FinEst Sounds

Opening new export opportunities for Finnish and Estonian music industry companies and other brands in Japan.

Music industry is one of the most potential international sub-sectors of experience economy in Finland and Estonia. Japan is a highly promising target market for Nordic-Baltic culture and music. Much of the music industry export potential, however, remains untapped and there has recently been a downturn in music industry sales. Finland and Estonia are small countries with limited capacity, resources and public financial support for music export. Therefore, there is a strong need for new innovation and export support instruments and related cross-border clustering and joint sales efforts to maintain and increase music industry export to Japan.

The project approach is based on cross-sectoral co-creation and cooperation between music sector and other business sectors such as design, gaming, film and high-tech. The FINEEX music project facilitates the joint development of cross-sectoral services and products and opening of new export opportunities in Japan for Finnish and Estonian music industry companies and for other sectors in which export cooperation with music industry can bring added value.

The project utilises well-known annual music industry networking events (Music & Media Finland and Tallinn Music Week) as matchmaking and showcase platforms as well as new business-university co-creation combining companies, music experts and students. A music export accelerator programme including co-creation of new marketing concepts, design of demos and organisation of sales trips to Japan will be developed and piloted to facilitate cross-sectoral value chains between music industry and companies from other sectors and to boost their sales in Japan.

The project will involve 45 Finnish and Estonian music companies and artists as well as 20 other companies. The project will increase sales of 10 Finnish and Estonian music companies in Japan.