Finland as a hub of innovation and high technology

Finland has created many unicorns, from gaming giants Rovio and Supercell; to database management system MySQL and food delivery service Wolt – with the majority coming out of the capital region. In addition, the capital Helsinki is home to one of the world’s leading startup events, Slush. In 2022, the World Economic Forum ranked the Helsinki region among the top 25 most innovative cities in the world.

The Finnish population is extremely digitally fluent. The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) ranked Finland number one in Europe in both digital skills and the availability of the latest technologies. 

The city of Helsinki is also increasingly focused on attracting international talent. Some industries, such as ICT, have so many international experts that English is the default language in many companies. Helsinki recognizes the importance of attracting international talent and nurturing innovation in the startup ecosystem through collaboration, diversification, and open-sourced data sharing.

Some of Finland’s most innovative sectors include the internet of things (IoT), big data, virtual reality, and 5G. Cyber security is another growing field, where Finland has ranked number one in Europe. Commercial innovations have led to strong growth in companies in a diverse array of industries such as gaming, smart cities, Health Tech, electronics, and software.  

Quantum computing is also a field with cutting-edge research being conducted in Finland. VTT Research has a special programme to help organizations develop quantum technologies with the goal of creating profitable businesses. They focus on superconductors, semiconductors and silicon photonics. VTT is a state-owned research institution that has participated in several European Quantum Technology Flagship projects.

Another major proponent of AI Innovation is the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI), a collaboration hub between international researchers and companies. It is a publicly funded institution which focuses on research on sustainable and ethical AI as a competitive advantage for Finland.