Translation: Apropos Lingua
Finland’s membership in NATO has provided new growth opportunities for Finnish companies. The membership allows companies to participate in NATO procurement tenders. The markets of NATO countries are more accessible to companies. Finland is also seen as a more attractive place for international companies to locate.
National defence investments resulting from the global political situation are boosting the growth of the defence industry in Finland. The priorities of the new European Commission, which will soon take office, also take account of the defence industry in a whole new way.
One concrete example of NATO’s impact is the decision to extend NATO’s DIANA network to Finland. This will involve the establishment of a business accelerator in Otaniemi and two test centres, one in Otaniemi and the other in Oulu. DIANA aims to identify future challenges in the defence and security sector and find solutions to them. The decisions concerning DIANA show that Finland is seen as a key partner at the forefront of technological expertise.
In order for companies to tap into the markets opened up by NATO membership, we will need more tech and STEM experts. One example of the many investments in quality education and in strengthening Finland’s intellectual capital is the doctoral education pilot programme for training one thousand new doctoral graduates. The employment rate for professionals with a doctoral degree in technology is high and up to 70% are employed in the private sector. These skills will be even more in demand in the near future.
The article has previously been published in TEK Magazine 5/2024.
