Marking 4FRONT’s ten-year anniversary, our new policy brief “Reclaiming innovation leadership” examines how Finland can sustain its position at the forefront of technology, innovation, and competitiveness over the coming decade.
Over the past ten years, Finland’s innovation system has evolved from fragmentation toward renewed strategic direction. The introduction of the 4% R&D expenditure target, a multiannual funding framework, and ongoing work to identify future priorities signal a strong commitment to long-term innovation policy. The key challenge now is to translate research excellence into sustainable growth, productivity, and global impact.
The brief identifies six key priorities for Finland’s innovation policy in the coming years:
- Turning R&D excellence into business renewal and productivity
- Making fuller use of R&D incentives and funding instruments
- Strengthening collaboration between research and industry
- Addressing the growing need for skilled talent
- Leveraging sustainable innovations as drivers of regional renewal
- Building one of Europe’s leading scaleup ecosystems
At the same time, Europe’s innovation landscape is changing rapidly. The EU’s growing role as funder, agenda-setter, and policy integrator makes European alignment central to national strategies. Finland’s task is not only to adapt, but to help shape the next generation of European innovation policy.
Looking ahead, innovation will remain decisive across all policy domains — from industrial competitiveness and sustainability to security and resilience. Finland’s future success will depend on its ability to combine speed and direction: fostering rapid experimentation while maintaining a clear, shared vision.
For the past decade, 4FRONT has worked alongside Finnish and European partners to build effective institutions, strengthen policy frameworks, and promote evidence-based decision-making. As we enter our second decade, we remain committed to supporting policies that keep Finland and Europe at the forefront of innovation and competitiveness.
Please take a closer look to our policy brief ‘Reclaiming Innovation Leadership: How to keep Finland at the forefront of tech, innovation, and competitiveness?’
