Entrepreneurs have wide range of support services available
A number of organisations offer a wide range of services to support entrepreneurs in Finland. This includes legal advice, financing, recruiting and even help finding a location.
For an entrepreneur seeking to set up a new operation or acquire an existing one, Finland offers a great deal of support services. The Finnish government has taken a proactive approach to making entrepreneurship easier and has encouraged independent organisations to provide advice and support.
Expert advisory services are provided to current and potential entrepreneurs by Employment and Economic Development Centres (TE Centres), regional business services, New Business Centres, business incubators, NYP Business Services in Helsinki and municipal business development services.
Invest in Finland and the Finnish Venture Capital Association may act as networks to help with financing or other services. Enterprise Finland is a service funded by the Finnish government to act as a source of information for both foreigners and residents and is one of the best places to start researching.
The soft landing centre operated by Technopolis provides services for Finnish companies aimed at international markets as well as international companies seeking to establish operations in Finland. The services of the International Centre are tailored to meet the individual needs of clients. It may include training, coaching or consulting. Many companies also locate themselves at Technopolis facilities.
Purchasing an existing operation or establishing a new one is hard work. Luckily, a wealth of resources are available to encourage foreign investors and help them succeed. Long term relationships are often established between investors and these service providers to secure the long term success of all parties.
185 new foreign companies located in Finland in year 2008. There was a slight decrease in the number in comparison to the record-braking year 2007 when over 300 new companies located in Finland. The data released by Invest in Finland shows that Swedes remains the largest source of foreign direct investment in Finland.