Tekes and Finpro to be merged into Business Finland starting with 2018.

Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation and Finpro, a provider of internationalisation advisory services, will be merged into a new operator carrying the working title Business Finland.

Business Finland will gather all services related to the promotion of innovation funding, exports, investments and tourism under one roof. About 600 experts will be transferred to the new organisation.

Abroad, co-operation with the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs will be intensified and the heads of missions will assume wider responsibility for the entire field also as regards exports and the internationalisation of companies. Together with the diplomatic missions, Business Finland will form a stronger Team Finland network globally.

The initiative belongs to the Finnish Government newly suggested reforms, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will start the preparations for establishing the new operator immediately. The objective is that Business Finland will begin its operations at the beginning of 2018.

These changes are part of the Team Finland reform that was launched last autumn. The aim of the reform is to support the Government’s objective to double the exports of small and medium-sized enterprises by 2020.

Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä:

"With the help of the reform, it will be possible to take into account the entire life cycle of the growth and internationalisation of companies. A uniform service pathway will begin from the development of products, services and business models and continue to the introduction of the innovation in the markets, and there will be no break in the chain at any point. The achievements of Tekes and Finpro have been good, but by merging them, it will be possible to reduce the partial overlapping and free people to work in the field."