YIE Training session in Murmansk

On the 14^th of December project partners from MIBO carried out the training “Psychological resources of Entrepreneur” for young entrepreneurs from Murmansk. Participants of the training discussed influence of personal qualities on success of entrepreneurial activities. Young entrepreneurs along with Elena Zubritskaya and Elena Skiotis made a psychological portrait of entrepreneur and did some practical exercises to develop public speaking and management skills.

The most difficult task was to form skills for short and persuasive expressing point of view. Participants were divided into two teams. The first team had the task to defend the position of "The entrepreneur must take risks, because ...", while the second team had to prove that "the entrepreneur does not have to risk, because ...". During discussion of results, participants concluded that it is important to be able to express thoughts concisely and intelligently in dispute, as well as to respect the opinion of the other side.

The exercise for teambuilding was easy; every potential conflict situation was solved by the sense of humor and positive attitude of participants of the training.

Summing up the training, all participants agreed that these studies helped to learn more about their psychological characteristics, about personal internal "allies" and "saboteurs" to achieve objectives, and how to use them in the right time or overcome.

Next step is to organise "Rules of business communication" training, stay tuned! 

Matchmaking event in Tornio/Haparanda/Rovaniemi

Cooperation across the borders

The Young Innovative Entrepreneurs (YIE) is a cooperation project in Barents region. It’s objective is to support innovative entrepreneurship and young entrepreneurs, as well as develop new business ideas, entrepreneurial mindset and cooperation across borders. A region wide support system will enhance the development and implementation of innovative business ideas across the borders. 

The project manager of YIE Saila-Inkeri Vaara emphasizes that the main idea is to give young entrepreneurs better chances to network with each other and meet their future clients, business partners or even business associates.
— This project enables entrepreneurs to internationalize and also to see and experience what kind of people, customs and business activity there is to find in other countries of Barents region.

Young Innovative Entrepreneurs organized an international matchmaking event in the Tornio-Haparanda-Rovaniemi region from the 14th to 17th of November 2012. The objective of this first Matchmaking event was to give the participants an opportunity to innovate and network internationally and thereby create cooperation across the borders. The event was attended by more than 100 young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial-minded students from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia.

The project manager Saila-Inkeri Vaara (photo: Jaakko Lohiniva).

Success stories from the Barents region

The event kicked off on Wednesday evening 14.11. with a welcoming dinner at the Tornio City Hotel. The actual Matchmaking seminar was held on Thursday 15.11. in Sverigefinska folkhögskolan’s atmospheric spaces in Haparanda, Sweden.

 Leena Alalääkkölä, the Dean of Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences (in the field of business and culture) welcomed the seminar participants to the event and predicted the event to be a great experience for everyone. The host of the event Daniel Muotka (Träningsbyrån, Luleå) presented YIE’s predecessor Young Entrepreneurs in the Barents project, in which he worked as a project manager. After this, YIE’s Project Manager Saila-Inkeri Vaara presented the project and purpose of the Matchmaking event to the participants.

On Friday 16.11. the seminar participants were transferred to Rovaniemi where the second day of Matchmaking event was held in. The host Juha Eskelinen (Tivoli, and Cafe & Bar 21, Rovaniemi) welcomed the participants to the Rantavitikka campus of Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences. Then the Director of Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Timo Rautajoki, introduced business and innovation opportunities in the Barents region.

In both Haparanda and Rovaniemi Matchmaking event’s participants also got to hear some inspiring success stories from young entrepreneurs of the Barents region.

Ramsalt Lab, Norwegian success story (photo: Jaakko Lohiniva).

In Haparanda Elina Stoor from iLme Innorooms (Tornio, Finland) presented her company’s innovative ways to organize showrooms and events. Norwegian success story was showcased by Yngve W. Bergheim, Joakim Andrè and Martin Normann Lund from Ramsalt Lab (Tromsø) which has become one of Norway’s leading Drupal-companies in only few years and is investing more in expanding it’s international network in the future. Ramsalt Lab’s representantives had come to Matchmaking event to meet with potential co-operation partners from different industries. Finally, Sanna Hänninen from NH Norrbotten (Haparanda, Sweden) shared her business story of making dreams come true as she has established a career working with something she loves, horses. Her business started as a youth company during upper secondary school but was later officially registered. Hänninen reminded the audience to always pursue their dreams and not settle for less.


In Rovaniemi innovative success story from Finland was presented by Reijo Koivula from Lappset Group Ltd. The company was established in 1970 so the success story has continued for more than 40 years. Koivula highlighted the importance of selling the solution for customers’ problems, not only products. In the best case product sales becomes customer intimacy, product marketing becomes brand marketing, products are turned into consepts and maintenance into services. Finally, the room was filled with laughter when Koivula played an innovative presentation video in which Lappset Group’s history was fast forwarded from one decade to another in the spirit of current movies from Star Wars to The Lord of the Rings. Also, web designer Dennis Kreminskiy (profitum.ru, Murmansk, Russia) shared his own experiences of entrepreneurship. He stressed that the keys to achieving success in business are particularly reliable partners and good reputation.

The power of international cooperation

However, Matchmaking event wasn’t all about listening existing success stories but participants had the opportunity to create a foundation for their own success stories in workshops. The participants were divided into nine groups in Haparanda. The first day’s agenda was getting to know other members of the group and co-create a small-scale innovative business idea.

Facilitators are ready for grouping (photo: Jaakko Lohiniva).

On the next day in Rovaniemi the workshop activities continued with the same groups. This time the assignment was to discuss what kind of support there is for entrepreneurs at this moment and what kind of support is still needed in addition to existing ones. The results of the workshop conversations will be utilized directly as a part of planning  and developing of InnoBarentsLab, Innovative Business Services project established within the YIE project.
— The second day in Rovaniemi seems to be very important for further project implementation as the mind maps and posters produced by the groups will give a clear idea of what the InnoLabs should be like, one of the facilitators Nina Ershova emphasizes.

Workshop in Haparanda.

The facilitators of the workshop groups were very pleased with the discussion and new, innovative and diverse ideas from every group. In particular, multi-culturalism in groups turned out to be a special richness.

Anzelika Krastina pinpoints that innovative basis created and atmosphere that gives a freedom for ideas, with no limitations for crazy ideas.
— Positivity and open minds were the keys. Cross-cultural dialog was serving as a source for innovativity.

Iikka Rahkonen reminds also that cross-cultural approach served innovative activity and expanded people’s points of viewes.
— I think my group exploited their different kinds of competences. It was good to realize that great innovations can be needed several types of competences.

Morten Brugård also sees that in his group the cross-cultural aspect created a foundation for working.
— The most important was learning about different ways of seeing things in different cultures.

Krastina as well stresses that in brainstorming people got to see things from different angles and sharing opinions and thoughts is what makes it valuable.

Workshop in Rovaniemi (photo: Annett Pée).

— In their small businesses entrepreneurs are on their own, but here they got to hear what other people think and thus widen their own perspective. And certainly via workshops they managed to reinforce their new network.

For Tuija Kuisma it was especially impressive that the students in the group realized that they are not alone with their business ideas and they are able to find help.
— It was also great that the young entrepreneurs in our group were enthusiastic about their businesses and ready to tell how they started and so on. They also tried to find ways to help each other although they were from different business branch.

Ekaterina Tamistova is also happy as a facilitator that the participants had a chance to meet like-minded people.
— That’s very supporting if you want to start something new or continue what you are doing. The workshops were undoubtedly beneficial for all the people involved because everyone learned new things and, perhaps, got an insight or found a business partner.

Support for future success stories

The workshop results of the YIE’s Matchmaking event were versatile and beneficial for future project

Workshop in Rovaniemi (photo: Annett Pée).

operations. The participants seemed also pleased with the fact that they were directly consulted concerning the potential support networks and needs. After all, they are the ones who most likely will be utilizing these support systems in the future.

Numerous good ideas and suggestions were introduced while the groups considered different support networks. Krastina mentions for example that the participants suggested to create InnoBarentsLab as a Business Mall, an open space, physical and virtual, where young entrepreneurs can meet any time and where they would get needed help any time at the spot or online. Online platforms would also facilitate networking among young entrepreneurs in the Barents region, where distances are long.



Another suggestion was that there should be another event, where the participants could really work in the workshop to design together and plan in detail their cross-border business projects. Two days wasn’t enough to get plans and networks deep enough.
— There are just few from more that 100 new ideas. All of them were “most important”, Krastina points out.

So this first Matchmaking event of Young Innovative Entrepreneurs project was overall very successful. In addition, it was a great opportunity to showcase cross-border cooperation with

The atmosphere wasn't too serious (photo: Annett Pée).

countries and organizations. The event was organized in cooperation with Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences, Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences and Högskoleförbundet Östra Norrbotten. All the ten partners of YIE project were involved in organizations from the starting point and they were all responsible of arrangements of the participants of their own countries.

The project manager of YIE Saila-Inkeri Vaara reminds that the collaboration between all the ten partners of the project was crucial for the event to turn out as successful as it was. Close cooperation also made it possible that there were a great amount of participants from every country.
— In particular, this was a successful demonstration of the teamwork between Kemi-Tornio and Rovaniemi Universities of Applied Sciences. Although the distance between us is more than 100 kilmotres, the collaboration and practical arrangements worked out nicely and naturally, Vaara praises.

Thank You everyone, organizers and participants, who where a part of making this first Matchmaking event successful and memorable!

From this perspective, little by little we can start waiting for YIE’s next Matchmaking event which will be held in spring 2013 in Russia, Murmansk. See You all there!

The seminar ended with a benchmarking trip to Santa Claus Village (photo: Santa's Little helper?).

First national kick-off in Sweden, October 12

Participants from Sweden gathered in Haparanda for a first meeting.

At the national kick-off meeting in Sweden the YIE project was presented and special focus was put on the coming first matchmaking conference in November. All 6 participants had prepared a presentation of themselves and their business and/or business ideas. Immediately new ideas, connections, contacts and possibilities came up!

We are all looking forward to meet also all the other YIE participants 14-17 November!

YIE seminar in Rovaniemi

Information seminar within “Young Innovative Entrepreneurs YIE” project was organized in Rovaniemi Univeristy of Applied Sciences (RAMK) on 25 September, 2012. The aim of the seminar was to introduce wider audience to the project aims and main activities as well as to encourage entrepreneurship thoughts among young people. Within the project RAMK is responsible for creating an environment for business innovations under the working title Barents InnoLab. The aim is to encourage and support entrepreneurship especially initiated by young people in the region. InnoLab will be an environment or a workshop where new business ideas will be further developed with the help of business experts, teachers and other stakeholders. Further support for establishing a company will be given within the lab work. Students, who are not thinking their own business, at least not yet,  will also have a possibility to work on some business development projects. This is especially great opportunity for those who is thinking international business or looking for the possibilities to stay and work in Lapland or Barents region in the future.

 During the seminar, there were several real business cases presented by the owners or co-owners.  These were inspirational speeches that showed the participants of the seminar what kind of businesses are possible in this Northern area. Maxim Narbrough, a designer from Treeform Oy, gave an excellent example of an innovative business and social entrepreneurship. Janne Konttaniemi told the audience how the business developed from small company just few years ago and is grooving internationally now. 

Eija Jussila-Salmi, a business advisor from Rovaniemi Development Agency LTD, made all to think what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Veikko Keränen, Principal Lecturer from RAMK has got an interesting project idea and is planning to create a group of young people, who will work on the development of information system regarding the Northern Lights. Many small business cases can be developed based on this project idea.

After the seminar, the organisers (IBS students) have collected the questionnaire to find out whether there is an interest among participants to start own business and/or to participate in the project work of InnoLab. From 140 participants, about one third expressed their interest to participate in the project and InnoLab activities. Among them, some participants already have in mind a business idea. It proved the need for such support structures as InnoLab where people from different fields can get advice for the business development or to have a possibility to participate in real life business projects. This is now next goal of the project to create such a support environment for innovations and business development. 

Presentations by young, innovative and entrepreneurial people have encouraged other young people, in total 140 participants

Anzelika
Rovaniemi, Finland

First national educational event held in Norway

Young Innovative Entrepreneurs in Norway had its first educational event at Sommarøya outside of Tromsø. The goal of event was to anchor the participants within the group while creating enthusiasm and inspiration, networking and co-creation of value.

The Norwegian participants in the Kolartic funded Young Innovative Entrepreneurs was gathered in Tromsø and went to Sommarøya by bus. The event was kicked off by an inspirational speech by Kjell-Ove Hveding, host at Sommarøy Artic Hotel. The presentation was based around positive thinking and how to spot opportunities. Kjell-Ove employed what is known as North-Norwegian narrative art, a skill set which is highly thought of in Norway, in his presentation.

Then the Norwegian project manager presented the project and its financiers, and his thoughts on the project and what the projects aimed to achieve. All participants also got a task to share their opinions on the project and what they wanted to achieve by participating.

At the end of the first day we discussed the importance of entrepreneurship, and how an innovative and competitive business community is dependent on competitions from new companies to be benchmarked continuously and maintain their competitive power. Entrepreneurship is about seeing and seizing opportunities. The natural elongation of this was to talk about the opportunities in the region. We talked about increased biomass in the Barents Sea, The Northers Sea Route, oil and gas, minerals, to mention some. These opportunities may seem intangible to young entrepreneurs and therefore it is important to understand the more tangible opportunities which arise from these huge opportunities in the region.

The second day all participants joined together in smaller groups and practiced presenting themselves for the group as a whole. When all were ready and had practiced their presentations we had a plenary session where all presented themselves and what area of business they were involved in. This turned out to be an exciting session where several participants did not only talk about themselves, but also what they wanted from the project.

As a conclusion of the special entrepreneurial part of the programme we focused on creativity and planning. These are two subjects which are not often mentioned in the same sentence, but are of great importance if good ideas are to be brooded and hatched. We also had a short session on how this can be implemented in a business plan.

Finally we had a team building event where the participants learned about their personal comfort zones and how to reach outside of them as well as how group dynamics work.

To sum it up it was a successful event where the participants where anchored within the group, and new impulses and enthusiasm were created. We are looking forward to the continuation!
     
 -Morten

Visiting LKAB mine in Kiruna 29.8.2012

Young Innovative Entrepreneurs (YIE) organized an enterprise visit to the LKAB mine in Kiruna, Sweden. This was the first excursion and networking trip in the project. The purpose was to promote cooperation and networking between different sectors and between the people.

Entrepreneurs who participated in the trip were from Rovaniemi, Ylitornio, Tornio-Haparanda and Kemi. Most of the participants didn’t know each other beforehand so this was also a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to network within region of Lapland.

Small “get to know”-play was in place at first to get familiar with each other. During the long bus trip there was a lot of time to organize for example “speed dating”: the aim was to innovate a new idea for company or a new project idea. The play resulted plenty of new innovative ideas! YIE received valuable feedback for the project.

During the trip we also had workshops, which created a new business idea which of we hopefully hear more about in the future. Amazing or what?! On the bus we also created ideas for Matchmaking event from entrepreneurs perspective; for example partner-network for a different business fields. All good and valuable ideas!

The actual tour in the LKAB mine took three hours underground. During that time we went through the mine’s history ending up to the present day. We got an in-depth presentation about mining and how the main raw-material, iron ore, was extracted and processed further. It means work for every kind of businesses, especially in next year, when LKAB opens new base level for an even deeper. This means also, that Kiruna city must be moved because of collapse risk.

Overall a successful trip! Now we’ll utilize this inspired mood and start planning a new networking trip with enthusiasm. We have lots of new ideas, thanks for travellers and great innovations! 

What is the "Young Innovative Enterpreneurs" project?

This project aims to create a region wide support system that will enhance the developmnet and implementation of innovative business ideas across the borders by young entrepreneurs in the Barents region.
We have partners from Finland, Russia, Norway and Sweden. The lead partner is Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences, Finland.

This project is financed by Kolarctic ENPI CBC 2007-2013 program.