Local traditions as the basis for new business ideas in a youth project – Imatran kaupunki

The study tour and closing event of the first pilot training period of the international HeritageHunters&Business project was held in Viljandi, Estonia, on May 7–8, 2026. The event was attended by young people from Imatra High School and the Avinurmi region in Estonia.
The final meeting focused on the students’ own business ideas that utilize local heritage and natural culture in new ways in business. Over the past three months, the participants have been working on a central question: how local cultural heritage, nature and regional identity can be transformed into future-oriented business opportunities.
– The HeritageHunters&Business project provided a platform for Finnish and Estonian young people to explore this question. As a result, the participants developed a wide range of business ideas related to natural and cultural heritage, crafts, community initiatives and creative solutions. By the end of the training, they had refined their ideas into structured business models, says the project manager of the project Tytti Lankinen says.
The closing event in Viljandi highlighted not only the creativity and commitment of the participants, but also the potential of heritage-based entrepreneurship to promote sustainable regional development and strengthen local identity.
The aim of this Finnish-Estonian collaborative project and the associated entrepreneurship training is to equip young people with the skills needed to create sustainable business ideas based on local natural and cultural resources. In addition to traditional business skills, the training combines entrepreneurship with local identity and encourages participants to see the uniqueness of their home region as a valuable basis for innovation.
– The international dimension of the program brings significant added value by bringing together young people and experts from different backgrounds and experiences. Learning took place through diverse methods, such as study visits, workshops, mentoring meetings and practical work. This approach helps participants develop their ideas step by step – from initial concepts to business models, marketing strategies and public presentations, Lankinen describes.
The next training period will be organized in autumn 2026. Young participants from the Imatra region are being sought for the training.
The HeritageHunters&Business project is co-funded by the Interreg Central Baltic 2021–2027 programme. The project partners are the Peipsi Cooperation Center, the Viljandi Academy of Culture of the University of Tartu, the City of Imatra and the Finnish Wilderness Museum Foundation.
HeritageHunters&Business | City of Imatra
Project Manager Tytti Lankinen, girl. lankinenimatra.fi (tytti[dot]lankinen[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 1122

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