Curious about what is going on at Epicenter Helsinki, House of Digital Innovation? Then you have come to the right place. In the Epicenter Helsinki Blog you will get the chance to meet the Epicenter community, get knowledge from the digital field and read success stories. Enjoy your read!
Business Finland is the Finnish government organization for innovation funding, trade, travel, and investment promotion. Business Finland’s 600 experts work in 40 offices globally and in 16 regional offices around Finland. Their latest initiative The Verge, happening at Epicenter Helsinki on November 30th, is a unique opportunity for international investors, companies, and startups to meet representatives from the Finnish business scene.
Invest in Finland is part of Business Finland. Their mission is to support international companies, mature startups and international investors to learn about and seize the regional opportunities presented in the Finnish business landscape.
”We help companies and entrepreneurs to discover for example different kinds of business and funding opportunities in Finland. Local programs that allow not only to develop in Finland but also to expand internationally.” says Karen Grigoryan, who is heading the Invest in Finland operations in Russia.
The Verge at Epicenter Helsinki
The Verge event kicks-off the Slush week in Helsinki on November 30th. During less than three hours, participants get an extensive information package about what different Finnish regions have to offer for companies, get to interact directly from representatives of regions and get the bigger picture of the expansion and growth potential in Finland.
‘’We are expecting and hoping that life will now slowly return to more normal and companies will come to Finland. We at Business Finland and other regional development agencies are really looking forward to meet new people and companies at “The Verge.” says Karen Grigoryan.
Success stories through the years
In the last five years, almost 1400 new foreign investments have landed in Finland. Many of the investments have come to the Helsinki metropolitan area, but foreign investors and companies are also interested in strong regional business ecosystems and their unique expertise. The largest number of foreign investments in the last five years has been made in Uusimaa (approximately 56% of all investments), but Northern Ostrobothnia, Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, Northern Savonia, Central Finland, and Satakunta have also received a good share of newcomers. Invest in Finland, together with regional development organizations, promotes the location of foreign investments in different parts of Finland.
The concentration of health and wellbeing technology in Northern Ostrobothnia has attracted investments from Sweden, the United Kingdom, Norway, Germany, and Japan. Oulu in particular attracts pioneers in health technology and has become one of the most important centers for the industry in Finland.
Finland thriving during a global crisis
Regardless of the impact of COVID-19 on global investment flows, the level of foreign direct investments (FDI) towards Finland remained exceptionally high in 2020. Finland’s COVID resilience and the stability of the society resonated with the investors, boosting Finland’s image as an attractive location for new FDIs.
According to Business Finland’s data, Finland welcomed almost 300 new foreign companies last year, which is the highest number since the record year 2017.
“Last year, Invest in Finland contacted over 900 international companies and initiated negotiations with more than 200 companies about potentially choosing Finland as a location for their business. We have organized a customized company-specific, high-profile visit, or a virtual visit to Finland for more than fifty of these companies,” says Karen Grigoryan from Business Finland.
