Spinner

Spinner is a two-year programme implemented by the Baltic Innovation Agency, Beamline Accelerator, and the Ida-Viru Creative Economy Centre, co-financed by the European Union through the Just Transition Fund. The project focuses on fostering sustainable and climate-neutral economic development in Estonia’s Ida-Viru County, a region undergoing significant structural changes as part of the green transition.

The main objective of Spinner is to enhance entrepreneurial skills among young people aged 16 to 30, empowering them to build environmentally conscious businesses and create green jobs that support the region’s long-term sustainability. By addressing the challenges of labor market transformation and economic diversification, the programme contributes to the social and economic resilience of the local community.

Baltic Innovation Agency plays a key role in designing and delivering the programme, working closely with Beamline and the Ida-Viru Creative Economy Centre to ensure effective implementation and stakeholder engagement. The project runs from August 2024 to April 2026 and includes two 4-month entrepreneurship training cycles. These cycles provide participants with hands-on experience, mentoring, and practical tools needed to start and grow small and medium-sized enterprises aligned with just transition principles.

The primary target group is young residents of Ida-Viru County, but the project also engages local entrepreneurs, educators, and development organizations. Through workshops, mentoring sessions, networking events, and thematic integration of just transition concepts, Spinner equips participants with relevant skills, fosters innovation, and promotes collaboration across sectors.

In the long term, Spinner aims to catalyze sustainable economic transformation in the region by developing a new generation of entrepreneurs who are not only business-savvy but also environmentally responsible. By planting the seeds for a greener local economy, the project contributes to the creation of a more inclusive, adaptive, and prosperous Ida-Viru community.