description (EN):

Northborne addresses the need to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in Ostrobothnia and Västernorrland where startups, scaleups and SMEs often face challenges such as limited support structures, weaker visibility and a lack of awareness in society about their value. By creating an open community accelerator model for startups, scaleups and SMEs the project will provide companies with tools, mentorship and networks that help them grow and innovate while staying rooted in rural regions. A community approach strengthens rural startups by reducing isolation, fostering peer learning and creating a more resilient and supportive environment for growth. By working cross-border these communities gain access to a wider network of knowledge and collaboration opportunities that would otherwise be difficult to reach in rural areas. The aim of the community accelerator is to build a supportive gender-equal community where entrepreneurs, municipalities, investors and citizens can collaborate and share knowledge. Through study visits, accelerator pilots, mentorship programs and public events, the project will increase cooperation across borders, strengthen support structures and highlight the tendency for innovation already present in rural areas. By making rural innovation more visible and accessible, the project will inspire communities, attract investment and show that entrepreneurship is a key driver for future resilience. The project aims to raise awareness of the benefits that a more diverse business environment can bring. Expected results include a tested and refined community accelerator model and a stronger cross-border network of actors and stakeholders. This will contribute to a clearer recognition among development companies, regions and municipalities of the value of supporting startups and scaleups in rural areas. In the long run, this will help create more vibrant, innovative and sustainable business communities.

Expected Achievements (EN):

The project aims to build a long-lasting cross-border community accelerator for rural areas which supports economic resilience and the competitiveness of SMEs, startups and scaleups. We will build cross-border networks to exchange ideas and best practices. The transnational activities foster diversity in business development. The project will explore an underused growth potential for rural companies in the startup, scaleup and innovative phase, and will with its pilots create a new community accelerator model for rural areas in Sweden and Finland. The project will also focus on accelerating business ideas that target the challenges faced in rural areas were the communities can serve as a pool for co-creation and adding value. The accelerator will include workshops, a mentoring program as well as create positive attitudes towards rural startup environments. The project will increase the tendency for innovation in rural areas and build new local and cross-border cooperations.

Website: https://www.interregaurora.eu

Thematic information

Rural and peripheral development SME and entrepreneurship Community integration and common identity

Priority: (VI-A_S-FI-N_1) Smart and sustainable growth

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: 026 Support for innovation clusters including between businesses, research organisations and public authorities and business networks primarily benefiting SMEs

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: Centria-ammattikorkeakoulu Oy

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 1097805-3

Address: Runebergsgatan 8, FI-68600 Jakobstad, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Organisation type: N.a.

Total budget: EUR 384 658.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 250 028.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 134 630.00

Nykarleby Innovation Center rf

Name: Nykarleby Innovation Center rf

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 3012198-9

Address: Jakobstadsvägen 29, 66900 NYKARLEBY, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Organisation type: N.a.

Total budget: EUR 87 816.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 57 080.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 30 736.00

Coompanion - Kooperativ Utveckling Västernorrland ek. för.

Name: Coompanion - Kooperativ Utveckling Västernorrland ek. för.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 7164603867

Address: STORGATAN 73, 852 33 SUNDSVALL, Sweden

Legal status: private

Organisation type: N.a.

Total budget: EUR 93 276.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 60 629.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 32 647.00

BizMaker AB

Name: BizMaker AB

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 5565276176

Address: STORGATAN 73, 852 33 SUNDSVALL, Sweden

Legal status: private

Organisation type: N.a.

Total budget: EUR 378 920.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 246 299.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 132 621.00

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Nykarleby Innovation Center rf

Northborne - Accelerating bold futures from remote beginnings

Partners and Projects info

Coompanion - Kooperativ Utveckling Västernorrland ek. för.

Northborne - Accelerating bold futures from remote beginnings

Partners and Projects info

Centria-ammattikorkeakoulu Oy

Northborne - Accelerating bold futures from remote beginnings

Partners and Projects info

BizMaker AB

Northborne - Accelerating bold futures from remote beginnings

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Northborne - Accelerating bold futures from remote beginnings

Project acronym: 20376707.0

Project ID: 20376707.0

Project start date: 2026-01-01

Project end date: 2028-12-31

Project status: ongoing

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 944 670.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 614 036.00

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 65.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Finland, Jakobstad, Runebergsgatan 8, FI-68600

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

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Sweden-Finland-Norway (AURORA)

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

2026-03-11

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

162 / 162 (100%)

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

650 / 650 (100%)

Notes on the data

Languages

Contact Form

Northborne - Accelerating bold futures from remote beginnings

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

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

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