Valmiera Business Incubator, a recipient of the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Business Industry grant, has recently completed study trips to 7 business incubators in Norway, Sweden and Estonia.
The skills and ideas obtained during the study visits and the expanded contact network have been greatly appreciated. The whole experience is expected to provide a significant boost for the entrepreneurial milieu in Valmiera and its nearby districts.
The first study trip took place in October 2009 in Norway, where the administration and four enterprises of the Valmiera Business Incubator visited Oppland County municipality and 5 business incubators (Lillehammer Science Park, Kapp Incubator, Raufoss Industrial Park, Gjøvik Science Park and the creative incubator Fabrikken).While the administrative personnel of the Valmiera Business Incubator met with the heads of Norwegian incubators and discussed the principles of incubation, work organisation and potential for joint future projects, the “incubated” enterprises themselves talked with their Norwegian counterparts about business specifics and possibilities for future collaboration.
Later on in November, the Latvian delegation visited the municipality of Valmiera’s fellow city Solna in Sweden and Borlänge science park Stiftelsen Teknikdalen, whereas in Estonia their destination was Tartu Science Park. As a result, contacts were forged both on administrative and entrepreneurial levels.
Of particular notice were the incubation principles learned at the science park Stiftelsen Teknikdalen in Sweden. The same pattern of incubation management will gradually be implemented in Valmiera, thus ensuring yet higher quality standards and more professional incubation services in the region of Northern Latvia.
Upon the completion of the Mobility Programme, a number of tangible results have been achieved. In partnership with Norwegian, Swedish and Estonian incubators, applications for 3 international projects have been submitted. Likewise, applications have been sent within the Interreg IVB Baltic Sea Region Programme and the Central Baltic Interreg IVA Programme. Yet another project within the Estonian-Latvian-Russian cross-border programme is currently being prepared in cooperation with Nordic and Estonian partners.
The study trips have been organised with the support of the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Business and Industry.
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