Programme: Central Baltic Programme
Priority: Economically competitive and innovative region
Direction of support: Supporting innovation and improving competitiveness

The number of successful small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) enlargements into another Central Baltic country is comparatively low. Companies need support in entering the markets of other Central Baltic countries. When expanding to another country, companies face many challenges: finding partners, language and cultural barriers, lack of knowledge in local marketing strategies, taxation, law and accounting, etc.

The SMEDGE project creates the first entry points to support companies in achieving a “soft landing” in the markets of the Central Baltic region.

During this development, the project uses companies as experts. The soft landing services model consists of a combination of various internationalisation activities: trainings, market research, brokerage events, joint seminars and consultation services, etc. These activities will allow the companies to determine if they are ready to enter the foreign markets, hereby allowing them to spend their international expansion capital more effectively. In addition, the project organizes workshops with business incubators and technology/science parks to distribute the model and develop it further.

Lead partner:
Tallinn Technology Park Development Foundation, Estonia (Tallinn)
www.smedge.org