Creative Networks

Research area: Smart Design

Project code: 9201005001_0036

Language: English

Project code

The Creative Networks project strengthens the competitiveness and collaboration of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the cultural and creative sectors by enhancing business support structures, promoting digitalisation, and building a sustainable incubator network across the Interreg Aurora region in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. The project addresses fragmented business support services, limited market access, and digitalisation challenges through training, mentoring, and pilot initiatives. Digital capabilities are strengthened through the use of artificial intelligence, data-driven strategies, and new business models. Cross-border collaboration and the expertise of business support organisations are reinforced to promote the adoption of new technologies, scalability, and international growth.

The knowledge and perspectives of the Indigenous Sámi people are integrated with modern business strategies, promoting sustainable entrepreneurship.

Sustainable support structures strengthen the growth of SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors.

Goals

The project promotes the sustainable growth of SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors by strengthening support structures. The objectives include:

• Developing tailored tools and targeted training for business support organisations to enhance the competitiveness and growth of SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors.
• Creating a cross-border business incubator network and fostering long-term collaboration and digital integration between incubators.
• Increasing knowledge and producing data-driven policy recommendations to strengthen the cultural and creative sectors.
• Integrating project outcomes into regional development strategies, for example through jointly developed action plans, to ensure long-term impact.
• Integrating Sámi values: developing tailored support models that address the specific needs of Sámi entrepreneurs, with a focus on market access, funding opportunities, and digital business models.

The overall goal is to establish a clearly organised, sustainable, and easily scalable collaboration network — a structural and scalable ecosystem for supporting businesses.

Results

The project will deliver:

• Joint training programmes for support organisations: the development and implementation of targeted training programmes for business support organisations, business incubators, and other key stakeholders to strengthen their capacity to support SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors. The training will address key challenges identified in the project, including digitalisation, cross-border collaboration, and access to funding.
• A pilot support model for SMEs: a support model co-created with SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors to ensure targeted assistance for business development while taking sector-specific needs into account. The model includes mentoring, job shadowing, investor meetings, and tailored advisory services, enabling SMEs to strengthen their market position and growth potential.
• A digital knowledge-sharing and collaboration platform: the platform will serve as a central resource hub offering best practices, expert insights, and mentoring opportunities. It will enable continuous interaction between business incubators, business support organisations, and SMEs, ensuring that knowledge exchange remains active beyond the duration of the project.
• Tailored support models for the specific needs of Sámi entrepreneurs: best practices and models for supporting Indigenous businesses, developed through targeted workshops organised in cooperation with Sámi business networks.
• Data-driven reports and articles: key findings and policy recommendations on SME business development practices in Finland, Sweden, and Norway.