Similar paths, different approaches

Tekes and Vinnova share the task of promoting sustainable growth and developing innovation systems in Finland and Sweden. Investments in research, development and innovation are of paramount importance for economic growth, job creation, solving grand societal challenges and in building innovation capability. The impacts of these investments on growth and public benefits typically materialise only several years after the investments have taken place. Impact analysis is therefore a key instrument for the understanding of impacts and provides important learning about system wide mechanisms. Such learning is of key importance in the continuous improvement of our activities.

In both Finland and Sweden, the ICT sector plays a predominant role as a source for economic growth, as a key employer and as a provider for solutions to societal challenges. Supporting ICT research, development and innovation has therefore been an important undertaking for both Tekes and Vinnova. This has taken the form of successive programmes aimed at both developing certain fields of ICT applications as well as building competence and to strengthen value chains.

In the effort of deepening co-operation between our two agencies, Tekes and Vinnova have jointly carried out the analytical exercise underpinning this report. We believe that the two parallel analyses have added much value to the overall result, even though they differ somewhat in terms of scope and analytical approach.

The analysis has been carried out under assignment from Tekes and Vinnova by Rambøll Management Consulting in Finland and Sweden. Project officers at Tekes have been Pekka Pesonen and Christopher Palmberg. At Vinnova, Lars Gustafsson and Lennart Norgren have had the same roles. The work carried out is a good example of the on-going co-operation between the two innovation funding agencies Tekes and Vinnova.