Success stories

Recent testimonies of successful business networking - Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme







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New entrepreneur:
Kaisu Mäkinen (Finland)
Age: 26
Company name: Kaiku Koru http://www.kaikukoru.net/ (Start-up)
Sector of activity:


The experience of working with an accomplished jewelry designer took me closer to making my own collection. The process is still ongoing, but I had the chance to work with Iittala and to make very nice glass jewelry collection which I hope will soon be sold all around Finland including Iittala Outlet shops.



Host entrepreneur:
Maria Luisa Vitobello (Italy)

Company name: DEFOP (Disegno E Fabbricazione Oggetti Preziosi), member of EJTN GEIE www.ejtn.org (26 years of experience)
Sector of activity:

I am very proud of the successful results of this project.


Period of exchange: 09/2009 until 12/2009
Duration of exchange: 3 months



Maria Luisa Vitobello (HE) is a goldsmith, specialized in ancient jewellery technologies, and a designer of collections where she applies advanced hi tech solutions. Kaisu Mäkinen (NE) owns Kaiku Koru, a company established in 2008, specialised in designing and making unique jewelry of high quality. Maria Luisa joined the programe in order to help enrich Kaisu’s business, production and design experience through transfer of technology, but was also looking to explore new markets. Maria Luisa was hoping to establish new relations with companies from the Finnish Jewellery Industry. Kaisu was looking for new contacts, new ideas and different ways to help her improve her business.

Both entrepreneurs undertook various tasks together: designing various collections in silver and leftover broken pieces of Iittala glass, preparing a report on the process, including research and development activities, designs, trials, production, cost calculations, marketing activities and potential sale.

Maria Luisa proposed to employ leftover, broken glass from world famous Finnish glass factory Iittala and use them in place of costly stones in pieces of jewellery. The idea was further elaborated by Kaisu in a project ‘I vetri di Kaisu’ (Kaisu’s glass’), proposed to Iittala, which liked the idea very much. Kaisu is now working on the collection which will be sold in Iittala Outlet shops.



For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:

New entrepreneur's contact point:
Mikkeli Region Business Development Centre Miset Ltd (Mikkeli)

Host entrepreneur's contact point:
Alintec S.c.a.r.l. (Milano)

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