Opinion
Finnish startup ecosystem benefits both locals and internationals
Finland’s startup scene is fertile ground for all, states Mats Melén in this week’s column.
During the last eight years working for and with startups, I have been fortunate to see a vibrant startup ecosystem grow in Finland and especially the Helsinki metropolitan area. Back in 2009, due to the turmoil in the Finnish ITC market and the growth of the mobile game industry and later Slush, a seed was planted. This seed has grown into a startup ecosystem that is very much alive and evolving.
Yet, while the local ecosystem is of great significance, it is also important to have startups come from abroad to establish their operations in Finland.
Now, swipx is a good example of this. We are a Danish company that set up operations in Helsinki. This is, of course, good news for Finland in many ways. We have created jobs for the Finnish market and hopefully we can hire more in the future.
But it’s not just about job creation and the local ecosystem. Finland is a good place to start your operations. After all, it has the required infrastructure and knowledge due to its education system. Finland is also a small market and can therefore be used as a laboratory for testing out your expansion plans.
As the startup community has grown in Finland, the amount of information and expertise has exploded. There is a large gaming community that shares a lot of information with each other. And as we all know there are already many fantastic success stories within this segment.
Furthermore, there is also an increasing number of B2B SaaS companies in Finland. This experience and knowledge is growing fast and has become a valuable asset for anyone thinking of starting their operations in Finland. You can find really skilled people who have the experience and know how to launch new SaaS businesses.
Finland is the perfect place to start your operations if you are considering relocating and expanding. You will find a growing ecosystem of both local and international startups and skilled employees. On top of this, there is plenty of affordable office space available.