Doing Business with Finland seminars launch projects in developing markets

Finnpartnership’s Doing Business with Finland seminars in developing countries are generating projects for Finnish companies in new markets. These grassroots events, organised in close cooperation with Team Finland and local organisations, bring together the concrete needs and offerings of Finnish companies and the organisations in the target countries. With the availability of Finnpartnership funding and local Team Finland services, successful projects are created. In addition, Finnish companies become acquainted with local companies and support organisations.

Each Doing Business with Finland seminar aims to launch at least two new projects by Finnish operators. The seminar concept is a pop-up type of service event, where the follow-up after the event always relies on local follow-up services provided by the local Finnish Embassy and/or Business Finland and the local partner organisation and, in most cases, on funding from Finnpartnership.

Finnpartnership’s Business Partnership Support is available for Finnish companies for all OECD-listed developing countries, and each company is free to choose its target market. However, service events can greatly facilitate market access for Finnish companies. Participation in Finnpartnership events has indeed become increasingly popular among Finnish companies.

The impact of a Doing Business with Finland seminar is reflected in new funded projects for around two-years’ time. In the period 2022-2024, activation work has been done in the following countries through seminar events, and so far the following number of projects has been launched by Finnish companies (new projects are still being launched in several countries):

• Ukraine – 30 projects
• Kenya – 25 projects
• Vietnam – 15 projects
• Namibia – 12 projects
• Pakistan – 12 projects
• Zambia – 12 projects
• Somalia – 11 projects
• Rwanda – 9 projects
• Senegal – 9 projects
• Nigeria – 7 projects
• Uzbekistan – 6 projects
• Egypt – 6 projects
• Nepal – 4 projects
• Ecuador – 2 projects
• Mongolia – 1 project

While not all projects can be directly linked to seminar participants or other services, the importance of bridge-building and awareness-raising cannot be overlooked. Between 2022 and 2024, there has been a total of 218 Business Partnership Support projects. The vast majority of these, 161 projects or 74%, are in the countries where activation work has been done. Thank you especially to the Finnish embassies and ambassadors Keijo Norvanto, Saana Halinen, Tarja Fernández, Pirkka Tapiola, Leena Viljanen, Theresa Zitting, Anu Saxen, Leena Pylvänäinen, Ilkka Räisänen, Sanna Selin, Riina-Riikka Heikka, Antti Rytövuori, Hannu Ripatti and Riikka Eela for their excellent cooperation!

Proposals for target country seminars welcome from Team Finland organisations

Although Finnpartnership’s target countries cover more than 140 countries, an agile approach, a team of 12 people and seamless Team Finland cooperation can provide the necessary support to open up new markets for Finnish companies. Finnpartnership aims to organise 4-6 country seminars per year. This steers Finnish companies towards the programme’s main purpose, which is to finance businesses. 

Team Finland organisations can propose target country seminars for the Finnpartnership programme. The basic requirement is that there is a committed partner in the target country with a direct link to local businesses. A good local partner will enable to hear what local actors are genuinely interested in. Finnpartnership then looks to see if there are matching offerings in Finland. If there are suitable offerings, a seminar is organised in the target country.

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You can still register for the seminars in Egypt and Kazakhstan later this year. You can find more information about the seminar in Cairo on 28 October here and about the Kazakhstan event by contacting julian.blom@finnpartnership.fi.