BSR Go-abroad brings the Baltic Sea Region together in Copenhagen!

How can we make it easier for smicro-SMEs to grow beyond their national borders in the Baltic Sea Region? And what can policymakers, business development organisations and regional ecosystems do to make internationalisation more accessible for even the smallest companies?

These questions were at the heart of the BSR Go-abroad Co-Creation Seminar, held in Copenhagen on 25 August 2026.

The seminar brought together local policy decision-makers, business development organisations, ecosystem actors and entrepreneurs from across the Baltic Sea Region — both in Copenhagen and online — for an afternoon of discussion, inspiration and co-creation.

After years of testing our project approach to internationalisation support through BSR Go-abroad, the seminar provided an opportunity to take stock of what we have learned — and, more importantly, to look ahead.

Turning project experiences into future solutions

Throughout the afternoon, participants were introduced to the experiences and results from BSR Go-abroad and explored the project’s five Policy Recommendations, which address some of the key challenges facing startups and micro-SMEs when they seek to internationalise.

But the seminar was not designed to be a one-way presentation of project results.

Instead, we wanted to put the experiences and perspectives of the participants at the centre of the conversation.

Through discussions and co-creation activities, participants reflected on the recommendations and explored how they could be translated into concrete actions, local initiatives and inspirational models for cross-border cooperation.

Why is it important for local policymakers to recognise internationalisation as a key driver of job creation, local growth and economic resilience? Where are the gaps in today’s support funding system? And how can we make better use of the knowledge, networks and opportunities that already exist across our borders?

These conversations generated valuable perspectives from policymakers, business support organisations and entrepreneurs alike. Bringing these different voices together made it possible to look at internationalisation from several angles — from the practical challenges experienced by companies to the policy frameworks and support structures designed to help them grow.

The next step: the BSR Go-abroad Policy White Paper

The ideas generated in Copenhagen will not stay in the room.

The input collected during the seminar will feed directly into the upcoming BSR Go-abroad Policy White Paper, bringing together lessons and the policy recommendations from the project with concrete next steps for how these policies can be implemented locally across the Baltic Sea Region.

The White Paper will be shared with policymakers, business development organisations and other relevant stakeholders across the Baltic Sea Region and at European level.

Stronger companies through stronger regional cooperation

The discussions in Copenhagen also highlighted why this conversation matters beyond the BSR Go-abroad project itself.

The Baltic Sea Region is facing a period of geopolitical uncertainty, economic transformation and changing global trade patterns. For smaller companies, navigating this environment can be particularly challenging.

At the same time, internationalisation can be part of the answer.

Access to new markets, international partners, knowledge and cross-border networks can help micro-SMEs diversify, become more competitive and build greater resilience. But smaller companies often have limited resources and networks to pursue these opportunities on their own.

That is why cooperation matters.

By strengthening connections between countries, regions and business support ecosystems, we can make it easier for companies to access opportunities beyond their home markets — and ensure that internationalisation is not something reserved for larger companies with extensive resources.

The seminar showed the value of bringing people together across sectors and borders to exchange experiences, challenge existing approaches and develop new ideas.

And while the BSR Go-abroad project is moving towards its conclusion, the ambition behind it continues: to create a more connected Baltic Sea Region where startups and micro-SMEs have better opportunities to grow internationally.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Copenhagen and online, shared experiences, challenged ideas and contributed to the discussions.

Interested in watching the seminar? Please find the recording of the seminar on the link below.

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