Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, is investing in the country’s digital health sector and launches programmes to utilise digital technology.

Tekes is launching a major programme to boost Finland’s digital health ecosystem, with funding available for pilot and development projects. The goal of the Health from Bits (Terveyttä biteistä) programme is to raise Finland to be a concentration of digital health, in which internationally successful companies grow and develop. The goal of the 5thGear programme is to keep Finland at the top in wireless technology competence, as a country in which new solutions are piloted and foreign investments are solicited.

Through its new programme, Tekes hopes to encourage Finnish companies to grow and develop into international success stories.

“Digital technology knows no boundaries between fields of activity, and it waits for nobody. The time is here and now. Finland’s strong ICT competence is a trump card that we need to understand and know how to use. Dig the product development ideas that you haven’t use out of their closets, do something new, test and pilot ideas. We can split the costs”, says Tekes Director-General Pekka Soini.

The cost of the programmes is estimated at EUR 300 million, and Tekes’ share is about EUR 150 million.

Furthermore, Tekes is launching a campaign to encourage small and medium enterprises to hire people skilled in digital business to improve productivity and competitiveness. The aim is to offer permanent employment to those with digital expertise.