Business Finland allocates €10m for ambitious digital security research projects
Business Finland’s pilot programme selects five cutting-edge initiatives focusing on AI, quantum technology and cybersecurity.
Text: Martti Asikainen, 19.8.2025 Photo: Adobe Stock Photos
Finland’s innovation funding agency Business Finland has awarded €10m in initial funding to five ambitious research projects aimed at developing next-generation digital security solutions, signalling the Nordic country’s commitment to maintaining its competitive edge in emerging technologies.
The funding, distributed through Business Finland’s new “Näytönpaikka” (Proving Ground) programme, represents the agency’s largest ever investment in research organisations. Each selected project could receive an additional €3-5m over the following three years if they meet their initial two-year targets, bringing total potential funding to €35m over five years.
The pilot programme, which focused on digital solutions that enhance security and resilience, attracted 60 high-quality applications from Finnish research institutions. The competitive selection process reflects growing demand for funding radical and impactful research ideas that could transform entire markets.
“We valued the courage to look far into the future and the deep, diverse expertise of the research groups,” said Karin Wikman and Virpi Mikkonen, who led the selection process at Business Finland. “Often interdisciplinarity brings benefits and adds value to projects, though it’s not always an end in itself.”
Five cutting-edge projects selected
The funded research projects span the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, quantum technology and cybersecurity:
- ANSE is revolutionising software development by combining AI, process modelling and business monitoring. The collaboration between Tampere University Foundation and the University of Jyväskylä is creating an entirely new AI-native development methodology that integrates generative artificial intelligence, multimodal interaction and real-time monitoring into a unified system.
- HUSKI protects Finland’s critical infrastructure against hybrid threats. The joint project between Turku University of Applied Sciences, University of Turku, and both the University of Jyväskylä and Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences is developing solutions to safeguard societal functions against multifaceted threats.
- OCEANAut is building next-generation neuromorphic computers for defence applications at the University of Turku. These extremely energy-efficient systems mimic the functioning of human brains and are designed for demanding security applications.
- REINFORCE automates the detection of flaws in industrial design. The project involving Tampere University Foundation, University of Helsinki and University of Jyväskylä utilises robotics and neuro-symbolic artificial intelligence to eliminate design errors at the earliest stages.
- TeleQuant develops core quantum telecommunications technology. The collaboration between Tampere University Foundation, VTT Technical Research Centre and Aalto University Foundation focuses on telecom-wavelength quantum communication and on-demand quantum light sources
Long-term vision for technological sovereignty
Unlike Business Finland’s traditional research funding, the Näytönpaikka programme doesn’t require research to directly serve existing companies’ immediate needs. Instead, it allows for longer-term impact horizons of 5-10 years, recognising that breakthrough innovations often require extended development timelines.
The programme aims to create capabilities and expertise needed for future growth sectors, with the long-term goal of enabling Finnish companies to leverage research results for significant competitive advantage.
Following the success of this pilot round, Business Finland plans to launch a full Näytönpaikka funding call in late August 2025, with applications closing on 31 October. This expansion demonstrates the agency’s confidence in the programme’s potential to drive Finland’s position at the forefront of emerging digital technologies.
The initiative comes as European nations increasingly recognise the strategic importance of maintaining technological sovereignty, particularly in areas critical to national security and economic competitiveness. Finland’s approach of backing ambitious, long-term research projects reflects a broader Nordic strategy of investing heavily in innovation to maintain their competitive edge in an increasingly complex global technology landscape.
Finnish AI Region
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