Collaborating for Success: Insights from Enterprise Estonia on working with the SEA IP SME Helpdesk

Enterprise Estonia (EAS) is a government agency dedicated to promoting business development and innovation in Estonia. Its mission is to support the growth and international competitiveness of Estonian companies by providing funding, guidance, and resources for entrepreneurship, innovation, and exports. In this context, the SEA IP SME Helpdesk initiative has collaborated regularly with Enterprise Estonia to train Estonian companies before and during their expansion into South-East Asia. To celebrate this successful partnership, we invited Ms. Ilaria Perla, Project Manager for the Asia Region, Export Division, to share her experience of working with the SEA IP SME Helpdesk over the past years.

SEA IP SME Helpdesk: Thank you for joining us today, Ilaria. To begin, how did you first learn about the SEA IP SME Helpdesk?

Ilaria: The first time I got in contact with an IP SME Helpdesk was during my work for a sister project called EU SME Centre with offices in Beijing. I soon realised that the network of the EU funded Helpdesks was beyond China, so that, in 2022 I started cooperating with the SEA IP SME Helpdesk in my journey to support Estonian SMEs with the best tools when exporting to their target markets in the Southeast Asian region. Particularly, the SEA IP SME Helpdesk was crucial during Enterprise Estonia’s study trip to Vietnam in November 2022, as it provided us with key insights on one of the many aspects of doing business in Southeast Asia, that is Intellectual Property. 

SEA IP SME Helpdesk: Could you share some benefits of cooperating with the South-East Asia IP SME Helpdesk, and perhaps highlight any success stories from this collaboration?

Ilaria: When it comes to the SEA region, we cooperated with the project with a specific focus on Vietnam’s IP ecosystem, however we have also analysed the Singapore and Indonesia jurisdictions. The cooperation is of outmost importance particularly to the enterprises in our portfolio as the projects highlights the importance of protecting company’s intellectual property rights. 

The Helpdesk provides support in a clear and straightforward way that resonates with the companies as, all the actions are tailored to their needs. Another key aspect that has been a catalyst for creating awareness around Intellectual Property protection in Southeast Asia is the fact that the first line of tailored support is provided free of charge. I wish to express this as, often time, SMEs are resources sensitive and having a free of charge tool that enables them to consider IPR in the creation of their go-to-market strategy is essential.

In fact, the interaction of Estonian companies with the SEA IP SME Helpdesk particularly during on-site seminars and individual consultations, have led Estonian companies beginning their export journey to Vietnam to better draft contracts to protect their intellectual property rights.

SEA IP SME Helpdesk: How do you see the role of organisations such as yours with IP protection and internationalisation?

Ilaria: In the trade department of Enterprise Estonia, we are mainly focusing on supporting Estonian enterprises in their internationalisation journey and understanding the complexities of market access. For this reason, aside from providing some basic knowledge on Intellectual Property, and creating awareness on the topic, we cooperate closely with your project. Of course, my colleagues in the innovation department organise trainings and masterclasses that are aimed at enhancing companies’ knowledge in this field; as we have several supporting projects in different geographical areas, the cooperation with the Helpdesk is extremely beneficial.

SEA IP SME Helpdesk: Can you elaborate on how the training sessions organised by the SEA IP SME Helpdesk have helped SMEs better understand and navigate IP-related issues?

Ilaria: On top of the most common seminar participation, we have collaborated with the IP experts of the project during our very first business mission to Vietnam, organised in November 2023. 

During the mission, the IP experts provided participants with insights into the potential intellectual property risks that can be faced in Vietnam. As the business mission was in the F&B sector, brand/trademark protection was one of the main topics addressed. Through a very informative Q&A session, the companies could engage directly with the IP experts based in Vietnam who provided practical solutions to the questions asked. 

We are now looking forward to cooperate once again for the upcoming ICT Trade Mission to Hanoi and Saigon, to be held on the first week of November. 

SEA IP SME Helpdesk: Looking ahead, how do you see the collaboration evolving between Enterprise Estonia and the SEA IP SME Helpdesk to further support SMEs with IP protection in South-East Asia?

Ilaria: So far, we’ve been cooperating with the Helpdesk in two distinctive ways, seminars, and onsite discussions in Vietnam. We will certainly keep this cooperation format, although, as our activities towards Vietnam will hopefully be increasing in the coming years, with more trade missions and trade shows participation, we expect to increase the collaboration by adding IP rights seminar prior to the trade mission departure as well, perhaps on topics such as “how to prepare for trade shows”, and an on-site seminar once in Vietnam to further deepen some aspects of the IP strategy that companies will be creating. 

Further, I would expect to further promote the services of the project within the companies in our portfolio and, hopefully, integrate some of the Helpdesk actions in the activities of the Intellectual Property Department of Enterprise Estonia. 

SEA IP SME Helpdesk: Is there anything else you would like to add regarding the role of collaborative initiatives like this project or other aspects of our cooperation?

Ilaria: I would like to conclude by thanking the SEA IP SME Helpdesk team for providing tailored and precise information to those companies that have the ambition to expand internationally. As stated before, the fact that companies can receive such professional advice, for free, on so critical aspects of their business is a true blessing for all the SMEs preparing to export. 

As the number of Estonian enterprise exporting, collaborating, or investing in Vietnam grows, I will make sure that they will receive proper training. Thank you, once again, for your great work! 

SEA IP SME Helpdesk: Thank you, Ilaria, for your continuous support and for the impactful collaboration between Enterprise Estonia and the SEA IP SME Helpdesk. We look forward to more joint activities in the future!

We invite other stakeholders interested in similar partnerships to reach out to us at expertsea-iphelpdesk [dot] eu (expert[at]sea-iphelpdesk[dot]eu), so we can help your European SMEs and startups build a successful IP strategy and grow their business in South-East Asia.