The Interreg Aurora funded small-scale project Exploring Cross-Border Collaboration for Sustainable Entrepreneurship was recently completed. The project aimed to enhance the competitiveness of small and middle sized companies (SMEs) by investigating and preparing for long-term cross-border cooperation within the cultural and creative sectors across the Interreg Aurora geography. The small-scale project focused on fostering collaboration between incubators in Sweden (Uminova eXpression and Go Business) and Finland (Design Centre Muova), to identify joint development opportunities.
The most pressing need identified in the project, was the lack of structured business support and mentorship. Many SMEs struggle with developing clear growth strategies, accessing relevant funding, and securing long-term sustainability. Without tailored business guidance (our conclusion analysing their responses), they face difficulties in expanding operations, securing partnershis, and navigating regulatory frameworks.
Digital transformation emerged as another critical challenge. Many businesses lack the necessary skills and resources to adopt digital business models, leverage data-driven marketing, or integrate new technologies effectively.
In the photo: Ida Jousmäki, Entrepreneur from Vaasa Dance School Kipinä, Sanna Bondas, Director of Library and Culture in Vaasa and Marko Perälä, Musician
Cross-border collaboration was also highlighted as a key necessity. The fragmented ecosystem within the region limits opportunities for SMEs to exchange knowledge, access joint funding, and engage in cross-national business development. Talking to the entrepreneurs about this, strengthening networks and cooperation across borders was seen as crucial to fostering innovation and improving competitiveness.
Furthermore, sustainability—mostly focusing on economic and ecological—was a major concern. The entrepreneurs expressed a strong need for guidance on integrating sustainability into their business models, whether through circular economy approaches (some did not have knowledge about this concept but gained understanding during dialog), responsible sourcing, or environmentally friendly production methods. Many companies recognize the importance of sustainability but require practical tools and support to implement lasting solutions.
For the Sámi businesses, a reccurent theme was challenges related to market access and financing, with many entrepreneurs struggling to find funding opportunities tailored to their specific businesses. It also became clear that there is a lack of customized support mechanisms that consider the unique conditions and needs of Sámi enterprises.
The project’s conclusions provide a solid foundation for a larger Interreg application in the future The continued work will focus on:
- Establishing long-term cooperation structures between Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian incubators and business support organizations, with a focus on cultural and creative businesses.
- Further developing sustainable and data-driven incubation models with a focus on digitalization, financing, and marketing.
- Implementing insights on Sámi entrepreneurship in future projects.
“A big thank you to all partners and participants who contributed to shaping this project and creating the conditions for a more sustainable and inclusive entrepreneurial environment.” says the Project Manager Barbro Renkel.
Want to know more?
Read the result report (pdf page 8, “Capacity building through Collaboration”).
Read more about the small-scale project Exploring Cross-border collaboration for Sustainable Entrepreneurship.
