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Leverage from leading companies

Business Finland challenges global companies to lead ecosystems that consist of companies of different sizes and other players.

What is a challenge competition?

The latest challenge competition has closed on September 5, 2023.

From year 2020 Business Finland launched challenge competitions in which companies with international operations agreed to resolve significant future challenges and increase their research, development and innovation investments in Finland. If successful, these projects will lead to additional investments of several billion euros in Finland. The proposed projects were to solve significant future challenges and have a remarkable impact on the RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) target of 4% and the employment target of 75% laid down in the Government Programme.

The winning companies have committed to increasing their RDI investments in Finland cumulatively by almost 1.5 billion euro in total. In addition, the leading companies were to boost RDI cooperation with research organisations and SMEs.

Business Finland's funding has been a maximum of 20 million euro for the leading company and 50 million euro for the ecosystem assembled by the leading company.

In 2022, so-called challenger companies could also participate in the challenge competition for the first time. Challenger companies strengthen the global role of an international business group through Finland or aim to grow into a global player, are solving a smaller or more focused challenge or develop new business. The funding of Business Finland could have been be up to 10 million euro for a challenger company and up to 20 million euro for an ecosystem assembled by a challenger company.

Please, find below the list of companies that won the challenge competitions.

The leading companies offer cooperation opportunities. Funding for joint projects can be applied from Business Finland. Check out the possibilities of partnership model funding below.

Partnership model funding call 

Business Finland offers partnership funding for research, development, and innovation projects in leading companies' ecosystem themes. Funding is intended in particular for joint projects between companies and joint projects between companies and research organizations. Funding can be applied continuously. Next cut-off date is January 13, 2024. The next cut-off dates for 2024 are April 30 and August 30.

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#SustainableGrowth

The leading company concept in practice

Borealis' Spirit program promotes sustainable change in the plastics industry. Jari Lehtinen from Borealis tells how their leading company (Veturi) program is progressing. More than 10 "wagons" or partnership projects are already included in the trip.

Photo: Borealis

Watch the presentation of the Borealis program recorded on May 29, 2023

Leading companies and roadmaps

Contact us

Chief Advisor

Karin Wikman

+358 50 5577 723