As international investors are starting to look more towards the Nordics, Finland is coming out on top as a key market with untapped potential.
With a robust startup ecosystem and strong exit performance, Finland has made itself clear that it’s a hidden gem in the VC landscape.
Top global firms have touched down in Helsinki recently
We’ve seen the likes of Antler and Leo Capital establishing offices here in Helsinki, taking advantage of the strong ecosystem, as well as initiatives like Venture Nordics and 90 Day Finn.
Resources like these help global VCs to network and really blossom in the Finnish market.
The city’s business-friendly environment, coupled with its widespread English proficiency and low hierarchy, makes this city an easy next step, whether you’re an early-stage and late-stage venture.
More exits per capita than the US and other Nordic countries
Between 2022 and 2024, Finland recorded 2.9 exits per million capita, leading the Nordic region and surpassing exit rates in Denmark (2.54) and the U.S. (2.41).
One standout exit in 2024 was SiloAI, an artificial intelligence company valued at €611 million, marking the largest European AI exit ever.
This success highlights Finland’s ability to generate significant value for investors, even during periods of global market volatility. Finland’s consistency of strong exits matches pretty darn well with investors looking for resilient ROI.
The future of Finnish startups and VC
As Rahul Rajani, Partner at Manerama Capital, points out, Finland’s venture ecosystem is primed for scalability and strong returns: “The fund sizes here are ideal for scalability and returns, avoiding the performance drag of larger funds.”
Venture Nordics is an up-and-coming program that can help land you in the midst of these strong returns, resilience, and ultimately great ROI.
The program includes invite-only events to target exactly who you’re searching for, warm leads from Helsinki Partners to get you handshaking the right people, and access to high-potential startups so you’re not wasting any time. The New Nordics already boast the highest number of unicorns per capita, second only to Silicon Valley, so this last task is luckily not too challenging.
It doesn’t really come as a surprise that Finland’s talent pool is pretty experienced and diverse, with many serial entrepreneurs leading new ventures.
Antti Törmänen, Partner at Antler, notes, “We are starting to have more and more entrepreneurs who have already built one successful venture and are now onto the next one.” This dynamic can only mean a snowball effect for upcoming years and what ventures they hold.
So, why should Finland be on your radar?
For international investors, Finland represents a pretty unique opportunity within the broader Nordic market.
Its strong exit performance, high venture capital returns, and growing appeal among global investors make it a prime destination for both GPs and LPs.
Programs like Venture Nordics provide the gateway to accessing Finland’s burgeoning startup ecosystem, offering insights and connections to top-tier investors and high-potential startups that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
As Shwetank Verma, Co-founder of Leo Capital, sums up, “For us, Finland is exciting because we see parallels with what we know best in Singapore… They’re small markets but very dynamic.”
To learn more about the Venture Nordics program and register your interest in future editions, visit venturenordics.com.
Applications for the next edition will open in December.
Venture Nordics: Europe’s top investor program
Venture Nordics is a dedicated program for international venture capitalists looking to establish operations in Europe, particularly in the Nordic region. The program is designed for both GPs and LPs, offering exclusive access to the region’s venture capital opportunities.
Now in its second edition, the program takes place around Slush, one of the world’s leading startup events, held from November 15–21.
This year’s program has seen high demand, with numerous applications vying for just 10 exclusive spots. The list of participants includes top-tier firms such as Global Brains, MUIP, Sarklabs, Secways, and IonPacific, all drawn by the region’s growing appeal.
Finland, in particular, stands out as a high-potential market, often overlooked but steadily gaining attention for its dynamic startup ecosystem and investor-friendly environment.
More details about the participants of Venture Nordics 2024 can be found here.