2010

Cluster training activities

• September 22-24th, 2010: foundation members participated in the practical training seminar "Principles of the Cluster Development and Competitiveness" led by Mr. Ifor Ffowcs Williams – founder of the Cluster Navigators, Ltd. from New Zealand and organized by the Latvian Investment and Development Agency in Riga.
• November, 2010: Zane Zeibote participated at the Cluster Facilitator Training session organized by the Danish Cluster Academy RegX in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Participation in the Nordic – Baltic mobility programme

• CEBSR participated in the Nordic-Baltic Mobility and Network Programme for Business and Industry administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers. In the framework of this programme the foundation members Z.Zeibote, V.Boroņenko, A.Spulis and the Rector of the BA School of Business and Finance T.Volkova participated in the exchange trip to Finland on October, 2010 to meet with colleagues from the Research institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA) in Helsinki and “Culminatum Innovation” in Espoo.

2011

Cluster training activities

• March 30-31, 2011: the CEBSR experts Zane Zeibote and Vera Boronenko participated at the regional conference of the TCI European regional conference in Tallinn "Inspiring Clusters in the Beginning of the New Decade" and presented a research on the "Specifics of Clustering by the Labour Force Concentration in the Latvian Economy".

Participation in the Nordic – Baltic mobility programme

• In the framework of the Nordic-Baltic Mobility and Network Programme for Business and Industry the foundation members Z.Zeibote, V.Boroņenko, A.Spulis and the Rector of the BA School of Business and Finance T.Volkova participated in the exchange trip to Denmark on April, 2011 to meet with colleagues from the Business Kolding, Agro Food Park, Cluster Academy RegX, Policy Think Tank in Denmark FORA and the Copenhagen Business School.

Providing expertise on the implementation of the EU Small Business Act in Latvia

• Experts of the CEBSR in cooperation with the ETLA worked on analysing the implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) in Latvia in the framework of the project "Study on the Compilation of SME policy measures and assessment of the SBA implementation within the SME Performance Review 2010".

2012

Providing expertise on cluster development and implementation of the EU Small Business Act in Latvia

• CEBSR experts in cooperation with the Kurzeme Business Incubator worked out the strategy for implementation of the Green-tech Cluster in Latvia.
• Experts of the CEBSR in cooperation with the ETLA continued to work on analysing the implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) in Latvia in the framework of the project "Study on the Compilation of SME policy measures and assessment of the SBA implementation within the SME Performance Review 2011".

 Providing expertise on the business support services in Latvia

• Experts of the CEBSR in cooperation with the Ecorys Netherland B.V. – Economic Policy Analysis worked on analysing business support services in Latvia in the framework of an international study “Support Services for SMEs in International Business 2012”.

2013

Participation in the Erasmus for Entrepreneurs Programme (EYE)

• Experts of CEBSR in cooperation with the CIT GmbH and other international partners started to work on the implementation of Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) programme in Latvia, which allowed Latvian entrepreneurs to go for an exchange in European companies. 

More information:

European Union (EU) program "Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs" (EJU) offers young Latvian entrepreneurs the opportunities and financial support to go for an exchange experience on a variety of European companies over the next two years. The program also offers opportunities for the experienced Latvian companies - to host young entrepreneurs from other European countries. From this year on, the association "Cluster Experts Baltic Sea Region" organizes and coordinates the exchanges of Latvian entrepreneurs within the EJU. 

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange programme which gives new (with working experience till 3 years) or aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to learn from experienced entrepreneurs running small businesses in other European Union countries. The exchange of experience takes place during a stay with the experienced entrepreneur, which helps the new entrepreneur acquire the skills needed to run a small firm. The host benefits from fresh perspectives on his/her business and gets the opportunities to cooperate with foreign partners or learn about new markets. The stay is partially funded by the European Union. For more information please see the homepage of the programme: http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu.

The exchanges of Latvian entrepreneurs within the EJU, as well as the enrollment of new foreign entrepreneurs in experienced Latvian enterprises, is organized and coordinated by the association "Cluster Experts Baltic Sea Region". Exchange of experiences young entrepreneurs can plan for a period of 1 to 6 months. It is important that the new entrepreneur would have either started a business idea or a clear business plan for a new product or service development.

As a new entrepreneur, you will benefit from on-the-job training in a small or medium-sized enterprise elsewhere in the European Union. This will ease the successful start of your business or strengthen your new enterprise. You can also benefit from access to new markets, international cooperation and potential possibilities for collaboration with business partners abroad.

As a host entrepreneur, you can benefit from fresh ideas from a motivated new entrepreneur on your business. He may have specialized skills or knowledge in an area you do not master, which could also complement yours. Most host entrepreneurs enjoyed the experience so much that they decide to host other new entrepreneurs afterwards.

The priority areas for the exchange are the following: tourism, supply chain and logistics, automotive, medicine, agriculture, agro-industry and food processing, flax, commercial services, IT, construction, engineering, creative economy, environment, recycling, energy efficiency, alternative energy. Preference shall be given to entrepreneurs who employ immigrants, as well as rural entrepreneurs. The program finances travel and subsistence costs during the exchange for the new entrepreneur (600 -1000 Euro per month depending on the country, with a maximum of not more than 2100 Euro for the entire visit). You may go for an exchange already starting for the spring. Keep in mind that because of the formalities it will take at least 2 months from the moment of submitting the application until going on exchange.

If you want to go for an exchange to a foreign country or host new entrepreneurs from Europe, as well as receive the additional information, please contact the association "Cluster Experts Baltic Sea Region"! 

Please see the following additional information: ERASMUS Leaflet_NewEntrepreneur_EN.pdf, ERASMUS-Leaflet_Host_EN.pdf

Project partners:
1. CIT – Centrum fur Innovation und Technologie GmbH, Germany  2. ISM Mainz e.V – Institut fur Sozialpadagogische Forschung Mainz e.V., Germany  3. BSC Kranj – Poslovno Podporni Center d.o.o., Kranj, Slovenia     4. FACC – Federacion Asturiana de Concejos, Spain  5. Aydin – Aydin Governorship, Turkey    

2014

Participation in QuAT – Qualification for good jobs in micro and small tourism enterprises of the tourism region Spreewald 

• Project aim/objectives: transnational experience exchange on the topic how to organise the qualification for good jobs in micro and small tourism enterprises.
• Project timeline: 1st February 2014 – 31st March 2015, 14 month
• Project partners: