Young Innovative Companies (NIY) funding call to be closed temporarily

The NIY funding, intended to support the growth and internationalization of startup companies, will be closed on October 10, 2025. The closure is due to significant reductions in the innovation funding allocations in next year’s state budget.

"Unfortunately, in addition to the previously announced closures of certain funding services, we are forced to do the same for NIY funding. Multi-year NIY funding is granted in periods. In order to secure funding for the remaining periods of our current NIY customers, we will not accept new applications after October 10”, says Timo Metsä-Tokila, Director at Business Finland.

What does the closure mean?

The call will close on October 10, 2025, at 23:59.

Once the call is closed, it is no longer possible to open new applications or submit incomplete applications created before the closure in the online service.

The closure does not apply to companies that are already in the first or later funding period of NIY funding.

Why is the funding being closed?

Business Finland will increasingly direct its funding authorizations toward research and development (R&D) projects. This shift is driven by state budgetary savings measures, which require the reduction of funding allocated to activities outside R&D. In the government’s 2026 budget proposal, funding authorizations for non-R&D activities and non-AV sector support are proposed to be reduced by a total of 27 million euros compared to the 2025 level.

Read Timo Metsä-Tokila’s blog about the reasons for the funding closures.