Project title

Forum for SME Capacity Building in the Northern Periphery area

Priority

1. Communications

1.1 Transportation, logistics and transport infrastructure

1.2 Access to information society

2. Strengthen sustainable economic development

2.1 Sustainable use of nature and natural resources

2.2 Business innovation and development of human resources

3. Community development

3.1 Household related service provision

3.2 Public management and spatial planning

Region / Authority

North-West Centre for SME Support

Contact person

Elena Belova

E-mail

belova@leontief.spb.su

Homepage

Address

190000, Russia, St.Petersburg, per. Antonenko 6, of. 512

Phone

+7 (812) 319-96-26

Fax

+7 (812) 319-98-14

Project description

The Forum aims to determine a set of best practice guidelines that will improve the environment for small and medium-sized businesses; promote entrepreneurship; and lead to the creation of new enterprise, helping all participated countries and institutions do a better job of serving SMEs, especially by creating sustainable, effective capacity at the regional and local level.

The Forum will have 3 components:

1. Policies and strategies improving the general business environment, providing a framework for all participated countries to learn from others and design appropriate plans and programmes by identifying key elements for SME promotion and development.

2. Information systems and services for entrepreneurship focusing on specific measures to improve the access of SMEs to information resources, financing and know-how.

3. Setting up SME Internet-portal for the North-West regions of Russia, based on best experiences and practices providing user-friendly, Internet-based information products that SMEs need to strengthen their businesses and linked to the relevant information systems in the Northern Periphery area.  

Central Aim

Central aim of the project is the development of information networks and innovative support schemes of North-West Russia entrepreneurs as well as an assistance to North-West Russia regional authorities in realization of SME support programmes by means of:

• Development of partnership networks with Norther Perephiry regional authorities and SME support institutions creating capacity to support small business.

• Integration of information and technical resources of partners in unified information network;

• Creation and development of  WWW portal  «North-West Russia Forum for SME support»

• Publishing of manuals analytical handbooks for SME;

Envisaged Output

Developed SME support schemes for the North-West of Russia through partnering with Northern Periphery best practice initiatives and institutions;

Internet-portal “North-West Russia Forum for SME support” providing on-line access to comprehensive source of information on legal framework, financial instruments for start-ups and growing businesses, marketing, human, resources management, e-commerce etc with relevant web-sites links;

Informal close network of North Periphery regional authorities and experts for discussing issues of SME development and policy elaboration promoting further exchange of knowledge and opinions on the SME promotion issues especially for Russian Periphery areas;

Information support to and promotion of modern ICT among Northern Periphery area, North-West Russia SME, development of North-West Russia information society.

Thematic key words (5 key words maximum)

Innovative SME support schemes, business environment, North-West Russia SME, information society, network, partnerships.

Partners found already

All regions of North-West Russia

Partners searched

All countries in Northern Periphery

Estimated budget

Month and Year this form is filled in: 09/2002