Export Plans are ready!

29. December, 2021

Four intensive months of hard work and dedication = Export Plans!

To start with… Project ‘Export Design’ was conducted within the ‘EU4Business: Connecting Companies’ project, which is managed by EUROCHAMBRES and funded under the EU4Business initiative of the European Union. Project was implemented by Creative Estonia in partnership with Export Development Association in Georgia. It envisaged supporting creative industries field, specifically small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in design field and Business support organisations (BSOs) from Estonia and Georgia. Through series of events and activities, like networking, knowledge and experience sharing, the project helped to enhance ties between two countries. Overall, 12 companies and 4 BSOs benefited from online and offline events conducted within the project.

First in-person meeting happened in Tbilisi, Georgia for the Export BootCamp in October, 2021. Three busy days included workshops by Georgian experts of the field as well as design Studio visits. Participants got to know each other better, shared ideas and discussed possible future collaboration opportunities. “I like this cooperation between two countries to share the experiences and to see the difference in approach and business and export” – Pavel Sidorenko, Upstairs Design Studio.

Next stop was Tallinn, Estonia in November! During the second Study visit, Georgian companies had possibility to meet Estonian design shops and studios and start Business negotiations with them. First steps for European market penetration has been taken by project beneficiaries, like – USULI and Kaleisi as they left some of their products in the Estonian Design House. This is what USULI wrote: “We would like to thank ‘Export Design’ for such a great opportunity to visit Estonia, obtaining great linkages, learning more about Estonian design and fashion market and entering Estonian Design House”. In addition, companies visited Estonian participants’ workshops and studios, like HYTI and Radis Furniture in Tallinn and Lisa Kroeber Jewellery in Viljandi for more insight and cooperation ideas. Hopefully, we will soon be able to see Estonian-Georgian joint products as a result of the project.

And it was not over as the hardest part was still ahead. After thorough coaching and training sessions by Georgian and Estonian experts conducted online as well as in-person, beneficiaries presented their work to the final event held on 16^th of December again in Tallinn. Presentations were followed by Graduation Ceremony with well-deserved certificates and an ‘Export Design’ cake!

Let’s see how the Export Plans work in practice! More is yet to come for our Estonian and Georgian participants… What is left to say rather than wishing them a Good Luck! From the team of ‘Export Design’ with love.