Six environmental technology-based companies in the Algarve are currently in the process of internationalization, within the scope of the TEMA (Technology – Based Environmental Enterprises Market Approach) project. An “expeditionary” group of companies will participate in a pilot test, which is intended to mark a path that other entrepreneurs in the region may take in the future, to place their products and services across borders.
The project, led in the Algarve by CRIA-Division of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer of the University of Algarve, was formally closed this month, in a ceremony that took place at the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School, in Faro, but the idea is that it will continue to bear fruit for many years, namely by helping to increase exports.
For this, a «network and ties of connection with a set of international entities, between TEMA partners and companies, will contribute, which will help not only the Algarve companies involved in the pilot test, but also any other that contacts CRIA with a view to its internationalization », according to the coordinator of the project in Algarve João Mil Homens.
This network is one of the results that the responsible for the project at CRIA highlighted, in the closing session and on the sidelines of it, in statements to the Sul Informação.
Its creation was one of TEMA's objectives, since it is completely different to try to enter a foreign market without contacts and to have, from the outset, a network of references and guidelines. The test group is a reflection of the work done in this area.
TEMA, in Portuguese translation «Market Strategies for Environmental Technology Companies», is a project funded by the European Union, which brings together as partners the Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Polymers of Pozzuoli, Italy, the Foundation for Development and Technological Innovation and the Knowledge Innovation Market Barcelona, both from Catalonia, Spain, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Marseille, France, and its counterpart from Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Along the same lines as the network of contacts, a digital tool was created «which aims to be a online cluster of environmental technology-based companies'. «Here, anyone can search for contacts of companies and entities. It is a database that crosses the entire value chain», revealed João Mil Homens.
Another important issue that TEMA addressed was the identification of mechanisms to support internationalization in different countries. From this work, a manual of Good Practices for the process of internationalization of companies was elaborated.
“Both companies and entities can use this tool. Today, there is a lot of talk about internationalization, but the truth is that few know how it is done, even among the entities that have this competence», he illustrated.
THEME closed, but work continues
The session was closing, but the truth is that THEME did not stop there. Part of the work continues, not least because it is necessary to continue to accompany those who accepted the challenge of betting on internationalization.
As one of the entrepreneurs who participated in a “Focus Group” that met soon after the presentation of the TEMA results, moderated by the former director of CRIA João Amaro, willingly admitted, the entrepreneurship division of UALg managed to convince him not only thinking about internationalization, but also making it one of the company's priorities in a short time.
"A year ago I didn't think about internationalization, but now CRIA has already put me to deal with it," said Rui Silva, from the environmental and sustainability consultancy ygreen.
Before that, Jorge Graça, who is also from the entrepreneurship division at UAlg, had presented a review of the situation of TEMA Export, an arm of the project that is still active and whose objective is to continue supporting the Algarve companies that have accepted the challenge of going international.
At this time, «personalized action plans» have already been carried out for the six companies involved in the pilot test, each of which includes an exploratory study of potential markets, assessment of strategies, measures to attract investment and planning of commercial actions, in addition to workshops training, according to Jorge Graça.
The next step is the implementation of "specific measures to support internationalization", which will be based on "50 hours of consultancy for each of the companies".
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