Fostering Cross-border Partnerships for Energy Innovation

Organized by Ignite Sweden, Norrköping Science Park, SISP – Swedish Incubators & Science Parks, Tehnopol, and Business Turku, the event’s goal was to foster collaborations between corporates and scaling companies with solutions for the energy and green transition.

The event is part of the Central Baltic Interreg Programme project ScaleAble, aimed at helping scalable companies grow through cross-border partnerships.

“By building strong networks and uniting different areas of focus, the project offers scaling companies the opportunity to scale internationally. A key aspect is the enriching diversity of cultural perspectives, especially during live events, which strengthens cooperation across borders,” says Julia Ekström, Growth Advisor at Business Turku.

Johanna Lindholm-Järvinen, Senior Sales Manager from Rester, a Finnish startup which transforms textile waste into high-quality fibers by mechanical recycling, shared her thoughts on the cross-border collaboration enabled by the project.

“The concept behind the ScaleAble project is great, bringing together scaleups and startups with innovative ideas and new technologies, and integrating them into large companies that have the capability to implement and benefit from them. I especially appreciate the cross-border collaboration because Finland, Sweden, and the Baltic countries are fairly small countries. It’s really important that we don’t let borders limit us but actually foster cooperation across the countries.”

Workshop on Startup Collaboration and Reverse Pitching

The first day of the ScaleAble Matchday began with a workshop on startup-corporate collaboration, where participants explored the common challenges and obstacles in forming partnerships. Liebherr and the startup IPercept also shared their success stories, offering key insights into overcoming the difficulties startups and corporates often face when working together.

The event continued with a reverse pitching competition, where corporates took the stage to showcase why their company is an ideal partner for startups. Stockholm Exergi took home the win, impressing the audience with a compelling pitch.

The energy in the room was palpable, with participants eagerly engaging in discussions and spontaneous meetings.

“I really liked all the networking. People were so interested in understanding each other’s companies and challenges, and there was open discussion everywhere,” says Åsa Lyckström, Head of Sustainability at Siemens Energy.

Matchmaking to Drive Collaboration

The second day of the ScaleAble Matchday was entirely dedicated to the curated matchmaking meetings, where more than 50 scaling companies from Estonia, Finland, and Sweden connected with 15 leading corporations such as Royal Caribbean Group, Fortum, A2A, Elisa, EnBW, and Valmet Automotive, all keen on exploring new technologies to drive innovation within their industries.

More than 100 tailored meetings were held during the day, along with spontaneous in-person connections that added an extra dynamic to the event.

Arwin Zendehrokh, Project Manager at Ignite Sweden, explained the process behind the matchmaking.

“We began months ago by engaging the participating corporates and identifying their technology needs. Then we scout across the ecosystems of Finland, Sweden, and Estonia to find suitable startups. This involves reviewing applications, searching through various databases, and collaborating with incubators to ensure the best possible matches. The meetings during the ScaleAble Matchday are the result of this thorough process.”

Kaisa Einsok, Discovery Manager at Eesti Energia, was impressed by the quality of the companies she met throughout the day.
“All the startups I met were very well prepared and it was very easy to talk to them. They align closely with what we are looking for, so our needs were very well matched with the startups. We had conversations about how we can actually succeed together.”

For Aleksandr Zirk, VP of Business Development for the Baltics and Nordics at Bisly, a startup democratizing building automation, the event presented a crucial opportunity to connect with potential corporate partners and explore new markets.

“Bisly is already well-established in the Estonian and Baltic ecosystems, but now we’re looking to expand into the Nordic region. Finding corporate counterparts to help us penetrate that market is essential.”

Informal Conversations and Strong Connections

One of the standout features of the ScaleAble Matchday was the opportunity to meet in person. Beyond the pre-booked, curated meetings, the event fostered numerous informal discussions and spontaneous interactions that contributed to its success.

For Fusebox Energy, a startup bridging the gap between energy assets and energy traders, the informal conversations began even before the event started.

“For me, the event began at the Tallinn airport when I met local Estonian startups and corporates. I had informal conversations, sharing laughs and getting to know each other better. Sitting down with corporate representatives over a sandwich, cake, or coffee creates a completely different atmosphere compared to meeting in an office and jumping straight into a pitch,” says CEO Tarvo Ong.

With the second ScaleAble Matchday wrapping up, participants left with new connections, insights, and opportunities for collaboration. Basma Lerström, Nordic Sales Manager at Woola, a startup using waste wool to replace plastic bubble wrap, reflected on the value of these face-to-face meetings.

“Through the spontaneous meetings, I’ve managed to gather so many insights into the inner workings of corporates, the concerns and challenges they deal with, and how startups like the one I’m representing today can really address their needs in an innovative and fresh way”

The ScaleAble project will continue with a third matchmaking event on February 12 and 13 in Tallinn, Estonia, this time connecting corporates with scaling companies with solutions within secure tech and dual use. More information about the project here.

Watch this video to get a glimpse of the second ScaleAble Matchday’s highlights