People in a lecture hall listening to a lecturer. — The first training period of the HeritageHunters&Business project began with a kick-off event at the Imatra spa.

High school students from Imatra and Avinurmi, Estonia, began international entrepreneurship education in Imatra

The two-day opening event was attended by 20 high school students, as well as educators and project actors from Finland and Estonia.

The HeritageHunters&Business project, which focuses on utilizing local natural and cultural heritage in entrepreneurship, launched its first training period in Imatra on January 30–31, 2026. The two-day opening event was attended by 20 high school students, as well as trainers and project actors from Finland and Estonia. There were over 30 participants in total.

During the event, the young people learned about the special features of the natural and cultural heritage of Finland and Estonia and their role in the economy. They also got to know local nature tourism and heritage-based businesses and visited heritage sites in Imatra.

The training will continue during February and April with eight joint online meetings in English. The training period will culminate in a closing ceremony in May, when Imatra high school students will visit Estonia.

Local nature and cultural heritage as the basis for sustainable business ideas

The aim of the training programme is to support young people in border regions to understand that local nature, cultural heritage and traditions can be turned into resources and the basis for sustainable business ideas. The project also responds to the limited educational and career opportunities of young people, as well as the challenges related to unemployment and migration in South Karelia and North-Eastern Estonia (Lake Peipsi area).

Project Manager, City of Imatra Tytti Lankinen emphasizes the importance of the project.

– Our goal is to encourage and inspire young people to believe that the nature and heritage of their home region are unique and can serve as a strong foundation for the creation of future jobs and businesses. International cooperation offers them the opportunity for new perspectives and ideas.

International cooperation as part of the educational program

A total of 72 young people will participate in the HeritageHunters&Business training program over three training periods. The first period will include 12 students from Imatra High School and 12 students from Avinurmi High School in Estonia. The young people will learn and work together in an international and collaborative learning environment.

The development of the training programme content is coordinated by the Viljandi Academy of Culture of the University of Tartu, and the training is implemented in cooperation with Saimaa Vocational College EduSampo Oy. The training combines workshops, study visits, nature-based activities and reflection, which help participants develop entrepreneurial thinking, creativity and practical skills.

The HeritageHunters&Business project started in August 2025 and will continue until October 2027. The total budget of the project is 637,692 euros, of which 80% (510,153 euros) is financed from the Interreg Central Baltic 2021–2027 programme. The City of Imatra and the Wilderness Museum Foundation are participating in the project from Finland.