BID4E: Business and Innovation Development for Enterprises
The problem the BID4E project aims to solve is that many manufacturing SMEs in the Botnia-Atlantica region have limited capabilities, tools and networking opportunities for international business development. The consequences of this problem are significant, as SMEs need to be capable to extend their markets internationally to keep up with the competition and to respond to the changes digitalization brings to the global business.
To solve this problem, the project’s goal is to boost regional SME’s international competitiveness by increasing their capabilities in international business and innovation development, in utilization of digitalization, and by obtaining critical mass in cross-border partnerships.
The project aims to engage 30 manufacturing SMEs in the Botnia-Atlantica region of Västerbotten & Västernorrland (SWE), and Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia & South Ostrobothnia (FIN).
The project will implement a rich set of activities to reach its goal. First the project will perform an analysis of each participating SMEs concerning its international business development capabilities and opportunities. To increase knowledge, the project will arrange training on digitalization as a driver for change, environmental sustainability, increased gender equality, diversity and equal opportunities in the workplace.
Further, the project will arrange and lead several cross-border workshops with networking sessions for the SMEs. To facilitate manufacturing SMEs internationalization efforts, the project will develop two digital user-friendly tools for international business development and provide SMEs assistance on using the tools.
The project results will be disseminated through several seminars in the Botnia-Atlantica region.
At the end of the project, the participating SMEs will have increased their knowledge of opportunities of digitalization and new business models, gained better understanding of international business challenges, have formed new cross-border partnerships and networks as well as raised their competence on new digital tools for international business development.
The project results, such as the two digital tools for international business development, will remain available via an open access digital platform even after the project has ended.
The project consortium is led by University of Vaasa. Other project partners are University of Tampere (Seinäjoki University Consortium), Luleå University of Technology and Mid Sweden University. The academic project consortium is complemented by close collaboration with regional innovation actors such as Almi Företagspartner, LTU Business and Viexpo NordicHub.
Duration
1/2019-12/2021
Funding
The project is funded by EU Interreg Botnia-Atlantica -programme, Region Västerbotten, Regional Council of Ostrobothnia, University of Vaasa, University of Tampere (Seinäjoki University Consortium), Luleå University of Technology and Mid Sweden University.
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