Elaboration, implementation and development of innovative products of Latvian and Lithuanian small and medium enterprises. Priority South Application round 3 Lead partner Preili County Council LATVIA,  Preili,  Tirgus laukums 1 Contact person Tel.: +371 5322766 Fax: +371 5322766 Email: dome@preili.lv Brief summary of the project Preili county the part of rural Latgale regiona which is a specially supported region of Latvia. Preili county has a number of micro and small businesses with low annual added value, lack of innovative approaches and limited range of production / services. Local micro and small enterpreneurs are passive in development their businesses because of lack of knowledge and skills in financial, marketing and innovation management field; they also lack qualified employees. From total amount of 300 local micro,small and medium enterprises in Preili County, about 50% or 150 are passive and managed by enterpreneurs who do not have economic/business education.Preili county seeks to improve welfare through cross border cooperation to pormote successful development of local small/micro companies and to provide training for enetrpreneurs in cooperation with project partner - Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant Region Business Incubator (INPPRBI) located in Visaginas County, Lithuania, that has positive experience in developing small / micro businesses in their region. The objectives of the project are 1) to educate local small enterpreneurs in financial magement, marketing management and product innovation management, to encourage them to seek innovative business ideas; to involve the university students in processes of generating innovative product ideas for local small / micro businesses, and developing of marketing plans for innovative products, 2) to make business contacts with cross-border enterpreneurs and develop common business ideas in cross border areas, 3) to inform the society about the project, to motivate latent businesses to start up. The main activities are 1) Training 'learning by doing' in financial, marketing and innovation management, applying theory into practice under supervison of business coachess, 2) special information exchange and introductory tours with the purpose to see positive examples of small business develelopment, 3)project promotion and informing the public about the reached outputs and results.OUTPUTS: 4 Steering commitee meetings; 1 approved auditing sertificate and progress report; 2 social motivation courses; 2 courses of financial and marketing management; 2 courses of innov. management incl. theory and practical exercisses with university students; 2 introductory tours; 1 summarising conference; 8 promotions in newsp.; 2 promotional reportages on national TVs, 500 promotional leaflets, 1 photocopier, 1 PC. RESULTS: Successful project management and co-ordination , the knowledge of financial and marketing management given to local enterpr-s, innovative products ideas elaborated and businesses motivated to implement them through utilising knowledge of innovation management theory, practical exercisses and networking with cross border businesses. Duration 6(3.2006 - 8.2006) Budget (EUR) 45000.00 ERDF contribution: 33750.00 National co-financing EU Member States: 11250.00 INTERREG IIIA Budget of project: 45000.00 Non-eligible financing: .00 Funding from EU programmes for third countries: .00 National co-financing for funding from EU programmes for third countries: 0 National financing (third countries): 0 Private financing (third countries): 0 Total budget: 45000.00 Partners Name of Institution, Town Country Region Contact information Preili County Council LATVIA 0 Tel.: +371 5322766 Email: dome@preili.lv Ignalina Nuclear power plant region business incubator LITHUANIA 0 Tel.: +37038670160 Email: inkubatorius@iaeregionas.lt Progress report Preili county the part of rural Latgale region which is a specially supported region of Latvia. Preili county has a number of micro and small businesses with low annual added value, lack of innovative approaches and limited range of production / services. Local micro and small enterpreneurs are passive in development their businesses because of lack of knowledge and skills in financial, marketing and innovation management field; they also lack qualified employees. From total amount of 300 local micro,small and medium enterprises in Preili County, about 50% or 150 are passive and managed by enterpreneurs who do not have economic/business education.Preili county seeks to improve welfare through cross border cooperation to promote successful development of local small/micro companies and to provide training for enetrpreneurs in cooperation with project partner - Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant Region Business Incubator (INPPRBI) located in Visaginas County, Lithuania, that has positive experience in developing small / micro businesses in their region. The objectives of the project are 1) to educate local small enterpreneurs in financial magement, marketing management and product innovation management, to encourage them to seek innovative business ideas; to involve the university students in processes of generating innovative product ideas for local small / micro businesses, and developing of marketing plans for innovative products, 2) to make business contacts with cross-border enterpreneurs and develop common business ideas in cross border areas, 3) to inform the society about the project, to motivate latent businesses to start up. The main activities are 1) Training 'learning by doing' in financial, marketing and innovation management, applying theory into practice under supervison of business coachess, 2) special information exchange and introductory tours with the purpose to see positive examples of small business develelopment, Close window