Country Briefing: Scandinavia

1

Event Partner

COUNTRY BRIEFING: SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES

Monday, February 4, 2013

7:30am – 9:30am

Monday, February 4, 2013

Special Thanks

Series Sponsor

THE NOKIA STORY

• Best country in the world according to Newsweek • Freest press in the world according to Reporters

without Borders • Topping the education rankings in both PISA and

Economist Intelligence Unit studies • Helsinki is the second best city in the world to live

according to Monocle Magazine • Third most competitive country according to World

Economic Forum

My Nokia

Kristiina Helenius C.E.O. AmCham Finland Kristiina.helenius@amcham.fi

THE FINLAND STORY

Giant of rankings

• Best country in the world - Newsweek • Freest press in the world - Reporters without Borders • Topping the education rankings in both PISA and

Economist Intelligence Unit studies • Helsinki, the second best city in the world to live -

Monocle Magazine • Third most competitive country - World Economic

Forum

”Should the US be more like Finland?”

EUROPE & EURO ZONE

• Transatlantic economy still accounts for half of

world’s GDP

• Share of global personal consumption larger than the U.S.

• Seven of the ten most competitive economies are in Europe

• Northern Europe on a growth track, Finland 2%

HELSINKI-TALLINN TWIN CITIES

• A common business and urban area between

Helsinki and Tallinn

• Enhanced economic ties between the 1.7 million inhabitants of the two cities

• Potential of significant growth in many sectors

THE FINLAND STORY

RAIL BALTICA

• Creating a fast rail link between Warsaw and Tallinn

• Major construction project, worth 4,5 billion euros, that will have an impact on the regional economy

• Possible construction of a tunnel to connect

Helsinki to Tallinn

HUB FOR EAST AND WEST

130 000 Russian tourists in Helsinki over the holidays

7 million annual crossings

between Helsinki and Tallinn

THE SHORTEST ROUTE BETWEEN ASIA AND AMERICA

• In the geographical center between the two continents

• Flights to over a dozen destinations in East Asia from Helsinki

ARCTIC DEVELOPMENT

• Mining-sector boom

• 10-15 major projects under way, total value over EUR 4 billion

• Turnover expected to double to EUR 2.5 billion in the next few years

ACTIVITY

• Slush The largest start-up conference in northern

Europe • Over 6000 highly skilled ICT professionals

available Over 220 start-ups launched by former Nokia

staff alone • Government on-board with new tax deductions for

venture capitalists and R&D expenditures

TEAM FINLAND

• Bringing the Finnish public sector together to better service both Finnish and foreign companies

• Our ROI Finland program for country managers has been accepted as part of the government’s Team Finland strategy to promote more FDI

U.S. Innovation Center

US BOOSTS HELSINKI’S REGIONAL STATUS

• US$ 125 million business building in downtown Helsinki

• To enhance trade and investment between the United States and Europe ”at the center of the rapidly developing Northern European market”

ACTIVITY

• Slush • The largest start-up conference in northern

Europe

• Over 6000 highly skilled ICT professionals available • Over 220 start-ups launched by former Nokia

staff alone

• Government on-board with new tax deductions for venture capitalists and R&D expenditures

AmCham Finland: the voice of international companies in Finland

• The leading international business hub in Northern

Europe

• Close cooperation with the US Embassy in Helsinki

• Wide regional networks and access

THE ECONOMY

• Member of both the single market and euro zone • GDP (current US$) 263 billion

• GDP growth (2011) 2.7 % • Euro area average (2011) 1.5 %

• GDP per capita (current US$) 48,800; 48,100 for

the United States

• Second only to Israel in R&D spending per capita

Open for investments

• Un-tapped: only 1% of Finnish companies are foreign owned

• Mining, ICT and cleantech are growth sectors with vast potential for investors

• Gateway to Russia • Finnish know-how and educated labor force • Proximity to St. Petersburg • Good infrastructure • Stable legal environment • Russia is Finland’s biggest trade partner; EUR

16.6 billion

CASE FOR INVESTING IN FINLAND

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27

Event Sponsor

COUNTRY BRIEFING: SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES

Monday, February 4, 2013

7:30am – 9:30am

Monday, February 4, 2013

Special Thanks

Series Sponsor

28

Event Partner

COUNTRY BRIEFING: SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES

Monday, February 4, 2013

7:30am – 9:30am

Monday, February 4, 2013

Special Thanks

Series Sponsor