Investments in Finnish companies

Finnfund invests in businesses or projects in developing countries. While our investments can not target a company in Finland, we are interested in projects by Finnish companies as long as they meet our investment criteria.

How can we invest in Finnish companies doing business in developing markets?

Investments in Finnish-owned companies in developing markets

Finnish companies or persons can be owners of our investee companies in the developing markets. We have, for example, started a joint venture in Thailand with Solar Finland, a company that has manufactured solar panels in Salo, Finland, for over 40 years. These sustainable, high-quality solar panels are now being produced at Salotech Thailand with Finnish know-how at its core.

If your Finnish company is planning an investment to establish a new company or expand the operations of an existing company, and it meets our investment criteria, get in touch.

Finnfund started a joint venture in Thailand with Solar Finland, a company that has manufactured solar panels in Salo, Finland, for over 40 years.
Maarifa Education Group operating in Sub-Saharan Africa partnered with a Finnish EdTech company, Claned, and use its distance-learning platform for teachers and students.
Investments in companies that purchase goods or services from Finnish companies

Finnish companies can also serve as technology or service suppliers in Finnfund’s investments. We have for example invested in Maarifa Education Group in Sub-Saharan Africa. They partnered with a Finnish EdTech company Claned and use its distance-learning platform for teachers and students, enabling the universities to offer transformative academic programs and expand access to thousands of students in Africa

In South Africa, we have invested in Fibertime Group, a company offering fast, uncapped, and time-based open-access fiber internet to townships while also providing a gateway to initiate micro-payments for accessing internet. Nokia’s technology has a crucial role in making this happen: Nokia is providing both fiber access nodes for the fiber exchange and fiber modems to create a WiFi network across the entire township.

If your Finnish company’s developing market client is planning an investment, part of which would be used to buy your goods or services, get in touch.

Fibertime Group offers fast, uncapped, and time-based open-access fiber internet to townships in Kenya while also providing a gateway to initiate micro-payments for accessing internet.


We connect Finnish companies with our investees

Our investees in developing markets often have tech or service needs that Finnish companies have excellent solutions for. We often introduce our investees to Finnish companies to facilitate business. In case we approach your company about cooperation opportunities with one of our investees, don’t hesitate to give us a call and ask for details. Finnish companies with capacity and experience in developing market business in e.g., the financial, digital or agriculture sectors are also free to send short presentations for us to share with possible relevant investees.

Investments in Ukraine

Finnfund participates in the reconstruction of Ukraine by seeking investment opportunities where Finnish companies are involved in, either as co-investors, investees (Finnish-owned companies in Ukraine), or as goods or services providers. We can also consider investments in Moldova if the project directly benefits Ukraine.

Global Gateway

We also participate in the EU’s Global Gateway cooperation, which enables the implementation of European companies’ solutions in large projects in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. For some of our investments, we can utilize EU guarantees for some of our investments.

What kind of businesses can we invest in? (Please also see How we invest)
  • (Fully or partially) Finnish-owned companies with business in developing countries
  • Companies in developing countries that have Finnish businesses as their partners or clients
What kind of businesses can we not invest in?
  • Investments directly in Finnish companies
  • Export financ

Financial grants for project preparation and building investment readiness from Finnpartnership

Finnpartnership is a business partnership programme managed by Finnfund and financed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Using Finnpartnership’s grants, Finnish companies can research the developing markets, make project and business plans, or run pilots for their solutions. Finnpartnership can support companies already active in developing countries, for example, researching investment needs or finding financing partners. The best way to learn about the grant is to participate in Finnpartnership’s monthly application workshops.