Participating in international projects

International projects offer your company a good opportunity to develop its competence in cooperation with international research groups and companies. The projects allow you to develop globally competitive products, processes and services as well as to accelerate their commercialisation.

International projects often allow you to explore and test issues where you need confirmation or additional information. Expanding your company’s international networks is also a great benefit.

You can also use a single, international project as the first step for introducing your company to the market of a new target country. A project carried out in the target country makes it easier for you to expand your local networks. At the same time, you increase awareness of your company in the region.

During the project, you will familiarise yourself with the region, potential new customers, and local customs and culture. You can use your experiences as the basis for considering how to continue internationalisation in the region.

International projects are often research or development projects. They may include, for instance,

• development of your company’s products, services and processes to the international market
• cooperation with an international partner, such as a company or research centre
• organised information exchange, transfer of technology, and purchase of industrial rights in the international market
• mobility of researchers and experts from abroad to Finland or from Finland to abroad
• participation in events related to international marketing, such as fairs.

Public internationalisation programmes are often targeted at different industries and regions, and emphasise different contents. Funding providers also often set their own criteria for the contents of the international projects they finance. 

Your company can join international projects, for example through organisations belonging to Team Finland or regional development companies.

For example, Business Finland has many international programmes such as the EUREKA projects. These provide an opportunity, among other things, for developing products in cooperation with companies and research institutes in other countries.

Universities and research institutes also have constantly ongoing international projects. Many private companies and other organisations also carry out their own international projects. Be active in becoming involved in the projects.

You can also create a network around you that can launch its own international project together. In forming a network, make use of the Team Finland organisations, such as Business Finland and the Enterprise Europe Network, which belongs to the former, chambers of commerce and Finnpartnership.