Sitra’s year 2025: A record amount of funding for solutions to renew Finland and build sustainable growth

Sitra’s future-oriented work took a new direction in 2025, in accordance with the strategy adopted the previous year.

Sitra decided to make a historically large special investment of EUR 50 million in strengthening the productivity of the public sector by using data and artificial intelligence between 2025 and 2028.

“The lack of economic growth, imbalances in public finances and the ageing population require significant reforms from Finland. The goal of the special investment is to provide a more sustainable basis for services and their funding in the future,” says Sitra’s President Atte Jääskeläinen.

This work, carried out with partners, aims at direct productivity gains of EUR 500 million by 2030. The goal is also to make the Finnish public sector a frontrunner in leveraging technology to boost productivity.

In addition to the public sector productivity programme, Sitra allocates EUR 150 million to the financing of domestic growth companies. The absence of risk-taking capital is one of the bottlenecks for growth companies, which often causes them to move out of Finland during the growth phase.

Funding for innovation development around Finland

In addition to special investments, Sitra significantly increased funding for studies, experiments and innovations supporting Finland’s renewal. A total of eight million euros was granted to initiatives in various parts of the country. In 2026, the funding will rise to EUR 16 million, and in 2027 and 2028, it will increase to approximately EUR 25 million.

Among other efforts, the funded projects were related proactive social welfare and healthcare services, strengthening regional RDI cooperation and developing citizens’ participation.

“We also provide expert support for project planning and implementation, whether it’s about building cooperation networks or embedding the best solutions. Sitra’s support therefore amounts to more than the euros granted to the recipients,” Jääskeläinen says.

Extensive work to accelerate sustainable growth

Sitra’s work on economic topics also got off to a good start.

The Growth Atlas (Kasvuatlas 2026), compiled during 2025 and published in March 2026, provides an overview of the conditions and opportunities for sustainable economic growth in Finland and maps possible growth trends. The report was created by nearly a hundred leading Finnish experts and contains more than 230 recommendations for decision-makers to consider.

Sitra collaborated with 15 InnoCities to find more workable solutions for cooperation between companies and research organisations and participated in the creation of the conditions for innovations in the defence sector. It also worked on a strategy of societal trust in cooperation with various partners. In addition, Sitra was involved in developing a globally unique method for environmental footprint calculation and organised the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) in Brazil with its partners.

The popular Megatrends 2026 review, published in early 2026, compiled an up-to-date situational picture of key global changes and their long-term effects on Finland for decision-makers and all interested parties.

Sitra also launched new foresight reviews, which focus on one current theme and related possible trends at a time. The first reviews discussed topics such as alternative economic futures, the transformation of the security environment, and the societal impacts of young people’s declining faith in the future.

One example of Sitra’s successful and long-term international advocacy work was related to democracy: Following Sitra’s proposal, the European Commission included a hub of democracy-supporting technologies in its European Democracy Shield initiative. The hub’s task would be to develop new forms of technology that support a European understanding of democracy.

More agility and efficiency from Sitra’s own renewal 

To be able to use more of its funds for funding other social reformers, Sitra needed to reform its organisation and operating model. As a result of the change negotiations held in the spring of 2025, 25 jobs were terminated. Savings were also sought by reducing office space and travel costs. 

Sitra wants to set an example and be a frontrunner in the use of artificial intelligence, and internal development efforts were therefore directed at its responsible use in expert work.

“Sitra’s reforms aim to ensure that in these challenging times, we work with our partners to deliver as much value as possible for Finnish society,” sums up Jääskeläinen.

Sitra’s annual report and financial statements for 2025 are published in Finnish, Swedish and English. In connection with the financial statements, Sitra is publishing  its purchase invoices (2023–2025) and funding decisions for the year 2025.

Sitra was founded by the Finnish Parliament in 1967 to build a successful Finland for the future. The task of the fund is to promote Finland’s well-being and accelerate economic growth within the limits of nature’s carrying capacity. Sitra does not use tax money from the national budget. It raises funds for its activities mainly from the investment market.