INNOVATION PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY FUN Ambitious circular Culinary tradition Risto Siilasmaa on Finns love spending economy market with an urban twist machine learning time in the forest Young startup talent 2019–2020 ISSN 2343-2624 ROCK-SOLID TEAMWORK 2 FEELING 3 FINLAND By Marina Ahlberg Photo Roope Permanto WHO IS THE FIRST TO THE TOP? Music, art, exercise, adventures… Many Finnish Association to create a concept called Luonnossa koto­ day care centres emphasise exciting themes. But naan – At home in nature, which emphasises playing it all comes down to having a good childhood. and moving safely in nature, as well as spending time and doing things together without being in a hurry.” A group of excited toddlers enter a forest near their Children learn how to use their bodies outdoors day care centre in Helsinki. The group is already famil- and also how to move in uneven terrain. The natural iar with their play area in the forest, and the children environment feeds the child’s imagination and through climb nimbly on and over big rocks and tree stumps. playing a curious child observes and learns from his or The CEO of Taiga Child Day Care Centres, Susanna her surroundings. Suutarla, explains the routines of the nature-themed “In the forest, children learn very concretely how to centre: separate a spruce from a birch and to take care of their “For us, nature is comparable to indoor spaces and environment. You wouldn’t leave the playroom untidy we enjoy spending time outdoors around the year, after playing indoors and the same applies to the out- come rain or shine. We spend many hours outside door play area. We cherish the values of a sustainable every day and we often even eat outside.” lifestyle,” says Susanna Suutarla. “Taiga Child was founded 20 years ago. We worked together with Suomen Latu – The Finnish Outdoor taigachild.fi, suomenlatu.fi/en There is room to run and play outdoors. It is safe for children to play in nature’s own jungle gym and an adult is always nearby. 4 5 stories on high-tech entrepreneurs and digital This is FINLAND startups disrupting global industries. Why? Magazine Because entrepreneurship and innovation matters. For any nation, big or small, talent Available in English, Chinese, French, German, Russian and Spanish. To read equals innovation. Innovation, by its nature, the magazine online or order free paper equals economic growth, entrepreneurship copies, please visit toolbox.finland.fi. For paper copies you can also contact and privileges such as free public education, the nearest Finnish embassy. social welfare and a purpose-driven society. My own story as a growth entrepreneur EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mika Hammarén 2019–2020 and startup investor started over 20 years ago, EDITORIAL BOARD Hetta Huittinen, Laura Kamras, Joanna when being an entrepreneur was far from Kumpula, Peter Marten, Meira Pappi, fashionable. Today, it is among the top most James O’Sullivan, Petra Theman, Sari Tuori EDITORIAL STAFF Otavamedia OMA desirable professions among our university PRODUCER Anneli Frantti students. Our startup ecosystem is thriving COORDINATOR Marina Ahlberg 6 SOLUTIONS FOR LAYOUT DESIGN Linda Macken and attracting top-tier global investors. A HEALTHIER PLANET * COVER PHOTO BY Anu Kovalainen Thanks to unicorns like Supercell and PRINTED BY PunaMusta / Anna Lilja Turku of City Photo PUBLISHERS The circular economy will ensure 6 Rovio, the gaming scene is creating massive Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, prosperity in the future opportunities, but in addition, thousands of um.fi 9 Valtavalo sells lighting as a service new health-tech, bio, and software companies Business Finland, businessfinland.fi EDITORIAL Finnfacts, finnfacts.fi have founded their home in Finland. Finnish National Agency for Education 10 MEET & GREET FINLAND Inka Mero It has required both small miracles and EDUFI, oph.fi Startup investor Sitra, sitra.fi major steps from society to put Finland on ISSN 2343-2624 (PRINT) The Finnish year is full of events for the global map as one of the leading startup ISSN 2343-3272 (ONLINE) all ages and to suit all tastes MEANINGFUL nations. Major contributing factors include the inclusive society with a relative lack 12 WE MAKE IT WORK of hierarchy; the world’s most active angel HAPPINESS investor and student entrepreneurship In Finland, startups are Did you know that Finland ranks among the networks; and startup-friendly public R&D admired and encouraged top nations globally across many metrics – funding. Serial entrepreneurs and investors 15 AI that recognises video content 18 not only in education, healthcare, equality, participate in coaching new entrepreneurs. 16 Track your own stress hormone levels environment, safety and cross-country skiing, Startup visas are provided for new talent 17 Esports games for mobile devices but also in happiness and entrepreneurship? moving to Finland. Society respects individuals Stories illuminated This is a major thing for us Finns, because stepping up. It truly has taken a village. This magazine is printed on Finnish 18 COLUMN 30 KEEP IT SHORT we don’t take our place in the global economy The rise of new talent is only beginning LumiSilk – a woodfree, multicoated silk 20 for granted, and we recognise that competi- to shape global industries. Innovation and paper. It is made of virgin wood fibre Stable platform for scientific From 5G to 6G, Space Finland from Finnish woods and produced in tion for skilled professionals is tough. entrepreneurship make this happen. research by Johanna Ivaska International Gender Equality Prize 2019 StoraEnso’s Oulu mill in northern Finland. In this magazine, we want to show you So welcome to Finland! It’s a land of happy LumiSilk has PEFC certificate and fulfils some of the things that make everyday life in people, growing new companies and fostering the Nordic Swan criteria. Finland great. We also share inspiring local talent. 20 STREET GALLUP 32 SOCIAL CONTEXT The power of forests *The chair Kuusi palaa – Six pieces in steel and aluminium was designed by Pinja Koskelin for Stockholm Furniture Fair What’s the best thing about PEFC/02-31-151 4041-0619 Finnish libraries? 2018 as a study project by third year BA students of Furniture Design from Aalto University. Painotuote 22 CHARTS & FACTS 33 IN TOUCH What do Finns do Finnish food culture, restaurants FACTS ABOUT FINLAND in their spare time? and food events 33 POPULATION: 5.52 million JOINED THE EU: 1995 TOTAL AREA: 338,435 km2, GDP PER CAPITA: €40,638 (2017) of which 10% is fresh water TOP SECTORS FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENT: 24 KNOWLEDGE DRIVEN 38 HIGH LIFE BIGGEST CITIES: Helsinki (capital), Espoo, Tampere, Business services, ICT, healthcare and wellbeing, Eco-consciousness and business Into the wild Vantaa, Oulu and Turku retail, cleantech in the Arctic region Finnish brands – designed to last OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: Finnish and Swedish TOP AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT: Services, financial and 28 Why I studied machine learning by GOVERNMENT: Independent republic since 1917 business services, trade and hotel, manufacturing, Risto Siilasmaa CURRENCY: Euro transport and communications 6 SOLUTIONS FOR 7 A HEALTHIER PLANET By Samppa Haapio Photo Roope Permanto THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY WILL ENSURE PROSPERITY IN THE FUTURE The goal of the circular economy is simple: to halt over-consumption so that we can still afford to be prosperous in the future. he circular economy’s several times over and products are key idea is to detach designed to be long-lasting. Material in growing prosperity from single products is reused when they reach T the over-exploitation of the end of their lives or an intermediate virgin natural resources. production phase. Minimal waste is We are used to living created during production and product in a linear economy, where goods are use. manufactured from raw materials, sold “In many public discussions, the circular in the largest possible quantities, and economy is only about recycling,” says Mari eventually discarded. Pantsar, a Director at Sitra. This model no longer works, now that it Sitra is a Finnish agency focused on has become clearer that natural resources the future. As a fund, Sitra is building on the only planet available to us, Earth, the thriving Finland of tomorrow and are finite. The climate crisis and loss of accelerating sustainable business. biodiversity mean that we will have to “We have already partly made the leave some natural resources unexploited. transition to the circular economy but our patchy, if well-functioning, recycling and The Director of Sitra, Mari Pantsar, says BUSINESS INCENTIVES reuse of products is just the first step.” that there is not much new in the circular In the circular economy, products are Pantsar believes that the key challenges economy activities. “They were practiced already in pre-modern times, because shared, with services being purchased lie in creating economic incentives to drive they made financial sense.” rather than goods. Materials are reused the use of recycled materials. > 8 SOLUTIONS FOR 9 A HEALTHIER PLANET VALTAVALO: LIGHT AS A SERVICE Valtavalo, a manufacturer of LED Valtavalo manufactures replaceable years,” says Laatikainen, with a laugh. tubes, sells lighting as a service, LED light sources, i.e. LED tubes, “So we decided to create a business rather than lamps as products. in Kajaani. The company moved its model based on lighting as a service, in This is an excellent example of the production from China to Finland in 2012. which we bear the risk of the product’s circular economy concept, based As a substitute for fluorescent tubes, durability. Kone, the lift manufacturer, was on buying a service rather than a LED tubes are a standardised, long- a positive example in this respect.” physical product. lasting and energy-efficient light source. The Valtavalo light service model The LED tubes of different manufacturers lowers the customer’s threshold for Lighting is a major consumer of energy, also tend to be compatible irrespective purchasing high-quality, energy-saving THIS IS HOW WE DO IT THIS IS HOW and fluorescent tubes, in particular, have of the lamp, which means that the lighting.