Business of Finland

Finnish business environment

Finland has a stable, well-functioning society and a knowledge-based, innovative economy. It is consistently ranked among the leaders in international comparisons in terms of attractive business environment. The work force is highly educated and, for the most part, fluent in English.

Some key industries in Finland include information and communication technologies (ICT), forest industry, healthcare innovations, energy industry and cleantech.

The China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation was set up in 2017. The purpose of the Committee is to guide and promote innovative cooperation between the countries. Four Working Groups of the Committee – Energy, Maritime Logistics, Forestry and Clean Air – are excellent examples of business sectors, where mutually beneficial cooperation is sought, for instance, by producing smart solutions together. More about the China-Finland Committee.

President Xi Jinping and President Sauli Niinistö published a Joint Action Plan on promoting a bilateral partnership between China and Finland in January 2019. The Joint Action Plan on Promoting the Future-oriented New-type Cooperative Partnership (2019-2023) presents the principal sectors of cooperation between the governments, business life, institutions and organisations. For these sectors the cooperation partners in the two countries have formulated concrete objectives and set out plans for the implementation. More about the Joint Action Plan.

Where to start

Expert help is available for foreign companies interested in doing business and investing in Finland. For example, Business Finland’s Invest in Finland experts provide tailored services for collecting and analysing market information, conducting opportunity analysis, evaluating entry options, finding contacts, and setting up a business in Finland. Finnish Chamber of Commerce offers business support services for both local and international companies. For intellectual property issues, Finnish Patent and Registration Office should be contacted.

Foreign companies usually choose to set up a private or a public limited liability company, or alternatively, a branch in Finland. Non-Finnish companies can also acquire Finnish companies or become their partner.