Foreign investment increased in Finland in 2025

According to preliminary data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global foreign direct investment (FDI) increased by a total of 14% in 2025, to approximately USD 1.6 trillion globally. Growth is driven particularly by data center projects, which already account for more than a fifth of all greenfield investments globally. However, without data centers, the real growth rate would be only about 5%, which still indicates a challenging investment climate. In addition to data centers, the semiconductor industry was almost the only one with global growth. Investments related to semiconductors increased by 35% internationally.

In Finland, the volume of investments increased sharply after three years of decline. According to the monitoring of Invest in Finland, which operates as part of Business Finland, 527 investment projects of foreign companies were located in Finland in 2025, which is 160 more than in the previous year. Investment projects include new foreign companies established in Finland and further investments made by foreign-owned companies already operating in Finland. Foreign currency statistics for Finland will be obtained from Statistics Finland in September 2026.

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Originally published on 14 Apr

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CDG Booster – mentoring program VR/AR/XR businesses and game developers

By Tartu Science Park 25 February 2025

Are you a VR/AR/XR company or a game developer in Finland, Sweden or Estonia looking to accelerate your growth?

The CDG-Booster program invites you to an inclusive community of peers and industry experts to help your company speed up growth, avoid business pitfalls, save resources, find your strengths and learn how to exploit them.

Through this program, your company will become it’s next, improved version of itself and you will journey the path to become a smarter and better entrepreneur.

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Originally published on 21 Feb

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SEK 22 billion in EIB financing provided for Swedish firms and municipalities in 2024

By European Investment Bank 24 February 2025

Over the course of 2024, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) continued to support Sweden’s economic development and climate initiatives through substantial investments.

The EIB Group’s financing during the year amounted to around SEK 22 billion, of which more than 60% went to climate measures and environmental sustainability. This money supported wind power, energy-efficient housing and industrial electrification, among other projects.

These investments are estimated to have kept 32 000 jobs in Sweden.

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Originally published on 20 Feb

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From Tallinn to Warsaw: Rail Baltica’s progress in Poland strengthens high-speed connectivity across Europe

By Rail Baltica 24 February 2025

In the Rail Baltica project, envisioned as a seamless corridor stretching from Warsaw to Tallinn, Poland plays a crucial role as a strategic partner, serving as the gateway connecting Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia with the broader European rail network. While work on Rail Baltica has been progressing in all three Baltic countries, with 43% of the mainline expected to be construction-ready and actively under development by the end of this year, the Polish section has also experienced continuous development for several years.

Rail Baltica team recently conducted a visit to Poland to assess modernization efforts and observe the progress of the railway line that will connect Poland to the Lithuanian border.

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Originally published on 24 Feb

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The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, together with partners from four countries, will implement the “AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB” project

By Investment and Development Agency of Latvia 22 February 2025

LIAA will carry out the project “Agri-Biocircular-Hub: Center of Excellence for Smart Agriculture and Circular Bioeconomy Towards a Sustainable Agri-Food Sector in Enlargement Countries.” The project will be implemented over a four-year period, from 2025 to 2029. LIAA’s 2023-2029 strategy focuses on fostering knowledge-intensive business, export growth, and investment attraction, with an emphasis on smart specialization strategy (RIS3) areas.

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Originally published on 21 Feb

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Cutting-edge private 5G SA network goes live at Oulu University Hospital

By OuluHealth 21 February 2025

The Hola 5G Oulu project has announced the successful launch of its private 5G standalone (SA) network at Oulu University Hospital, marking Europe’s first private 5G network in a functioning hospital. This achievement has the potential to revolutionise healthcare with advanced technology. The project, a collaboration between Pohjois-Pohjanmaan hyvinvointialue Pohde, Boldyn Networks, WICOAR Technologies, Oulu University Hospital, and the University of Oulu, aims to enhance patient care and operational efficiency through secure, high-capacity connectivity.

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Originally published on 19 Feb

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Estonian AI startup Pactum wins 2025 Future Unicorn Award

By Invest in Estonia 20 February 2025

Pactum AI, an Estonian startup focusing on autonomous negotiation technology, has been named the winner of DIGITALEUROPE’s prestigious Future Unicorn Award for 2025. The company was recognised at DIGITALEUROPE’s Masters of Digital conference in Brussels for its innovative AI platform that automates complex business negotiations.

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Originally published on 20 Feb

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Milrem Robotics launches new cutting-edge vehicle and doubles down on cooperation in MENA

By Invest in Estonia 20 February 2025

Estonia’s Milrem Robotics, world-leading robotics and autonomous systems developer, which previously made history by raising the largest foreign investment round in Estonia’s defence sector, is not slowing down. At IDEX 2025, the company launched its highly anticipated 8×8 Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) and signed an agreement with Pearson Engineering to develop mission-specific uncrewed ground vehicles for the MENA region.

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Originally published on 17 Feb

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PSF 2025: CBSS Opens Call for Project Proposals on Societal Resilience 

By Council of the Baltic Sea States 20 February 2025

The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) is inviting proposals for projects that will enhance societal resilience, safety, collaboration and trust within the Baltic Sea Region under its Project Support Facility (PSF) 2025 call. Applications will be accepted until 31 March 2025. 

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Originally published on 17 Feb

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Invalda INVL Group raises the largest PE fund in the Baltics exceeding target at first close reaching EUR 305 million

By Invalda INVL 19 February 2025

Invalda INVL Group today announces that it has successfully completed a first closing of its second-generation private equity fund (“INVL Private Equity Fund II”), reaching EUR 305 million and exceeding its target of EUR 250 million. The INVL Private Equity Fund II has received strong backing from both existing and new investors, forming an exceptional investor base. This includes some of the most successful entrepreneurs from across the Baltics, family offices and institutional investors such as the European Investment Fund, pensions funds managed by Luminor asset management companies, SB Asset Management and IPAS INVL Asset Management in Latvia, as well as life insurance company UAB SB Draudimas. Fundraising will continue to reach a hard cap of EUR 400 million.

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Originally published on 17 Feb

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Enterprise Estonia opens application round for R&D-boosting grant

By Invest in Estonia 19 February 2025

Estonian entrepreneurs can now apply for support to cover the labour costs of research and development employees. The amount of support is 50 per cent of the income tax calculated on the employee’s research and development-related salary in the second half of 2024 (up from 25% in the previous period).

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Originally published on 18 Feb

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