Ljubljana - SPIRIT Slovenija, the public entrepreneurship, internationalisation and foreign investment promotion agency, is subsidising the work of 15 Slovenian business clubs abroad this year. The clubs help Slovenian companies to expand abroad and attract foreign investors to Slovenia.

The clubs are located in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Italy, Canada, Kosovo, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Serbia, Tunisia, Zambia and the US, SPIRIT announced in a press release on Wednesday.

This year the network of Slovenian business clubs is being joined by the Slovenia-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, and after a break of several years the Slovenia-Canada Chamber of Commerce returned to the network.

Slovenian business clubs feature representatives of Slovenian businesses or Slovenians living abroad who have been active for several years in foreign markets.

SPIRIT says their experience and knowledge about the local business environment makes them an important source of information for Slovenian companies considering forays into foreign markets.

Apart from providing advice and information, the clubs also help the companies concerned to find business partners, organise business events and bilateral-business meetings.

The network of Slovenian business clubs is increasingly extensive. "It covers faraway markets such as South America and Africa [...] We would like the network to spread further as Slovenian companies say it's easier to enter foreign markets with such support," Rok Capl, SPIRIT acting director, was quoted as saying in the release.

Economy Minister Matjaž Han supports the expansion of such clubs as well, considering them an important aid for Slovenian companies wanting to penetrate foreign markets.

SPIRIT has been collaborating with Slovenian clubs abroad since 2008. Last year it earmarked EUR 450,000 to support 14 clubs, which organised 114 business events and provided 1,117 concrete business opportunities and topical information on the business environment, helping 632 companies with information and 149 with in-depth advice, analysis and assistance.