Opportunities for Innovation in Lithuania Ramunė Guogienė Kaunas Science and Technology Park Kaunas

Innovation Creativity Equality- ICE Within ICE we want to: foster economic growth and competitiveness of the Baltic Sea region (BSR) through increasing SME's innovation capacity and equality, especially in the sectors of tourism, and cultural and creative businesses. utilize the knowledge, best practices, from various organizations - social non-profit organizations, public sector and private companies - in terms of increasing SME innovation capacity in female- dominated sectors such as tourism, and cultural and creative industries (TCCI). develop and disseminate methods around common challenges based on innovation-development in SMEs linked to TCCI.

Innovation Creativity Equality- ICE Best methods and models that foster innovation in all participating countries. New models and methods for each participating country

Innovation Creativity Equality- ICE Best (our opinion!) methods and models that foster innovation in participating countries: “Youth Social Service” Business Incubator (Belarus) Wspieram.to (Poland) PIMM-project (Sweden) Project “Smart woman” (Lithuania) NGO“Lidere” (Latvia)

Intention of the report......try to imagine how a few examples from Partner countries could work in Lithuania. Three inspirations: PIMM-project (Sweden), NGO Lidere (Latvia) Crowdfunding platform Wspieram.to (Poland).

Inspiring models and methods - Sweden The PIMM-project is implemented in care and health-care in the region Östergötland. The projects has some key-starting points: The need for efficient organizations in these industries The demand for innovations in care and health care The conviction that the employees in these sectors are innovative and have a lot of ideas on how to make a good job for the sick and in need of care. The methods used – coaches. In the PIMM-program the method used gave support for women innovators but not to women in SMEs but rather in public organizations.

Inspiring models and methods - Latvia A non-governmental organization Lidere. The goal of the association is to promote mentoring in Latvia, support women entrepreneurs in the cities and rural areas of Latvia, increase women density in the foundation of accomplished companies and in the creation of new workplaces, provide free access to information and the possibility to receive advises. Lidere: Increases women self-confidence; Co-ordinates the process of businesswomen work; Creates a network of co-ordination, information and consultation; Promotes co-operation; Promotes co-operation with the institutions supporting SMEs; Attracts co-financing; Organizes charity events.

Inspiring models and methods - Poland Wspieram.to is a platform to promote creative people. It’s a place where everyone can show their projects that previously could not be implemented without the right amount of cash. The platform provides a place share ideas but also tools helping to promote projects in social media. Each project upon verification is placed on the platform with the meter of the incoming financial support. Wspieram.to was created in Szczecin. It is the biggest crowdfunding platform in Poland and it has the countrywide range.

Women more than men tend to establish business based on their hobby. Women in Lithuania start their own business because low income at the moment, desire to be her own boss and to adapt her abilities better than when beeing just an employee, desire of self-expression and also to combine family and work better. As entrepreneurs women start from very small businesses and they tend to predict possible risks better than men. Target Group

What we have... There is enough organizations and projects that could encouradge women entrepreneurs to establish their own business and to be innovative in it, but not enough dissemination about that and very few well disseminated examples of successful women. Business women are still not well taken by society. Personal features of women still effect their choice of career. There is still a gap between women and men salary. Majority of emploees in Lithuania work in service sector where women are ussually dominant. The rudiments of and good preconditions for the Tourism sector exist in all counties of Lithuania. There is a good intention on establishing Art Incubators. There is a clear lack of innovation culture.

Inspiring elements from the three inspirations In our opinion one of the key success factors of the PIMM project method is the idea not to use the term ”innovation”. That way there is no presure for people to come up with something radical. This is very important with women entrepreneurs who often have low self confidence level. Mentoring activities (Lidere example) is very useful for women starting their business. Strong points is that mentors are women, women who had the same fears as women starting business now and now are very successful and most importantly mentors in Lidere gathered together for the activities because they want that themselves. Crowdfunding idea (Wspieram.to) is quite new in Lithuania but more and more people are starting to be interested in it. There is huge potential of crowdfunding concept in Lithuania.

Oganizations could be responsible for implementation Those activities (methods) could be best implemented by organizations that already work in the field. In Lithuania that could be Science (and Technology) Parks, Art and Business Incubators, Innovation Centers, Women Organizations. Financing could come from Structural Funds, Private Funds?

Mentoring services constantly. Success stories of Mentors as the inspiration. Introduce more ways to establish business on-line. Preparation of professional Mentors. Mentoring in simple way. Mentors could help to change stereotypes. Ideas on how these methods alone or combined could work in Lithuania:

Any questions? Ramunė Guogienė, Kaunas Science and Technology Park Kaunas