Joensuu-Petrozavodsk “Highway for Growth” (KA4017)
Funded by Karelia CBC 2014-2020

Objective of the project

Improving working models for the development of cross-border business between Joensuu region and Petrozavodsk city.

Main activities

• Developing of an innovative and sustainable cross-border way of working, which ties the target areas to a mutually beneficial cooperation in regional cross-border business development • Creating new two-city marketing tools "Joensuu Region-Petrozavodsk City" to increase image for the attraction of investments to the regions and promote cross-border business possibilities • Developing sellable invest in -business plans of potential businesses in Joensuu region and Petrozavodsk city that have a basis on cross-border business for furthering invest A new innovative training and educational study course for young students in business programmes • Developing and piloting a new kind of joint cross-border student course in Joensuu and Petrozavodsk related to cross-border trade

Achievements

1) An innovative and sustainable cross-border way of working was developed, which ties the target areas to a mutually beneficial cooperation in regional cross-border business development. Business developing organizations started cooperating by helping each others' companies sell products in own regions. Before it was all about export. This new method has increased new sales and easied export and import activities. Also the project developed lostical map for companies, held 4 business seminars and thus 9 companies stared cross-border trade in the implementation period. 2) Invest in cooperation started and developed to increase joint efforts mainly to attract more businesses to the regions. Better image of target areas, increased visibility, less emigration and attraction of new investments to the target regions. Regions and cities over the border did joint actions helping each other with a two city brochure and video. With concrete actions developing business plans 10 companies invested in Joensuu Region and Petrozavodsk city. 3) A new innovative training and educational study course for young students in business programmes which involve businesses interested in cross-border trade is created and tested. Two all new piloted student courses were held for university students. 48 students participated in cross-border RUS-FIN teams with different backgrounds tackled real business issues and made market research. Also project invested resources in to feasibility studies concerning trade and investment difficulties and made project actions based on findings.