Aveiro 5.0: opening CEE markets for Portuguese SME

The project was developed for the Aveiro Region in Portugal, the business ecosystem under the Aveiro 5.0 initiative, promoted by AIDA CCI (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the District of Aveiro). The initiative focuses on strengthening the international competitiveness of industrial SMEs operating in strategic RIS3 priority sectors, including metalworking, habitat (construction and housing), blue economy, automotive industry, and ICT/semiconductors.

The Aveiro industrial ecosystem is recognized for its technologically advanced manufacturing base, export capacity, and integration into high-value global supply chains. The project aimed to support regional companies in identifying and accessing new opportunities in Central and Eastern European markets.

The client sought to improve the internationalization capabilities of industrial SMEs in the Aveiro region by providing actionable market intelligence and practical capacity-building activities focused on Poland, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, and Slovakia.

A key challenge was the limited market-specific knowledge available to SMEs regarding:

• Market opportunities and trends
• Regulatory and legal frameworks
• Entry strategies
• Business culture and negotiation practices
• Risk management and logistics considerations

Additionally, the project required the creation of high-quality, practical resources within tight deadlines while ensuring relevance across multiple industrial sectors. The initiative also needed to engage companies effectively and encourage participation in international knowledge-sharing activities.

Civitta designed and implemented a comprehensive internationalization support program combining strategic market intelligence, expert-led knowledge sharing, and direct international engagement activities.

• Industrial Guide Books

Civitta developed three Industrial Guide Books focused on the Polish, Hungarian, and Romanian markets. These guides were designed as economic intelligence tools to support companies in planning and executing international expansion strategies.

The project methodology included:

– Defining the structure and framework of each guide

– Conducting in-depth market research and data collection

– Analysing and systematizing information relevant to Aveiro’s industrial value chains

– Drafting content in Portuguese

– Validating findings with market experts

Each guide covered: market analysis and trends, opportunities and challenges for Portuguese companies, market entry strategies, legal and regulatory frameworks, business culture and negotiation practices, logistics and distribution, risk management, relevant institutions and stakeholders, success stories and testimonials.

• International Market e.Talks

To complement the written intelligence materials, Civitta organized five study visits (PL, HU, RO, SL, LT) and moderated three International Market e.Talks dedicated to Poland, Hungary, and Romania.

The Civitta team designed the event programs and content, engaged senior market experts, managed the online event infrastructure and registration process, led promotional activities, moderated the sessions, and handled post-event content production for future use and social media promotion. 

The sessions were designed to deliver practical, actionable insights for SMEs while creating opportunities for direct interaction with regional market specialists.

• Market Prospecting Visits

Civitta also supported the organization and coordination of market prospecting visits across five Central and Eastern European markets: Poland, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, and Slovakia.

These visits focused on:

– Facilitating institutional and business meetings

– Building cooperation networks and strategic partnerships

– Promoting the Aveiro industrial ecosystem internationally

– Strengthening the visibility of Portuguese industrial capabilities in target markets

• Ecosystem Engagement & Knowledge Sharing

In addition to the internationalization activities, Civitta supported broader ecosystem development through additional knowledge-sharing and engagement initiatives. These included study visits to Chicago and Cléon, open days, ESG workshops, and other initiatives to foster collaboration and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the Aveiro industrial ecosystem.

The project delivered a structured internationalization support framework for the Aveiro 5.0 ecosystem, providing SMEs with both strategic intelligence and direct market engagement opportunities.

Key outcomes included:

• Delivery of three comprehensive Industrial Guide Books
• Organization of three expert-led international e.Talks
• Engagement various participants across the online sessions
• Establishment of institutional and business connections in five strategic markets

Qualitative impact included:

• Increased market awareness among participating SMEs
• Improved readiness for international expansion
• Enhanced understanding of Central and Eastern European business environments
• Stronger collaboration between regional stakeholders and international partners

The project also strengthened the positioning of the Aveiro region as an export-oriented, innovation-driven industrial ecosystem capable of competing in high-value global supply chains.

The Aveiro 5.0 project demonstrated the importance of combining market intelligence with practical capacity-building initiatives when supporting SME internationalization.

Key lessons learned:

• SMEs benefit most from highly practical and market-specific intelligence
• Combining written resources with live expert interaction significantly increases engagement and knowledge transfer
• Internationalization initiatives are more effective when supported by institutional cooperation and network-building activities
• Localized market expertise is critical for reducing uncertainty and accelerating expansion decisions

Civitta’s international network and cross-market expertise enabled the project to deliver reliable insights, connect stakeholders across multiple countries, and create a scalable framework that can be replicated in other regions and sectors seeking export growth and international expansion.