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Järventaus and Kekäläinen to propose entrepreneurship strategy for Finland

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
Publication date 16.2.2018 12.01
Press release

Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä has invited Jussi Järventaus and Henrietta Kekäläinen to prepare a proposal for Finland’s first strategic action plan to promote entrepreneurship.

Lintilä stresses that Finland needs a long-term approach for the promotion of entrepreneurship that extends beyond the government term and across administrative boundaries.

“We have already launched a number of good ways to promote entrepreneurship during this government term, but we haven’t yet glued them together. We need a systematic and predictable enterprise policy and more collaboration across administrative boundaries. I hope the reviewers will consider a wide range of issues, including entrepreneurs’ social security and coping at work,” Lintilä says.

“The aim is to reinforce work, productivity and ownership in Finland. Success in these areas will benefit the whole country,” Lintilä says.

Stronger entrepreneurship in recent years

Start-up entrepreneur Henrietta Kekäläinen is CEO and one of three co-founders of Carbo Culture, a Finnish company producing biochar for commercial purposes in the United States. Jussi Järventaus has worked as CEO of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises and as Minister of Justice.

“Entrepreneurship has become significantly stronger in Finland in recent years. The Finnish Government, too, has adopted a number of measures to promote entrepreneurship. However, it is important for our wellbeing and prosperity that we raise the bar higher as our operating environment keeps on changing and make our promotion measures more goal-oriented and long-term. I’m happy to be part of this project to make Finland a model country in entrepreneurship too,” Järventaus says.

Kekäläinen believes that well-chosen amendments can help entrepreneurs and make Finland an internationally attractive location for company headquarters.

“At present there are a lot of regulations affecting businesses that are ill-suited for international growth companies. My role will be to focus on issues that are critical for start-ups and growth companies. I’ve already heard a lot about them from colleagues and investors,” Kekäläinen says.

The deadline for the reviewers’ report and proposal for a strategy to promote entrepreneurship is 30 June 2018. The Government will decide on the measures to be adopted based on the strategy after consulting stakeholders.

Appointment decision (in Finnish)

Inquiries:
Jannika Ranta, Special Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs, tel. +358 50 340 2250
Marja-Riitta Pihlman, Director-General, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 50 49208
Kari Alanko, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 50 62366