Looking for new customers, partners or financiers from Europe or Russia?Forum 2012
The 3rd EU-Russia Innovation Forum and the 21st EBN Annual Congress brought over 800 people to Lappeenranta, Finland, from 34 different countries. Experts in business and education discussed the possibilities and means for economic growth. In the current economic situation, a combination of internationalisation, education, collaboration and open innovation represents a pathway for both companies and countries to find new possibilities for growth.
Highlights from the Forum 2012:
- 800 people from 34 countries
- 130 speakers including innovative company executives, start-up entrepreneurs, top researchers with knowledge of the latest trends, internationalisation experts, a Nobel Laureate, and renowned Russian politicians
- 24 workshops
- Crushing the myths surrounding trade with Russia
- Networking Village linking companies and investors
- Fresh ideas and visions for the future
Participation as a sponsor in the third EU-Russia Innovation Forum was a success for Vitim Oy. Vitim had a LIF exhibition stand and demonstrated outstanding commercial and technological potential in voice biometrics. The Forum provided them a great number of networking opportunities and contacts with potential cooperation partners, customers and suppliers.
“It was our first experience of participation in such an official event. We will use this experience to evolve,” said Julia Khitrova, the CEO of Vitim Oy. “The third EU-Russia Innovation Forum and the 21st EBN Annual Congress were a brilliant example of fruitful cooperation between business and science. It will definitely bring favourable results.”
Pekka Viljakainen, Advisor to the Skolkovo Foundation, is certain that we will see Russians buying European companies in the coming years. He stated at the EU-Russia Innovation Forum and EBN Congress in Lappeenranta that we all should learn about the Russian business culture.
“We have to understand how to work together. It is crucial to Russian and other European business people. It might be that the owner of a European company speaks only Russian,” said Viljakainen.
