Finnpartnership offers cooperation opportunities for Finnish companies
26/06/2008
In 2007 the demand for Finnpartnership’s services continued to grow. Finnpartnership received 107 applications for the Business Partnership Support Facility and granted support for 79 projects. More than half of the projects were in Asia, second most popular place was Africa.
Finnfund is responsible for the management and implementation of the Finnpartnership business partnership programme on behalf of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Finnpartnership offers advisory services and financial support for Finnish companies that are planning to set up or to expand commercially viable projects in developing countries.
Business Partnership Support Facility and new partners
Finnpartnership assists Finnish companies in finding new business opportunities and partners 
in developing countries. The Business Partnership Support Facility covers part of the expenses incurred in identifying a business partner, preparing feasibility studies, environmental assessments and business plans, training employees of the partner company in the developing country and utilizing external experts in order to improve business prospects.
Finnpartnership’s services also include a matchmaking service aimed especially at companies in developing countries to identify Finnish business partners. 46 matchmaking requests were forwarded to more than a hundred Finnish companies in 2007.
Finnpartnership provides its services free of charge.
Growing demand
In 2007 the demand for Finnpartnership’s services continued to grow. Finnpartnership received 107 applications for the Business Partnership Support Facility and granted support for 79 projects (total amount EUR 3.9 million).
During 2007 support for 25 projects approved in 2006 and 2007 was reimbursed (total amount EUR 1.2 million). Half of the projects have led to long-term business cooperation between Finnish and developing country companies.
66 % of the applicants were small or medium-sized companies. The sizes of the applicants vary from a couple of person companies to large exchange-listed companies. Eligible applicants are companies registered in Finland or elsewhere that have a substantial link to Finland, research facilities, universities or similar organizations based in Finland, and associations registered in Finland.
The amount of the support granted varies from thousand euros to the maximum of 250.000 euros. The client companies represent 27 different sectors. The amount of projects in environmental technology, energy and renewable energy grew most in 2007. More than half of the projects were in Asia, second most popular place being Africa.
Some examples of projects supported by Finnpartnership can be found here.
More information www.finnpartnership.fi
For more information please contact Ms Siv Ahlberg, Programme Director, tel. +358 9 3484 3329, email firstname.lastname@finnpartnership.fi