Georgian ICT Companies Connect with Estonian and Latvian Counterparts in the B2B Exchange Event.
A visit of the leading Estonian and Latvian ICT companies to Georgia provided local ICT industry players with the avenues to connect and explore possibilities for potential partnerships. The delegation participated in an International ICT B2B Exchange event on 5th of June, which has been supported by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and organised jointly by Georgia’s Innovations and Technology Agency (GITA), Enterprise Georgia, the EU-GIZ project “SME Development and DCFTA in Georgia” Georgian ICT Cluster and Baltic Innovation Agency.
Mr. Nikoloz Alavidze, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia delivered opening remarks.
On behalf of the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, Mr. Dominik Papenheim, Thematic Coordinator for Economic Development and Market Opportunities addressed the audience in the opening session.
"The digital transformation presents enormous growth potential for Georgia and the European Union. The EU supported the establishment of the Georgian ICT cluster from its early start as we believe that cooperation between ICT companies is crucial for the development of the sector and Georgia's competitiveness on international markets. We wish that the visit of the Estonian and Latvian companies will result in new business ideas and projects." – said Mr. Papenheim.
Georgian governmental officials presented the policies that are implemented in the ICT sector to boost its development. They described conditions for doing business in this sector, investment opportunities and existing ecosystem that promotes innovation.
The event provided a good opportunity for the Georgian ICT Cluster to present itself and raise awareness of international participants and colleague within the industry about current priorities and the cluster’s action plan.
“For the newly established Georgian ICT Cluster it is of an utmost importance to share experience of Estonian and Latvian colleagues. By partnering with such strong international players, we have been presented with an important channel of accessing external markets.” – noted Ms. Nana Mikashavidze, Georgian ICT Cluster Manager.
In the B2B format that followed, Georgian, Estonian and Latvian companies engaged in identification of prospects for cooperation and possible joint projects. Representatives of 11 Georgian ICT companies, both members of Georgian ICT Cluster and other industry players, had an opportunity to register for B2B meetings in advance and connect with their counterparts from Estonian Helmes, B2B-Trade OÜ, Elisa Eesti AS, AS Levira, cooperation platform Smart City Lab, Tallinn University of Technology and Latvian accelerator Buildit Latvia.
“This visit provided a good overview of the main Georgian ICT developments and offered concrete possibilities for better connecting Georgian ICT ecosystem with Estonia and Latvian counterparts as well as to find new partners and launch new cooperation project between the involved countries” – said Mr. Rene Tonnison, Board Member of the Baltic Innovation Agency.
On 6 June, Estonian-Latvian delegation will visit Tech Park to learn about its services and activities.
