Innovation co-operation with Russia

Innovation co-operation between Finland and Russia aims to strengthen these countries’ competitiveness within the global economy, while creating a framework for closer co-operation between enterprises, research institutions and development organisations.

In 2005 the Finnish-Russian International Commission for Economic Co-operation set up a working group for innovation under the Commission, aimed at intensifying R&D&I co-operation between Finland and Russia.

The objective is to define focus areas of innovation co-operation, in line with the countries’ common goals. Key fields of co-operation include nanotechnology, energy efficiency and ecological building, and well-being, including biotechnology. Digital products and the maritime industry have also been identified as potential co-operation industries.

 

Focus areas are reflected in the operations of FinNode Russia, based in St. Petersburg and Moscow. FinNode Russia brings Finnish and Russian experts and competencies together for the purpose of creating innovations, while relaying information to Finland on the latest phenomena in innovation activity and markets. Further information on operations is available on FinNode’s website.

Finland’s Ministry of Employment and the Economy, and the Russian capital investment company Rusnano (Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies), signed a co-operation agreement in 2008, with the objective of promoting co-operation between the countries in nanotechnology application. Finnish Industry Investment Ltd and Rusnano agreed on capital investment co-operation in 2010. Other operators in the Ministry of Employment and the Economy’s administrative sector, such as VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tekes - The Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, and Finpro, are engaged in co-operation projects with Russian operators. Russia participates actively in the EU’s Framework Programmes for research and technological development.