The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation Tekes and IBM have announced a partnership that will enable Finland to utilise Watson cognitive computing to help doctors improve the health of its citizens. This in turn will strengthen and develop the Finnish innovation and business ecosystem in the fields of health and wellbeing.

IBM is to establish a Watson Health Center of Excellence in Finland, along with the first Nordic Healthcare Competence Center and the first National Imaging Center of Excellence to be located outside of the United States.

Finnish doctors and researchers are set to work with Watson Health data scientists, engineers, researchers and designers to develop a new generation of data-driven healthcare applications and solutions. Alongside advancing R&D and innovation, this will lead to the expansion and growth of Finland’s business and innovation ecosystem.

The partnership will accelerate the creation of new startup companies in Finland and gain new opportunities for Finnish companies for global growth. The country’s healthcare business sector for companies of all sizes will also be digitalised.

Investments in artificial intelligence in wellbeing and healthcare by Finnish companies and Tekes are predicted to reach hundreds of millions of euros over the next five years.

The flipside to the collaboration sees this development work in Finland further advancing Watson’s capabilities.