BaSIC

BaSIC aims to build a “Baltic Sea Archipelago of Innovation” (recommendation of BaltMetInno). The objective is to create a seamless working environment for fast growth innovative SME all over the Baltic Sea Region, embedded in a reliable network of leading Science Parks and clusters.

Priority: 1. Fostering innovations
Emphasis is given to identify, select, train and coach SME-gazelles; to provide them harmonized access to markets (establish a tool kit of market access points) and to connect them for access to finance for internationalization and growth.
The project consortium consists of leading Science Parks, incubators and innovation facilitators, having a strong support by the 10 Baltic Sea Capital Regions (incl. Oslo and St. Petersburg). This will guarantee sustainability of good project results and their implementation into regional innovation strategies.
Feedback from project monitoring and SME experiences will be used for identifying and continued improvement of essential services, infrastructure and management of innovation infrastructure (Science parks/incubators or clusters) in the BSR Capital regions and for establishing partnership agreements between leading Science parks and those under development, to help reducing disparities within regions and to improve competitiveness and dynamics of the Baltic Sea area.
The project is open for cooperation and exchange with other projects. In particular, there are strong links and joint presentations of SME to the sister project JOSEFIN, dealing with financing SME (credits, loans etc). The networking and the developed services will be expanded to new partners and to other regions. Agreed joint marketing calendars and activities for innovation sites and events of the partner regions will provide a schedule for the SME to find the most important events, expositions and conferences for their business activities. Selected road shows in the region will support the promotion.
The pilot phase (project duration) expects a minimum of 30 trained SME, 3 brokerage events, 3 international training courses. To coach internationalisation of SME 10 market access points (MAP) throughout the Baltic Sea Capital Regions will be installed. 30 success stories will be told. BaSIC will greatly benefit from achieved results of the Baltic Metropolises Innovation Strategy project: Identification and selection of the fast growth SME will be realized by developing and applying entrepreneurial training courses, and by using started cooperation between clusters. Brokerage events in (pre)selected clusters (using BalMet Inno results) support the process. A continuous monitoring will accompany the work progress.
Policy recommendations will be derived from the monitoring and the feedback from SME clients; they will be reported to both the JTS and the BaltMet Officials as Steering Group and representatives of the Lord Mayors. This will, next to an excellent quality, ensure a good transferability and a long term sustainability of the project results.