With offices already established in London, Dublin and Rome, funding advisory British Alien Technology Transfer is now opening an office in Vilnius Tech Park, Lithuania, its first office in the CEE region. The company aims to work in close cooperation with Vilnius Tech Park, and with the Baltic start-up accelerator StartupHighway, to offer unrivalled opportunities for overseas start-ups relocating to Vilnius.
Alien Technology Transfer, founded in 2013 in the UK, is an independent public funding advisory that specialises in project financing, project management, and concept and business model development for innovative products and companies. They enable young businesses to access grants from the European Commissions’ Horizon 2020 funding instruments for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Annually, the company secures over €40 Million of funding for its clients on average. While the average success rate of applications to these funding instruments is just 6%, over 30% of applications handled by Alien Technology Transfer are successful.
The company has ambitious plans for its unit in Lithuania. “Our current goal is to bring 40 – 50 innovative start-ups to Lithuania per year between 2016 and 2020, and this target is sure to increase annually with every successful project“, explains Alessandro Rufo, Founder and CFO of Alien Technology Transfer.
“When choosing a location for our first office in the region, we conducted a thorough analysis. This process revealed the clear competitive advantages Lithuania has to offer in terms of taxation, pricing, and labour costs. We have also discovered that the young people in Lithuania are very well-educated and driven, which promises great success going forward. We are confident that the majority of our non-European clients will understand the great opportunities Lithuania has to offer for entering the European market“.
According to Mr Rufo, the company is hugely excited not only about the prospects in Vilnius in general, but also specifically about setting up in Vilnius Tech Park. The park is one of the largest and most complex start-up ecosystems in the region. “Our objective is to invest in cutting edge technologies and disruptive business models. Vilnius Tech Park offers us excellent opportunities to foster strong relationships with future innovators. I trust that our combined energies will pave the way for many overseas Small and Medium Enterprises to tap into the countless business opportunities Europe has to offer.“
Vilnius Tech Park will launch this summer, and managing director Darius Žakaitis believes the hub’s unique setting, surrounded by parkland and only 15 mins walk from the city centre, will certainly help Alien Technology Transfer to attract foreign start-ups. “But what is truly exceptional,” explains Mr Žakaitis, “is the on-site business development infrastructure that will help start-ups on the park to grow. Our on-site partners will provide legal, HR and marketing services, business consulting, VC funds, start-up accelerators and many other services. I am pleased to welcome Alien Technology Transfer into this community as their knowledge and experience will open up even more funding opportunities to the innovative entrepreneurs in Vilnius Tech Park.”
Alien Technology Transfer also plans to offer exclusive services and support for current and future Vilnius Tech Park members. For overseas companies who chose to set up in the Tech Park, the company will offer free incorporation in Lithuania and free support for the development of their commercialization strategy.
The company will also work in partnership with another on-site business developer, StartupHighway. As the Baltics’ first start-up accelerator, StartupHigway has mentored and invested in around 20 start-ups since its establishment in 2011.
In its collaboration with Alien Technology Transfer, StartupHighway is going to offer additional investment to ensure new start-ups have the funding to meet all of their development needs. “The EU’s SME instrument is perfect for innovative companies because it helps to cover product development and prototyping costs,” explains Martynas Matekonis, Chief Portfolio Manager of StartupHighway. “But we have noticed that start-ups need to be able to cover additional costs, i.e., marketing, in order to gain traction. Therefore, our partnership with Alien Technology Transfer will allow talented entrepreneurs to cover all the necessary areas to grow their business.”
For a limited period of three months, Vilnius Tech Park is offering up to 12 working places for start-ups relocating to Lithuania from abroad. This offer, combined with the arrival of Alien Technology Transfer, creates a unique opportunity for foreign entrepreneurs to relocate to the EU and get access to funding with almost no upfront costs. The development of the Tech Park, together with Lithuania’s blooming start-up scene and new government plans to streamline immigration procedures for highly qualified specialists, clearly show that Lithuania is cementing its status as the start-up hotspot of the region.
About Alien Technology Transfer
Alien Technology Transfer, established in 2013, is an independent public funding advisory specialized in project financing, project management, and the development of concepts and business models for innovative products. With a success rate nearly 7 times higher than the European average, the company raises over €40 Million on behalf of its clients every year. With offices in Rome, London, and Dublin, Alien TT works globally. www.alientt.com
About Vilnius Tech Park
The region‘s most complex and integrated ICT hub, Vilnius Tech Park aims to attract and unite innovative talent from game development, big data, cyber security, smart solutions, fintech and digital design. The 9000+ sq. m of working space, located in renovated 19th century buildings, will hold 700+ working places for entrepreneurs and professionals, plus a conference centre for local and international tech events. The Park will also provide unrivalled business development infrastructure, with VC funds, accelerators, consultancy and legal services available on site. www.vilniustechpark.com
About StartupHighway
StartupHighway is a Baltic start-up accelerator and an early seed stage fund based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Since its establishment in 2011 it has developed a proven investment programme focusing all of its efforts on value maximization for innovative technology start-ups. StartupHighway offer their mentored start-ups access to a range of tools to accelerate their evolution into a scalable business. These include access to an extensive network of business leaders and elite mentors, seed funding, free open working space and access to relevant markets. www.startuphigway.com
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