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Objectives of the Cata3Pult are connected to Business and SME development under the CBC programme priority of lively, active and competitive economy. The topic were create Finnish-Russian PPP catalyzing new business and format organizations’ common principles of long-term business cooperation in practical level in the themes of cleantech and sustainability of the urban environment between regions of South Karelia (Lappeenranta), Uusimaa (Helsinki and Vantaa) and Saint Petersburg, organize and promote knowledge sharing of city strategies, public procurement, knowledge sharing through expert panel and develop and promote business and R&D cross-border collaboration through clusters in the spheres of eco-  and energy efficiency, smart and green mobility and circular economy.

Cata3Pult work toward achieving the objectives organized through a set of activities, such as mapping and analyzing relevant stakeholders, development of structure and operational model of expert groups, facilitating the expert groups webinars and seminars for different types of stakeholders, student innovation projects, study visits, international events, as well as wide range of communication and visibility activities.

Impact of the Cata3Pult include 13 publications and other outputs in open online access, developed an operational model of expert groups and as result delivered and described 19 conceptualized business cases within selected environmental spheres. Cata3Pult reached 153 enterprises in total, from which 76 have got more support, and 22 new members joined clusters managed by the Cata3Pult partners.

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The overall objective of the Project is to attract businesses to invest, locate and operate in the programme area. The Project specific objectives was to increase the number of hi-tech SMEs operating cross-border and to enhance their competitiveness by the project training programme completion; to facilitate the transfer of knowledge through enterprises and projects undertaken by TGPPs (target group derived project participants) working under the joint supervision of the partners and engaged experts.

TGPPs consist of representatives of the target groups (e.g. hi-tech SMEs, students, postgraduate students, universities and scientific institutions, profile investors, funds and business angels), which are selected according their technology profile, potential for internationalization and environmental impacts by the use of developed under the project methodology. Supported during project TGPPs initiated 54 own projects. Many of them may have environmental-friendly applications. Positive environmental impact in this case corresponds with technologies and activities focused on energy efficiency, resources saving, wastes reduction, recycling and etc.

The training and acceleration programme “Sustainable Development in the 21st Century” was launched in 3rd Project year. This course contains training modules on sustainable development, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) and green finance and lending. These approaches require businesses to set and implement scientifically based strategic goals, such as climate goals and a closed cycle of production and consumption. Participants visited online lectures and seminars from invited speakers as well as accomplished practical case studies.

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The main objectives of the TWIN CAMPUS projects were to facilitate establishing new technology-based businesses, operating in cross-border environment are established, improving the technological competence of existing companies through cooperation with local universities involvement in international cooperation. As well as launching cross-border university driven TWIN campuses SME support structure to boost the innovative business development ecosystem.

There were launched 2 support business infrastructures at the both side of the border: Cursor launched Starttisatama Business Acceleration Services and worked with 3 startups. One of the startup companies is a health-tech company which relocated itself to our region. Another one is a local technological startup in groundwater heating business. The third startup company, already a prizewinner in gaming business, is about to arrive to Starttisatama within few months.

Both Starttisatama and ITMO Xlab conducted several events for supporting technical business development in the cross-border region. ITMO Xlab with engagement and commitment of all partners organized events like Backstage School, Future Energy School, contest “Student Innovative Ideas 2.0!”, TurboTechAccelerator, International Startup School Doers with*ship Startup Festival due to strong input from XAMK, International Technology Broker School due to active support by XAMK and Cursor.

The activities facilitated developing student networks and educational cooperation between universities. The project activities were actively promoted and covered by the social media and at the partners’ own websites and own Twin Campus project website. The partners published the conducted events and the results of the project.

In the course of the project by St.Petersburg Foundation for SME development and Technopark Ingria organized events for companies that equipped the participants with the valuable information referring the opportunities to develop the business globally.

The results of the project can be used for supporting development technological business due to collaboration between universities and industries as well as innovation and business support infrastructures.

The Twin Campus Cooperation Model and Road Map

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The overall objective of the project was to contribute to development of the programme area by using the advantages and benefits of Green Belt, one of the most significant ecological networks in Europe. This network knows no borders and has an impact on the regions’ vitality and the wellbeing of its inhabitants.

In GB project, two Green Belt information centers have been established (in Virolahti Finland and Sovetsky Russia). Both centers are operated as an integral part of tourism services of municipalities. Content for centers usage of Green Belt zone was created, both digital and traditional.  360-virtual presentations about seven national parks/nature reserves and 15 destinations in them in Finland; new brochures for Green Belt destinations in three languages and trail information of Green Belt destinations was improved. In addition to the centers, two Green Belt pop-up info points were produced. Project disseminated widely information about Green Belt in the region, promoted cultural exchange and nature tourism and built SME-NGO networks around the theme of Green Belt. Thanks to the project, two small municipalities have gain international visibility by becoming a part of European Green Belt network.

Green belt centre

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The objective of the project was to create a cross-border network of demo centers in disruptive information technologies. These emerging technologies were applied to smart waste management in a city context. The activities within CroBoDDIT projects focused on  studies on various emerging technologies in smart waste management, inceasing of awareness and networking of various smart waste management stakeholders through webinars and hackathons,  development of the democenter concept and  developing education based on the learnings from the project.

The achievements of the CroBoDDIT project include status of waste management in the target areas, model for smart waste management that can be used a basis for decision management system to help cities in their waste management challenges and series of webinars on distributed information technologies in waste management and set of hackathons solving waste management challenges.

CroBoDDIT project has engaged a number of stakeholders from citizens to public stakeholders and companies on smart waste management activities through webinars and hackathon activities. CroBoDDIT project has demonstrated the use of IoT technologies in waste management and has developed a smart waste management model that supports cities and municipalities on their decisions concerning their waste management solutions.

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The main objective of the project Road Maintenance Business was to improve the organization of maintenance business on the roads of the Leningrad region in Russia. In the framework of the project, a new methodology for road maintenance was created.

Recommendations of the organization of procurement, technical regulations for the operation of roads and a list of necessary equipment were prepared as well as proposals of relevant resolutions of the Leningrad Region government were developed. In addition, equipment for the automated meteorological monitoring system was purchased and installed at several sites in Leningrad region. New available weather data will help, among other things, in assessing the quality of road maintenance work on regional roads through year. Project increased also the competence of road maintenance experts of Leningrad region with seminars that were provided by Finnish and Russian road experts.

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The aim of the project was to develop new tourism offerings and co-operation between Lake Saimaa area, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region in order to grow tourism business and to create new business opportunities for tourism service providers. The overall objectives were to attract businesses to invest, locate and operate in the program area, to create new collaborative tourism networks, to increase tourism flows from Finland, Russia and the third countries and to develop low/shoulder season tourism in the cross-border area. Co-operation took place in tourism marketing, product development and sales. The project wanted to increase the awareness of both tour operators and tourists about the possibility of connecting these destinations in cross-border tourism. A brand concept “One destination of two distinct experiences” was created, which combines two different regions into one attracting travel destination. New customers were especially attracted from Central Europe, but the brand was promoted also for operators in Asia and the USA. A comprehensive destination manual with information about logistics, visa regime, services etc. was created. Besides marketing, the manual serves as an informative tool for tour operators planning a trip to the area. For the same purposes an information platform TravelCorridor.info was created. Other outputs include a podcast series, a VR tour of Imatra, brochures etc. In the Leningrad Region electronical information boards were installed with area information for tourists.

Marketing research was conducted, and its results were utilized in product development. Totally 11 travel packages combining Russian and Finnish destinations were created for sale. Some of the packages were tested on FAM trips that also were organized to promote the area. Feedback of packages was received through a product testing survey too, where 40 tourism professionals from Europe gave their opinion about them. Additionally, activity products were developed by SMEs for international travel groups. Besides creating news products and finding new target customers, one of the objectives of the project was to equip service providers with better skills. SMEs were involved in FAM trips, workshops, networking events, closing seminar and travel package development. The events gave them a good opportunity to learn new skills (e.g. of productization) for co-operation with international tour operators and to network with each other, project partners and DMOs/DMCs.

Travel Corridor

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“Vector- Sport” project aimed at the development of cross-border sport tourism in cooperation with regional sport federations, sport clubs, public authorities and business society of Saint-Petersburg and South–East Finland. The project partners were three regional sports federations of South-East Finland, the Committee for physical culture and sports of Saint –Petersburg and the Training Center for the national sports team of Saint- Petersburg.  Special attention of the project was paid to the support of local SMEs, operating in sports tourism sector. Regional companies were in demand of the institutional support from authorities, NGOs and other stakeholders, therefore, the project aimed to unite these target groups to work together for increasing the number of new sports tourism products and services, enhancing tourists’ flows and regional development.

As the result, the regions of Saint- Petersburg and South–East Finland could increase their attractiveness for the business to invest, locate and operate on the program areas.Through the specific marketing activities and international cross-border sports events, the project motivated tourists to come to the programs areas and local authorities to integrate sports tourism into regional development strategies. The main project achievements could be identified as follows new operating networks in sport tourism between South–East Finland and Saint-Petersburg were established, well- informed societies of cross–border regions about the possibilities of sport tourism and active recreation, as well as about new business opportunities and forms of economic activity, new cross- border economic clusters created, and new sports tourism products developed. Thus, the project created the preconditions for the sustainable SMEs and business development in the program regions, contributed to the developmental processes in the program areas with the knowledge, expertise, human resources, new operational models.

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The main aim of the project was promotion of economic development with the focus on the regional markets of green energy production and use.

One aim also was to development of models of regional energy system maximally oriented on needs of new consumers and suppliers of green energy including technical, economical and management issues. The model of existing business processes and technical solutions was developed to define and study administrative, technical and economic barriers for connection of new consumers and suppliers to electric grids. The model of desired state of green energy production and distribution system was developed in close collaboration with companies from real economy sector and was discussed with experts’ community in order to ensure reliable data and research environment.

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