Recent testimonies of successful business networking - Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme
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Anastasiia Liegostaieva (Poland)
Age: 21
Company name: (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Advertising,Promotion, Media
Anna Martynenko (Germany)
Age: 31
Company name: Anna Martynenko Photography (https://anna-martynenko.com/) (6 years of experience)
Sector of activity: Advertising,Promotion, Media
Period of exchange: 04/2025 until 10/2025
Duration of exchange: 6 months
Results and benefits
Anastasiia Liegostaieva, a young Ukrainian photographer based in Krakow, joined the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme to gain practical knowledge on building a sustainable photography business. Driven by a desire to deepen her skills in client management branding and business strategy, she saw EYE as a unique chance to learn from an experienced mentor abroad. Through the online platform she connected with Anna Martynenko, a Berlin-based freelance photographer. Anna sought fresh creative ideas and insights into the Polish market while sharing her expertise in artistic photography and business operations. Both expected to benefit from the exchange: Anastasiia by expanding her portfolio network and entrepreneurial skills and Anna by exploring new approaches collaborations and perspectives in her own business.
During the six-month collaboration, Anastasiia and Anna worked closely on a range of creative and entrepreneurial activities. They began with project research, moodboard creation and analysis of client workflows, then moved to practical photography sessions covering portrait macro light painting and mobile photography. Together they developed editing skills, explored storytelling techniques and prepared submissions for contests and magazines — resulting in several publications and a cover feature. Anastasiia contributed to social media strategies client outreach and portfolio development while learning about branding financial planning and pricing models. The relationship was highly collaborative and reciprocal: Anna shared her business experience and artistic approach, while Anastasiia brought fresh ideas, explored new tools and offered insights into the Polish creative market, enriching both entrepreneurs’ practices.
The exchange brought significant professional growth and laid the foundation for future collaboration. Anastasiia gained essential entrepreneurial skills including client management, financial planning, pricing strategies and business development while strengthening her creative abilities in photography editing storytelling and content creation. She built an international network of contacts connecting with agencies brands and creative professionals across Europe and achieved visibility through magazine features and exhibitions. Both entrepreneurs benefited from cultural exchange and shared expertise — Anna enhanced her mentoring skills and gained fresh perspectives and insights into the Polish market. They plan to continue their cooperation through joint projects portfolio collaborations and potential client partnerships ensuring lasting professional ties and future business opportunities beyond the programme.
For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur's contact point:
FUNDACJA UNIWERSYTETU IM ADAMA MICKIEWICZA W POZNANIU (Poznan, Poland)
Host entrepreneur's contact point:
STIC - WIRTSCHAFTSFORDERGESELLSCHAFT MARKISCH-ODERLAND MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG (Berlin, Germany)
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