A new Finnish innovation centre, FinNode, was opened in Silicon Valley, California in late January 2007. As a joint effort of Finpro, Sitra, the Academy of Finland, Tekes and VTT, the innovation centre is a one-stop-shop for major public Finnish innovation support actors.

FinNode is expected to smooth the entry of Finnish companies into the US market, to enhance research cooperation and researcher mobility between Finland and the USA, and to make Finland more attractive as for investment and as a place to establish a business.

FinNode is located under the same roof as a business accelerator, INBAC, which is owned by VTT and Technopolis Ventures. INBAC is established to promote the entry of Finnish growth companies into the US market.

FinNode is the second establishment of its kind worldwide. The first Finnish innovation centre FinChi was established in Shangai, China, in 2005. The idea to develop new networks in existing and emerging global technology centres and markets was put forward by a committee which was asked by the Prime Minister’s Office to clarify Finland’s position and strategy in the global economy in 2004. The FinChi innovation centre will be evaluated in the first half of 2007 in order to find out how this new concept works in practice. At the same time, a further extension of the Finnish innovation centre network is planned and new branches in St Petersburg and Tokyo are planned.

Information provided by: Juha Oksanen, TrendChart Policy Monitoring Network, Country Correspondent for Finland. URL for further information: http://www.finnode.com