The NBSCALE project explored how startups from small domestic markets can successfully expand into international markets. It supported growth-oriented companies from Finland, Sweden, and Estonia by developing a structured methodology to help them prepare for, enter, and scale in foreign markets. The project focused on equipping startups with the skills, tools, and strategic clarity needed to move beyond national boundaries and grow internationally in a systematic way.
Led by Business Turku in collaboration with Movexum in Sweden and Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol in Estonia, the initiative brought together three innovation ecosystems that share a common challenge: strong startup potential but limited domestic market size. By combining expertise across countries, the partners identified shared barriers to internationalisation and built stronger cross-border support networks that helped startups access new opportunities and markets.
A central outcome of the project was its structured scaling methodology, designed as a step-by-step journey. Startups first entered a preparation phase focused on strengthening internal capabilities such as sales, marketing, customer profiling, and organisational readiness. This was followed by a strategy phase where companies refined their value propositions and business models to match the realities of target international markets. The final stage involved direct market engagement, where startups tested their assumptions by meeting customers, partners, and investors abroad, helping them validate strategies in real-world conditions.
Beyond methodology, the project emphasised learning through experience and collaboration. Workshops, mentoring, and peer exchange allowed startups to combine structured guidance with practical insights from other founders. Cross-border cooperation played a key role in this process, enabling participants to learn from different markets and business cultures while building partnerships and networks that supported their expansion efforts.
The results of NBSCALE demonstrated tangible impact, with 43 companies supported and many achieving scale-up outcomes such as increased revenue, international customers, new partnerships, team expansion, and investment growth. Some startups reported significant performance gains, including rapid sales increases and substantial revenue growth during the programme period, highlighting the effectiveness of combining structured support with practical market exposure.
Overall, the project reinforced several key lessons for future scaling initiatives, including the importance of product-market fit before expansion, the value of testing strategies in real markets, and the need for systematic approaches to scalability. Although the programme has concluded, its methodology and insights continue to influence new initiatives aimed at strengthening startup internationalisation across the Central Baltic region.
