Description of the call
The purpose of funding by Business Finland is to promote the utilization of research results as new business.
The granting of funding is governed by the State Aid Act (688/2001) and, in the case of internal funding within the state budget economy, by the provisions governing the state budget.
The R2B call funds projects by research organizations that prepare the commercialization of a research-based solution. Funding is targeted at projects where the risks and barriers related to commercialization are high, but the solution’s business potential and the achievable benefits are significant. The objective is that, after the R2B project, new business based on the solution will emerge either in a newly established company or within an existing company.
During the project, different paths for exploiting the research results are identified and assessed. The research on which the project is based must already be at a stage where the results can be transferred to commercial further development after the project. Research carried out during the project is no longer basic research; instead, it is applied research that supports the commercialization preparation. During the project, the project team has the opportunity to strengthen its commercialization competence.
The total duration of the project is typically 1.5–2 years.
Business Finland aims to make the funding decisions during January 2027.
Application period
Fixed-term call: 8 June 2026 – 16 September 2026 at 23:59. Applications will be processed after the end of the application period.
Who can apply
Funding can only be granted to research organizations, not to an individual researcher or a research group. Funding may be applied for either by a single research organization independently or by several research organizations jointly.A research organization is considered to be an organization whose main task is to independently carry out research or
experimental development (for example, universities and research institutes). A more detailed definition of a research organization is described on the website: How we help research organizations
Type and amount of funding
The funding is a grant. Business Finland’s share of the project’s eligible costs is 80 percent. The total costs of an R2B project are typically EUR 400,000–700,000.
Total amount of funding awarded in the call
EUR 7.5 million has been allocated for the autumn 2026 call.
Purpose of the funding
The funding is intended for preparing the commercialization of a research-based product or service solution and for applied research that supports the preparation of commercialization. Commercialization preparation activities are carried out throughout the project, and they must account for at least 40% of the project’s total eligible costs.
Examples of commercialization preparation include:
- Prior art searches and other studies related to industrial property rights and freedom to operate
- Examination of the solution from a commercialization perspective
- Defining customer value, market studies, customer research/mapping
- Mapping and analysis of competing solutions
- Exploration of financing models and potential funders/investors
- Exploration of business models
- Protection of the solution’s intellectual property rights (excluding maintenance costs. Trademark costs are not eligible)
- Commercialization or entrepreneurship skills training that supports the project
- Communication related to identifying potential customers and funders/investors
The form of funding is public research funding. The funding may not be used, for example, for:
- Preparing a business plan
- Acquiring marketing materials or creating a brand
- Product development
- Measures that are not directly related to commercialization preparation or the associated applied research
- Contract research
- Basic research
Eligible costs
Funding may be granted for the total costs incurred by the research project (the so-called full cost model). Eligible costs are defined in more detail in the standard terms and conditions for public research funding.
Project costs can be accepted from the date on which Business Finland has made the funding decision. Project costs must be based on project accounting and reliable allocation of working time. The project start date must be chosen so that the organization can ensure reliable recording of the costs attributable to funded projects. Projects should be planned so that work starts only after the applicant has received the funding decision.
The funding is intended for a research project carried out by the applicant itself, not for purchasing research from a third party.
General conditions for granting funding
Granting funding requires that the following conditions are met:
- The applicant must be a research organization operating in Finland (Finnish business ID). A research organization is considered to be an organization whose main task is to independently carry out research or experimental development (for example, universities and research institutes).
- At least 40% of the project’s eligible costs must be allocated to commercialization preparation.
- The applicant organization has sufficient exploitation rights to background material and the research results generated in order to commercialize the knowledge and competence after the project.
- The applicant organization must be able to assign the rights related to the results to the entity commercializing the results after the project.
- The entity commercializing the research results is not known before or during the project. The project examines several alternative commercialization options.
Evaluation criteria for granting funding
Business Finland assesses the research project aimed at preparing commercialization as a whole. Competing funding applications are taken into account in the assessment.
In the evaluation of applications, the following aspects are examined in particular:
- The project team’s experience and competence, especially in commercialization but also in research related to the field of the solution to be commercialized
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- The team has a strong research background in the field.
- The person responsible for commercialization preparation is an employee of the applicant organization during the project and a genuine member of the team. This person has strong previous experience in commercialization and/or business.
- The whole team is committed to commercialization preparation, and some team members are willing to promote commercialization of the results after the project as well.
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- The solution’s utilization potential
- The scale of the targeted business
- The project’s impact on the development of significant international business and on society
- The novelty and maturity level of the solution studied in the project
- The measures, resourcing, interim and final goals in the project plan and their credibility
- The possible commercialization paths described in the project plan and their realism
- The composition and competence of the steering group, especially in supporting commercialization preparation
- The project’s impact on sustainable development
Standard terms and conditions of funding
Read more about the standard terms and conditions for public research funding: