Market Entry & Go-to-Market Strategy | EU

Depending on priorities, the logical options are:

1 – Cyprus,

2 – the Netherlands,

3 – Portugal

(I didn’t want to pick obvious locations like Germany, Spain, France, Poland, or the UK).

A bridge between MENA and the CIS, a regional hub of the game development industry, and a large Russian-speaking community. The gaming industry and the leisure/recreational business are highly developed, and it meets almost all the criteria.

Communities/associations/entrepreneur clubs worth exploring:

TechIsland - a must-have for getting to know IT and gaming startups

Cyprus International Businesses Association - international focus

Platforms or resources that can help find Russian-speaking entrepreneurs in the country:

https://www.meetup.com/ - look for local events here, for example: https://www.meetup.com/cyprus-entrepreneurship-meetup/

Events (non-franchise exhibitions) that could be suitable to attend or participate in to meet entrepreneurs:

INSPIRE - the largest entrepreneurship festival

Reflect Festival - a festival of innovation and creative industries

2–3 ideas on how to collect contacts:

I would build the network through Telegram channels, starting with Russian-speaking ones is definitely the first step. Collaborations with leaders in the gaming sector, sourcing them from forums with a business focus. I know this approach from Serbia: you search by keywords and simply start reaching out.

You could organise or sponsor an informal party as part of the Reflect Festival, with entry by registration, and collect contacts afterwards.

Focus: gaming + franchising + access to international capital (entry into MENA via finance and VC). The expat community is very diverse; it’s an international hub with a strong gaming and eSports culture in Europe (Ubisoft, Playlogic, Guerrilla Games).

Communities/associations/entrepreneur clubs worth exploring:

TechLeap.NL - a government-backed organisation supporting startups

Dutch Game Garden (former incubator for game dev studios)

Platforms or resources that can help find Russian-speaking entrepreneurs in the country:

There are around 20 resources listed here, there’s little to add: https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/business/connect-grow-your-business/business-networks

Another good resource specifically for networking with Russian-speaking locals: https://www.intservices.nl/en/financial-educational-services-int-services/networking-in-the-netherlands/

Events (non-franchise exhibitions) that could be suitable to attend or participate in to meet entrepreneurs:

The Next Web - one of Europe’s key tech events, a must

LevelUp- niche-focused

Amsterdam Light Festival (sponsorship and creation of an interactive gaming zone) Playgrounds Conference (for creative industries)

2–3 ideas on how to collect contacts:

Active participation in conferences and summits, plus meetups focused on gaming and esports.

Targeted LinkedIn networking (manually searching for local stars and building connections).

Active participation in startup events and entrepreneurship forums, specialised gaming communities (an example), plus regional business forums and conferences focused on small and medium-sized businesses.

Building connections with local business associations and chambers of commerce in MENA countries.

The gaming industry is in a growth phase, and at the same time, there are many Russian-speaking entrepreneurs. In tourist cities like Lisbon or Porto, there is a huge number of entrepreneurs in the HoReCa sector who are looking for ways to attract new audiences, ideal for a franchise + international connections to MENA (access to investment in the region) combination.

Communities/associations/entrepreneur clubs worth exploring:

a business accelerator Beta-i

Platforms or resources that can help find Russian-speaking entrepreneurs in the country:

For now, it makes sense to work through Russian-speaking business groups on Telegram and Facebook (also manual keyword search), as well as English-speaking startup communities.

Events (non-franchise exhibitions) that could be suitable to attend or participate in to meet entrepreneurs:

Web Summit - one of the largest and most influential tech events in Europe

Lisbon Games Week - with participation from local studios and startups

2–3 ideas on how to collect contacts:

The sector is growing, and locals tend to appreciate initiative, so offline activities and speaking at conferences are a strong foundation for building local presence.

Participating in Web Summit as a sponsor or exhibitor (high-volume flow of entrepreneurs) and/or creating a private club for local entrepreneurs.

Organising your own events (workshops, franchise presentations).