Come and explore Finland with other C-Level Executives with the International Trade Council and the Government of Finland.
Participants in this trade mission will have the opportunity to learn about doing business in Finland (and the European Union), explore the market, gain exposure to the business culture, meet with potential partners, source new products and/or services and find investment opportunities.
Trade Mission Starts in:
Visit Finland: A country whose strengths include a highly educated workforce, a knowledge-based and innovative economy, a reputation for stability and lack of corruption, competitiveness, a strategic position at the centre of a dynamic zone formed by Russia, Scandinavia and the Baltic countries and its orientation towards high technology, research and development.
Be introduced to trade and investment opportunities from across Finland in a variety of sectors.
Get direct access to high-level business and government officials from relevant industries and sectors.
Network with guests from local industry multipliers including chambers of commerce, associations and business councils influential in the business community.
Understand how to business and/or establish a base of operations within the European Union.
Learn about Finnish start-up visa program.
Interact with other entrepreneurs, startups and investors.
Participate in briefings and round-tables with the legal and business community on local business practices and opportunities.
Promote participants organizations and business interests.
Make on-site visits to organizations within the participants specified target market(s).
Participate in networking opportunities with the local business community.
Meet face-to-face with Finnish C-Level executives through pre-scheduled appointments with pre-qualified targets.
Participate in educational and networking events with other executives from Finland and across the globe.
Engage in a collaborative, high-level, trade and investment oriented, cultural experience with other CEO's from across the globe.
Positive effects of International Trade Council Trade Missions include higher sales revenues, lower procurement costs and better sourcing, education, cultural/international business savvy, preparedness, professional development, visibility/goodwill and perspective.
An additional benefit is that the mission participants develop close friendships among themselves and a useful, professional network.
This trade mission is designed to bring start-ups, entrepreneurs, investors and multinational corporations in direct contact with government agencies and companies in the Finnish market.
Participants on the Trade Mission to Finland will meet C-Level executives in the following fields:
When you register for the trade mission you will be asked to provide information about your organization, your industries of interest, the job-titles/profiles of executives you’re looking to meet.
The Council’s Trade Commissioners will then match you with appropriate organizations in Finland for your 1:1 meetings.
International Trade Council trade missions combine networking with knowledge-gathering. This is not a trade-show. Once signed up, each delegates organizational profile will be circulated with the relevant government agencies and sectoral-business leaders in Finland.
Council Trade Commissioners will then work to create a refined, customized site-visit schedule relevant to each delegates industry and particular business interests.
The Trade Mission to Finland includes several networking events designed to facilitate interaction between delegates and their Finnish counterparts. These events include round-tables, a dinner reception and tours. Additional details of these events and attendees will be made available upon closing of sign-ups for the trade mission.
Participants need to be:
Finland is ranked as the third best economic environment in the world for business growth and, home to Nokia, is the birthplace of the digital revolution. The country is also the epicenter of bio economy growth, the land of future health and the biggest contributor to innovation per capita of any country worldwide.
The location of the Finnish capital is strategically optimal as part of the Nordic region that borders Russia, is close to the Baltic markets and offers fast fight connections to Asia. Helsinki Airport offers 350 flights a day to locations around the world, including 25 direct flights a week to China. You can also travel between Helsinki and St. Petersburg by train in just three and a half hours.
Finland is economically and politically stable and predictable. In fact, Finland was recently named the world’s most peaceful and stable country.
Finland has brought SMS, 5G, and the Linux operating system to the world. You can even find Finnish sensors on Mars. All this is enabled by active co-operation between the public and private sectors, combined with an active start-up scene and innovative testbeds. This kind of an environment constantly produces new technological innovations and brilliant end-user applications.
Finland’s expertise in the IoT goes beyond traditional manufacturing and provides the brains behind efficient energy production and management. Finnish companies have come up with numerous intelligent technologies to monitor, automate, and optimize energy streams, from production all the way to the end user.
Finland has the most digital startups per capita in the world. This has taken their innovation environment to a whole new level while providing a continuous source of new growth.
At its core, Finland is a dedicated testbed for global solutions and a nation of early adopters. Finland has a problem-solving population with endless curiosity for doing things in a new way. You could say that innovation is coded in the Finnish DNA.
Finland connects networks to software, services to devices for communications service providers, industries, public sector and consumers. Finland is the most innovative, trustable and safest partner in the digital transformation of intelligent connectivity and solutions. Finland is your partner in the new digital revolution and the brains behind your competitive advantage.
The combination of 5G, 6G, artificial intelligence (AI), Smart Platforms, and the Internet of Things (IoT) form the basis of what we call Intelligent Connectivity. It will affect how entire industries innovate and operate, how societies interact and thrive, and how economies flourish. More broadly, intelligent connectivity is one of the key building blocks of a sustainable future.
Finland is already a frontrunner of the underlying technologies of Intelligent Connectivity. Intelligent Connectivity brings these technologies together to provide new solutions for traditional business sectors:
Finnish intelligent connectivity sector companies can address the needs of various business verticals including (1) national intelligent connectivity, (2) logistic hubs (ports, airports, railyards), (3) mining, (4) e-agriculture and forestry, (5) smart factories and (6) smart cities.
The digitization of factories will be a key stake for the 2020s. In Finland, world-class innovative strategies such as Industry 4.0 and 5G applications are supported by company ecosystems. Finnish companies designing top-tier process control and automation solutions and IoT expertise goes beyond traditional manufacturing and provides the brains behind efficient energy production and management.
Finnish companies have developed an array of technologies to monitor, sense, optimize and automate energy streams from production to the end user. New innovations related efficiency increments within of production lines inside the factory are arising and manufacturers are developing data-driven ecosystems by exploiting product lifecycle data from connected goods are occurring.
Logistics are a key strength of Finland’s domestic economy and a catalyst for the country’s lively trade. Finland is almost among top 15 out of 160 countries ranked in the Logistics Performance Index 2016 comparison. This is a good proof of the consistent work, which has been done in Finland in order to reach the high level of logistics services and the reliability of supply chains. Keys to this success can be found in functional ecosystem.
Finland is the leading country of autonomous mining with most important mining technology hubs in the world having more than 200 mining technology exporters providing products and solutions to enhance sustainable and productive mining. The development of sustainable mining has been the main focus of the cluster. The Finnish mining cluster benefits of the country’s long mining traditions and cutting-edge engineering, expertise as well as excellent education and research infrastructure.
Finland is now developing new technological solutions to improve the productivity through digitalization and optimization across the value chain within mining industry.
Finnish agro technology companies design and manufacture high-standard machines and solutions adaptable to the demands of modern-day farmers in any part of the globe. Innovative R&D, reliable deliveries, and extensive support services – we got it all. As nearly 80% of Finnish land is covered with woods, the forest industry has been a key pillar of the Finnish economy throughout the centuries.
One of the newest trends in agriculture is using technology in order to make smarter decisions, reduce costs, and boost production. Data, data analytics and AI will be the major tools of implementing e-Agriculture and digital forestry as e-Agriculture brings disruption to all levels of the agricultural supply chain. Combining data from satellite imagery and field surveys, mapping biomass, small hydro, and wind energy resources in the country are actions Finnish innovations are successfully dealing with.
Innovation driven and economically successful Finland has given the world the mobile text message (SMS), the Heart Rate Monitor and the Linux operating system, just to name a few. Finland is the biggest contributor to global innovation in the world (ITIF 2016). The R&D expenditure in Finland was 2.9 % of GDB in 2015.
The R&D framework builds on a strong emphasis of IPR protection. It is noteworthy that in a joint R&D project, the IPR is the property of a company, not a research institution or a university in Finland. This encourages companies to develop and test their new digital services in Finland. The most advanced 5G test network brings together, for the first time, the “big three” – Nokia, Ericsson and Huawei – proving the ultimate openness of the ecosystem.
Remarkably low total cost of electricity combined with the possibility to sell recovered heat from data centers makes it easy to save over 50 % in operation cost by locating your data center in Finland instead of Central Europe, for example.
Furthermore, businesses in Finland enjoy one of the best digital infrastructures in the world, ranked second in the Network Readiness Index by the World Economy Forum. The ultra-fast optic cable between Germany and Finland (C-Lion1) makes Helsinki a suburb of Frankfurt–technologically speaking – and brings the Nordic digital markets in the heart of Central Europe. Moreover, the fastest connection between Europe and East Asian capitals via the Digital Silk Road by Cinia makes Finland literally the Gateway between the East and the West. Thus, the low cost of operation combined with the state of the art connectivity makes Finland truly a strategic location for data centers.
Finland has over 50 investment-ready locations available and the co-location and wholesale operators are highly competitive. It is proven that in Finland, it is easy to save up to 50% on energy costs compared to European location.
Due to cool climate you have free cooling at your disposal up to 365 days a year. It is also possible to reuse the center’s waste heat by selling it back to the energy company. Strong technical know-how of Finns, ideal location between Europe and Asia and stable societal and natural conditions make Finland one of the best locations in the world to deliver cloud services. Need we say more?
Thanks to Finland’s granite bedrock and no major natural hazards, the Data Center Risk Index 2016 rates Finland as the safest data center location in the EU and fourth safest in the world. This is a reputation we like, a lot.
Need more info? Ask Google, Yandex, Equinix or Microsoft why they already chose Finland as their data center location – or feel free to join the global industry leaders.
What’s common with global game and tech giants AMD, Nvidia, EA, Ubisoft, Unity, and Zynga? They make great products, but are also present in Finland.
Many of the Finnish homegrown gaming companies have gone global but are still headquartered in Finland. Most of the Finnish gaming studios work on mobile games, like industry icons Rovio and Supercell. Consoles and PC are also covered, with titles like Quantum Break and Cities Skylines setting the bar for simulation and episode-based interactive gaming. Meanwhile, studios like Everywear Games and Small Giant Games are developing games for wearables and next-generation virtual and augmented reality apps. Smart games that make learning fun, such as Yousician and TeacherGaming, further widen and strengthen Finland’s game development portfolio.
Some of the companies involved in this sector include:
The Helsinki region is where industrial and digital tech collide. An ideal environment for developing Industry 4.0 solutions. Suitable talent pool of 300,000 experts.
World-class IoT ecosystem with top R&D, unique piloting platforms, university and research collaboration, funding, partners and talent. Global industrial companies in, for example, the metal, forest and maritime sectors and digital companies exploring possibilities in IoT.
Companies involved in this sector include:
Some of the key protocols behind today’s strongest encryption systems were invented in Finland in the early 1990s. For example, the SSH protocol is one of the world’s most widely-used encryption protocols. Today, numerous Finnish cyber security companies actively develop new state-of-the-art solutions to protect the digital world.
The Helsinki region has established clusters in secure e-payment solutions, vulnerability analyses and compliance testing, and security solutions for standard web usage. Two universities and several research institutions engage in the research and development of new solutions.
Some of the companies involved in this sector include:
The new 5G network in the Helsinki region is an ideal test network environment for companies developing new 5G-enabled solutions and business concepts.
The Helsinki region is home for mobile networks giant Nokia, its Global HQ and its largest R&D site. Ericsson and Huawei also have notable research and development activities based in the capital region. Aalto University, together with Nokia and Ericsson, has built a 5G test network that is available for test projects at its Otaniemi campus.
Companies involved in this sector include:
For highly demanding Industry 4.0 solutions, the region has wireless solutions, display and touch development, sensors, big data analysis, SW development and cloud and security solutions. Cargotec, Sandvik, John Deere, Danfoss and several automotive and process automation companies develop their Industry 4.0 solutions here.
Companies involved in this sector include:
Billions of euros are invested globally in AI and platform economy, and Finland’s got something to say about it. Finland has been working with AI research since 1960’s and today they have a wide variety of top-of-the-notch companies developing and utilizing AI in business operations and public sector.
AI can be utilized virtually anywhere like healthcare, customer service, Big Data processing, autonomous traffic, and Finland’s the right place to do it.
The fast-growing VR/AR markets are worth around 5.5 billion dollars. These technologies will already form a market worth an estimated 150 billion dollars by 2020. And what’s especially great, VR/AR is another area Finland’s good at, with a vibrant and hungry start-up scene.
With over 100 companies, rock solid gaming expertise and outstanding technological and institutional foundations, Finland has it all what is needed in developing Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality technologies – to revolutionize how we perceive the world and have an impact on any industry from manufacturing to healthcare.
Finland’s world-class research and technology know-how are the pinnacle of their health sector and one reason why Finland has one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world.
The specialized fields of genomics, digital health and senior care position Finland as a healthcare thought-leader.
In Finland, they create, combine, and enhance technologies and practices exponentially to contribute to improving the health of their citizens and people around the world.
The combination of population-based biobanks, innovation-friendly legislation, comprehensive healthcare registers, electronic medical records, and the nation’s isolated gene pool represents true Real World Evidence. This unique resource creates and ideal environment for advancing targeted drug discovery as well as more effective and efficient clinical research and trials.
In May 2019 Finland approved legislation on the secondary use of health data, which elevates research and innovation opportunities accross health and wellbeing, disease prevention, and predictive and personalized medicine including new methods of treatment. Pharma, CROs (contract research organization), and drug development companies can access this data through the upcoming Findata, the national one-stop-shop.
Finland has one of largest startup ecosystems in the world, offering a dynamic operating environment for startups and international partnerships alike. For decades, Finland has invested hundreds of millions of euros per year in health-related education, research, and research infrastructures. This has resulted in creating cutting-edge Finnish research and treatment for such specialist areas as cancer, brain diseases, orthopedics, and genetics research.
The global transformation of the health is establishing Finland as a recognized world-class healthcare innovation hub. Current market needs can be fulfilled with new approaches for care, new commercial opportunities, and new thinking all from Finland.
Researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and clinicians are all excited about the advancements in precision medicine. The readily available genomic, longitudinal, and biobank data in Finland brings 100% real world data to life.
Finnish data is unique in terms of breadth and depth. It is fully digitized and assessible reflecting recent legislation – Finnish Biobank Act of 2012 and Secondary Use of Data Law. It is further linked to electronic health records, which in Finland have a 100% penetration and include all clinical information, social care, prescription records, patient reported outcomes, and biobank and genomic data.
Biobank data originated in the 1920s and the first health registries (cancer) were started in 1953. The longevity and systematic collection of the data makes for more impactful research, cost-efficient clinical trials, and a significant reduction in both the cost of developing new drugs and the time to market. This makes Finland the ultimate research site and partner where real-world data and real-world evidence represent the new norm.
The Finnish government, as are Finns, are pro-research. Finland invested 1.8 billion euros in 2018 into R&D. The country’s systematic and long-term investment practice is not only strategically positioning Finland as a healthcare leader but allows for the rapid recruitment of the best patients for clinical trials.
The Finnish healthcare ecosystem has proven to be the best-in-class environment for pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking to accelerate their research and make significant breakthroughs. Pfizer, Merck, Bayer, Biogen, Celgene, Genetecg, GSK, Abbvie, AstraZeneca, Snofi, and Roche have already partnered with Finland.
Finland is pioneering the future of healthcare. Its roots in innovation and foresight is driving the integration of R&D, ICT, digital, data, genomics, precision medicine, sensors, and much more. The outcome will be patient centric and patient-lead Smart Health.
One of the megatrends in healthcare is the transformation of treatment towards individual care. By identifying individual effects through genetic research overlaid with health data, the ability to treat the right patient with the right drug at the right dose is made possible. Furthermore, this will lead to being able to anticipate and even prevent diseases.
The Personalized Health Finland program enables this initiative. It supports Finnish innovation and top-level research to create new healthcare platforms and businesses. It will leverage Finnish data from biobanks, health registries, prescriptions, patient reported outcomes, social care, and social determinants of health furthering the potential of personalized medicine.
On an operational level, the program addresses the scientific and business needs of companies in parallel with establishing a forum to exchange ideas and attract co-development and investment partners. Utilizing information on each person that is already digitized will lead to added value and insight for both individuals and populations. Personal Health Finland will create new global ecosystems and while solidifying Finland’s position as the leader in personalized medicine.
People are increasingly interested in their own health and wellbeing, and hopefully also taking responsibility for it. Changing population demographics and dynamics are impacting the workplace and lives of many. Chronic illness is growing while its prevention is moving at a slower speed. There is an ever-increasing global need for predictive and preventative care anywhere. It is becoming critical to develop fully digitized solutions that are scalable, affordable, and easy to use for patients and providers alike. Finland’s long-standing leadership role in integration of mobile, digital, and data is creating a new paradigm in healthcare delivery.
The Smart Life Finland program unifies and advances the development of health and wellbeing solutions that are based in digitalization, exponential technologies (i.e. XR, AI, 5G), the platform economy, and testbed environments. Healthcare anywhere, anytime is coming of age.
The Smart Life Finland program has two focus areas:
A living environment that promotes health and wellbeing
Transforming healthcare
Often the greatest advances are made together. Networking across sectoral, national, and global boundaries, as well as cooperation with research organizations can open up entirely new growth prospects. Companies can boost their outreach by creating joint offerings that address today’s medical and population needs.
Due to population growth, urbanization and the rising middle class, the world will need 45% more energy, 50% more food and 30% more water by 2030. On the other hand, the world has less virgin natural resources than in the past. The only long-term solution is the sustainable use of natural resources.
The sustainable use of natural resources means the circulation of raw materials, sustainable use of biomass, energy and material efficiency, and use of renewable energy. Finnish companies have recognised the increasing opportunities for circular economy solutions and understood that saving the world can be high-value business!
In the field of circular economy, Finland can rely on its traditionally strong forest industry. Finland is the most heavily forested country in the EU and the forest sector has historically played a major role in the Finnish economy. As a result, Finland has accumulated expertise in forestry and the industrial manufacturing of forest products that is unique in Europe. The traditional forest industry now forms a solid platform for the development of innovative bioproducts.
Finland has world-class know-how in developing innovative biobased products and technologies. The industrial exploitation of wood-based biomass is in transformation, creating compelling new business opportunities and possibilities. Wood is now used as a raw material for diverse value-added products and revolutionary biomaterial innovations. Everything that is made out of oil today can be made out of wood tomorrow – and in Finland we are already doing it!
Modern Finnish pulp mills are versatile biorefinery hubs that offer attractive ecosystems and investment opportunities for developing new products and technologies. Today’s emerging biobased forest industry is geared to producing biofuels and other value-added products based on wood.
Finland invests heavily in bioeconomy research and development. Customers from around the world are already making good use of the services provided by laboratories, demonstration and piloting facilities in Finland.
Finland’s booming startup scene has also energized the bio-based sector. Research-based spin-offs and startups now constitute a core element in the business ecosystem of a Finnish biorefinery. The piloting and demonstration facilities help startups and established companies to accelerate the transition from basic research to commercialization.
New products such as biocomposites and biofuels have been launched in recent years. Wood cellulose, lignin and bioactive components can offer new product opportunities for companies that are currently using other raw material sources, while also creating completely new business possibilities.
More and more plastic ends up in the oceans, creating a global waste problem. Consumers around the world are increasingly aware of the issue which makes new innovative solutions an excellent choice for brands that emphasize ecological values.
Finland has excellent know-how in the use of wood-based fibers as packaging materials. There are several new and innovative start-ups and larger companies creating sustainable packaging solutions from wood. Some of these new innovations can even be manufactured with traditional production lines.
The production process requires much less water than cotton and the transition towards wood-based materials would also free land for food production. It has been estimated that if the current harvesting surplus in Finland would be transferred to fibers, it could replace 20% of the cotton in the world. In addition to being sustainable, textiles made out of wood fibers are pleasant to wear and touch. They can be utilized in several types of products in the textile industry, such as clothes and materials for interiors.
In Finland, the numerous ongoing research projects for developing wood-based fibers for the use of the textile industry have already created solutions with commercial potential. In the future, wood fibers could be used to replace cotton and synthetic fibers.
Wood and plant-based extracts can be used as organic raw materials in various healthcare and cosmetic products. Finland has world-class expertise and several companies focused on producing natural extracts for the cosmetic industry. In addition to extracts, resin formulations can also be used for wounds and skin care.
The use of wood in the healthcare sector is not limited to natural extracts and resins. A non-toxic and moldable material for casting and occupational therapy is another interesting example of utilizing wood. Compared to traditional casting, it is very easy to use and requires no water or gloves. Also worth mentioning is a wood-based solution for the prevention and care of lower urinary tract disease developed in Finland.
The concept is based on the unique combination of design-driven prototyping with strong technology development competence. The latter has traditionally been the key asset of the Finnish forest industry, which has been focused on B2B commerce with cost-efficient production technologies.
The goal is to make Finland the source of value-added cellulosic products and business concepts, and to accelerate the transformation of the current large-scale forest industry into a dynamic ecosystem for the bioeconomy, containing both large and small-scale businesses.
Finland has a long history and thorough understanding of delivering smart and environmentally friendly high-tech maritime solutions.
The largest shipbuilding subcontractor network in the world, with over 1,000 suppliers, supports Finland’s strong footing in the maritime sector.
Finland’s internationally known maritime network’s expertise ranges from the likes of icebreakers and ice going vessels, to cruise ships and offshore solutions as well as port technology.
Finland is riding the wave of digitalization in the field of maritime. Finnish companies are changing the maritime industry with their digital skills.
They offer a wide variety of solutions that are optimal for advancing the digital transformation. Finnish solutions and services for the likes of the Industrial Internet and connectivity help maritime companies around the world to not only increase efficiency and optimize processes but also create new value and business models. Whether it is data acquisition, analytics, 3D technologies, wireless communications, or applications, Finland has the solution.
In terms of maritime digitalization, Finland also has the world’s first autonomous maritime ecosystem One Sea. The world-renowned ecosystem portrays incisively our status as the global forerunners in autonomous and remote ships, which will play a key role in the future of the maritime industry.
Ultimately, the transformation towards autonomous ships will fundamentally increase the overall efficiency and safety of maritime transport. This is well known by some of the leading global maritime companies that have decided to locate their autonomous maritime R&D activities in Finland.
Finland is a global leader in icebreaker design, polar shipbuilding, ice technology, and fleet operation. Finland is the only nation in the world that offers ice-proven products and services created through an exquisite and cost-effective value chain. Finland’s unique value chain covers R&D, education, ship design, engineering, building, operation, project management, and life cycle support services.
Consequently, Finnish companies have designed almost 80% of the world’s icebreakers. Meanwhile, about 60% of them have been built by Finnish shipyards.
Finland sets the benchmark for effective, environmentally friendly, and safe icebreaking. Finnish companies and technologies play a crucial role in setting international polar maritime rules, regulations, and standards.
Finnish companies have perfected their project execution models. For example, the multipurpose icebreaker Botnica was delivered and ready for service just 13 months after the shipbuilding contract was signed. Moreover, Finland can conduct full-scale ice trials in the Nordic waters, so there is no need to travel around the globe in search of sea ice. These unique benefits save time, without compromising quality.
The Finnish polar maritime network has consistently led to the creation and implementation of new icebreaking technologies. Finnish innovations in propulsion, electric power systems, and winterization, as well as double-acting technology, help maintain cost-effective marine operations around the globe by improving vessel performance, energy efficiency, and safety.
Most of the largest luxury cruise ships in the world are built or designed in Finland. At the heart of Finland’s expertise are the most energy-efficient cruise vessels and the greenest and quietest ferries in the world.
For reference, one of the biggest cruise ship in the world, Oasis of the Seas, was built in the Turku shipyard, underlining Finland’s state-of-the-art knowledge in designing and building luxury cruise ships. Furthermore, the comprehensive subcontractor network guarantees that Finland delivers cruise ships on schedule and on budget.
Finland combines a long tradition in shipbuilding seamlessly with latest technologies. Taking full advantage of Big Data, the Internet of Things, digital and environmental solutions, as well as propulsion innovations and LNG technologies, highlights Finland’s leading position with cruise ships.
Globally, there is an increasing demand for polar cruise ships. Finnish maritime technology and solutions are exceptionally well suited for satisfying the demand.
The Finnish maritime industry has remarkable Arctic know-how, which is the backbone of Finnish companies’ market leader status with polar cruise ships. Finland’s deep understanding of winterization is crucial in the design and construction of ships for demanding polar conditions. Already for decades, Finnish solutions have enabled cruise operators to push both technological and geographical boundaries in the Arctic and Antarctic waters.
Finnish companies are forerunners in innovative offshore solutions. Finland’s companies effortlessly combines their world-famous features, including advanced project management, high quality, and environmental sustainability.
Top notch oil spill response solutions, premium-level platform supply vessels, accommodation spaces for oil rigs, and high-level expertise in propulsion systems, are just some examples of Finland’s offshore skills. Finland has also an outstanding offering of propulsion systems for advanced solutions in offshore platforms and vessels.
On top of everything, the majority of spar platforms in the world are developed in Finland.
Harbors are one the Finnish maritime industry’s core strengths. As all ports in Finland freeze during the coldest months of the year, we have exceptional know-how in operating in extreme environments.
Finnish companies have a longstanding expertise in the likes of harbor construction, infrastructure building, logistics design, harbor automatics, operation support, and harbor loading solutions. Additionally, the global maintenance network provided by local subcontractors supports our clients worldwide.
Finnish companies operating in the domain of harbor loading solutions are especially capable of crane handling. In recent years, digital solutions have become a rising area of expertise for Finnish companies in the harbor industry, creating an altogether new competitive advantage for Finland. Among others, Finnish companies master container tracking systems, unmanned operation, and remote monitoring.
Population:
5.5 million, 18.1 inhabitants per km² ( 46.6 per square mile)
Key features:
High standard of education, social security and healthcare, all financed by the state.
GDP per capita:
40,612 euros (2017)
Main exports:
Electrotechnical goods, metal products, machinery, transport equipment, wood and paper products, chemicals.
Main imports:
Raw materials, investment goods, energy, consumer goods (for example cars and textiles).
Currency unit:
Euro
Area:
338,440 km² (131,991 square miles), the fifth-largest country in Western Europe.
Capital:
Helsinki (1.4 million inhabitants in metropolitan area).
The Finnish Startup Permit makes it possible for international growth entrepreneurs to build a startup company in Finland and to become part of Finland's vibrant startup ecosystem. The permit is meant for innovative startup founders coming from countries outside the European Union.
Before sending your Startup Permit application to the Finnish Immigration Service, you must get a favorable assessment from Business Finland. Business Finland evaluates whether your business model, team and resources show potential for rapid international growth. After the assessment you will receive an Eligibility Statement to be attached to the Startup Permit application.
The permit can initially be issued for max. two years, after which it can be renewed. The permit does not involve investments or financial support.
To be eligible to apply for the Finnish Startup Permit, you should have:
When Business Finland evaluates the business plan, the team and the resources, they would like to see that:
A customized, sector-specific, mission agenda - including sector specific briefings.
A schedule of 1:1 meetings and site visits.
Opportunities to network with guests from industry multiplers including chambers of commerce, business associations, business councils and influential leaders in the business community.
Meetings with senior government officials.
Participation in business speed-dating / business round-tables.
Entry to networking events.
Entry to cultural events.
A full page advertisement in the Mission Delegate booklet.
1 free press-release distribution highlighting the delegate organizations participation in the trade mission.
We also strongly advise that you also use any contacts you may have or are looking to establish, to arrange your own meetings. Businesses that have the most success on our missions have always done a mix of meetings they have sourced as well as those arranged via the Council.
You can also join the Trade Mission to Estonia (28th – 30th May) for an additional $150 USD (ITC Members) – $300 USD (Non-ITC Members).
Places are strictly limited. Secure your place before all spots are taken.
The above fees contribute to the overall mission costs incurred by the Council which include:
The Trade Mission fee amount is payable with your application. Please note, applications that are received without the fee will not be accepted. If your application is not accepted, then your payment will be refunded.
Need additional information? Want to take a colleague along at a discounted rate? Get in touch with one of our trade commissioners to discuss your specific needs.
The participant must submit a completed registration form and supplemental application materials, including adequate information on the company's products and/or services, primary market objectives, and goals for participation.
Upon submission of the registration (whether online, via fax, email, post, courier or in person), the participation for the Trade Mission will be binding and the participation fee will be due.
The International Trade Council reserves the right to evaluate the ability of the applicant to meet the participation criteria.
The participant must hold and maintain travel and other appropriate insurances in connection with attendance at, and participation in, the Trade Mission.
Flight from your country of origin to Chicago and all hotel, food or ground transportation expenses outside the denoted meals and activities are borne by the participants
The participant accepts full responsibility for all the business and organizational outcomes arising from their participation. The International Trade Council will not be held responsible for the commercial endeavors of any party that participates in the trade mission.
The participant agrees to provide a 1/2 page biography and photograph of their nominated delegate (person representing their company) at least 2 months prior to the date of the trade mission and acknowledges that a failure to do so may mean exclusion from the delegate book.
The participant agrees to provide a 1/2 page company profile and high resolution company logo at least 2 months prior to the date of the trade mission and acknowledges that a failure to do so may mean exclusion from the delegate book.
The participant agrees to participate in a separate survey to evaluate the Trade Mission.
The participant agrees that cancellation for trade mission attendance due to non-receipt of a visa is not grounds for a refund; and that the trade mission fee will be instead credited towards any future trade mission occuring within 12 months of the date of this trade mission.
The International Trade Council reserves the right to reject any application without being obliged to discuss the reasons for doing so. Any decision made by the Council will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
If your organization is interested in sponsoring a panel discussion, breakfast, dinner, social mixer or other event during the Trade Mission to Finland, we’d love to hear from you. Send us a quick email and we’ll get right back to you.
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181 S. Franklin Ave, Suite 601
Valley Stream New York 11531
T: +1 516 791 9100
F: +1 202 869 1121
E: orit.horn@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Neeraj Bhatia
C/O Bhatia & Co
4655 Old Ironsides Drive,vSuite 250
Santa Clara California 95054
T: +1 510 435 9926
F: +1 202 869 1121
E: neeraj.bhatia@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Mr. Akram Hamid
C/O Dallata Trading Group Ltd.
504- 24 Brybeck Crest
Kitchener, ON N2M 2C7
T: +1 647 575 0120
E: akram.hamid@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Solomon Addai
C/O Modern World Logistics
Queenstar House
Blohum Street Dzorwulu
P.O.BOXCT8803 Cantonments
Accra
T: +233302783216/+233302797284
E: solomon.addai@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Chiu Li Lee
C/O Hong Kong Arts Investment Company
Flat 12a 5/F, Block A Hoi Luen Industrial Centre, 55 Hoi Yuen Road
Kwun Tong, Kowloon
Hong Kong
T: +852 2357 4666
F: +852 2357 0366
E: chiu.lee@tradecouncil.org
leon@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Sameer Mittal
C/O Sameer Mittal & Associates
K-10/40,Lower Ground Floor. DLF City Phase – II
Gurgaon Haryana 122008
T: +91 11 4014 9730
E: sameer.mittal@tradecouncil.org.in
Chairperson: Alexander Derevyanko
C/O Vertical-NT
Kuyshi Dina, 12\1
Astana
T: +7 702 2575258
E: alexander.derevyanko@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Senon Dorjee Lama
C/O Senon Carpet Industries
Bhanimandal, 13 Lalitpur, Nepal
GPO Box 6535, Kathmandu, Nepal
T: +977 1 552 2665
F: +977 1 552 4029
E: senon.lama@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Efiong Ime Efiong
C/O Star of David Nigeria Limited
9 Oduyemi Street, Ikeja
Lagos State
T: +234 817 201 7747 / 802 336 6684
F: +1 508 484 1069
E: efiong.ime@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Zaid Atif Ghanchi
C/O Ghanchi Technical
Plot # 9-C 30th Street,
Tauheed Commercial Phase-V, DHA
Karachi, 75600
T: +92 213 537 6206
E: zaid.ghanchi@tradecouncil.org
Vice-Chairperson: Ranjani Rangan
C/O CPA Partnerships
146 Robinson Road #07-01
068909 Singapore
T: +65 65009377
F: +65 68355173
E: ranjani.rangan@tradecouncil.sg
Chairperson: Sinan Bedir
C/O Simet Technologies Inc
Yukarı Öveçler Mahallesi, 1280. Sk. 5/17-18
Ankara 06460
T: +90 312 4728787
E: sinan.bedir@tradecouncil.org
Chairperson: Michael Waechter
C/O CRESCO Holding
P.O. Box 413064
Dubai
T: +971 4 406 9740
E: tansy.green@tradecouncil.org
IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING NCOV-19
(Coronavirus Pandemic)
Notice Date: 30th March 2020
The health and safety of our staff and contractors are of paramount importance. As such all staff have been advised to work from home for the next 30 days and avoid all non-essential travel. This may reduce accessibility of staff via phone but, pending individual internet issues, most trade commissioners should be accessible via email.
The Council’s IT infrastructure systems are redundant and we use tried and tested collaborative tools that allow full remote working for all staff and contractors. As we use an IP-based phone system, all of our contact details will remain the same.
All webinars, conferences and trade missions are temporarily paused pending the end of the 30 day home quarantine period. The Trade Mission to Malta, Trade Mission to Estonia and Trade Mission to Finland are being re-scheduled for August 2020. Pending any major changes in the current Pandemic situation, Trade Commissioners should update attendees within the next 45 days.
All accounting functions and non-trade-related functions are temporarily paused for the 30 day home quarantine period.
The Council recommends all businesses follow the WHO guidelines which give some useful practical advice for workplaces.
Please stay at home if possible and stay safe!