Business programme to be expanded: new data-based growth to be brought within the reach of all SMEs
The goal of the IHAN business programme’s pilot scheme, which started in autumn 2020, was to help Finnish SMEs reform their business operations with the use of data. The core of the programme consists of business models that use data as a raw material and the creation of value from shared data with partners while following common rules.
What were the results?
The SMEs that took part in the IHAN business programme come from various industries. During the programme, each participating business created concepts and started building promising business models and solutions. Examples of the results have been compiled on the IHAN business programme’s website.
For example, the cleaning company Sivex’s goal is to help the entire industry revamp itself; the barbershop chain M Room seeks to expand its operations to new industries; and MPS Enterprises aims to improve its recruitment services’ ability to anticipate future needs with the help of data. Motiva Services Oy, Platform of Trust and CLIC Innovation decided to collaborate to develop a circular economy ecosystem where data helps improve the efficiency of material flows across industries.
“Data is relevant to all industries and offers a path to reform and growth,” says Sitra’s President Jyrki Katainen. “The pioneering businesses that took part in the IHAN business programme also provide relatable examples of data-based business to different industries. This is a great starting point.”
What’s next?
Various participants will work to productise the IHAN business programme concept and make the programme widely available to other SMEs as well.
The IHAN business boost (website in Finnish), which was arranged by the Finnish Junior Chamber for its member network, is the first lighter version of the IHAN business programme offered outside Sitra. The business boost uses the training material created in the IHAN business programme along with support from peer mentoring and a steering group.
The goal of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is to ensure that the business programme continues to be used. The ministry’s preliminary goal is that about 4,000 SMEs – representing a fifth of Finnish SMEs employing between 10 and 250 people – will have increased their data economy skills or developed their business operations on the basis of data with the help of the business programme by 2026.
“In the future, Finland’s competitiveness will be the result of a multidisciplinary and internationally networked ecosystem of SMEs, where value is generated by new business models that take advantage of data,” says Petri Räsänen, Development Director of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment’s Department of Innovations and Enterprise Financing. “We want to help Finnish SMEs succeed through the use of data while also supporting Finland’s economic growth.”
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment eventually aims to scale up the business programme for the European data market through various co-operation projects and innovation ecosystems.
The IHAN business programme website has more information about the programme and its results. The training material will be made freely available to all during the spring of 2021.
The IHAN business programme was conducted as part of Sitra’s IHAN project, which lays a foundation for a fair data economy. In this kind of economy, the successful digital services of the future are based on trust and create value for everyone.
Keywords
Contacts
Jyrki Suokas, Senior Lead, Sitra, jyrki.suokas@sitra.fi, +358 (0)50 598 7348
Mira Nupponen, Specialist, Communication and Public Affairs, Sitra, mira.nupponen@sitra.fi, +358 (0)45 136 5904
Petri Räsänen, Development Director, Innovations and Enterprise Financing, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, petri.rasanen@tem.fi, +358 (0)40 772 3008
Images
Links
About Sitra
Sitra is a future fund that collaborates with partners from different sectors to research, trial and implement bold new ideas that shape the future. Our aim is a Finland that succeeds as a pioneer in sustainable wellbeing.
Subscribe to releases from Sitra
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Sitra by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Sitra
Cirkulära lösningar motverkar förlusten av biologisk mångfald och skapar nya affärsmöjligheter – se Europas topp 30-lista15.4.2024 16:15:00 EEST | Tiedote
En lista med 30 europeiska företag, som presenterades vid World Circular Economy Forum 2024 i Bryssel, visar hur cirkulära lösningar kan minska förlusten av biologisk mångfald och öppna upp nya affärsmöjligheter. Vid sidan av listan släpper framtidshuset Sitra en handbok som är den första i sitt slag för att utveckla affärsmodeller för cirkulär ekonomi för att uppnå naturmålen.
Kiertotalous torjuu luontokatoa ja luo uutta liiketoimintaa: Katso Euroopan 30 edelläkävijän lista, mukana useita suomalaisyrityksiä15.4.2024 16:15:00 EEST | Tiedote
Yritykset voivat luoda uutta liiketoimintaa kiertotalousratkaisuilla ja torjua samalla luontokatoa. Tämä selviää 30 eurooppalaisen edelläkävijäyrityksen listauksesta, joka julkaistiin Maailman kiertotalousfoorumissa WCEF2024:ssä Brysselissä maanantaina. Samalla tulevaisuustalo Sitra esitteli uraauurtavan käsikirjan, joka opastaa yrityksiä luontoa vahvistavan kiertotalousliiketoiminnan kehittämisessä.
Circular solutions tackle biodiversity loss and unlock business growth – see Europe’s top 30 list15.4.2024 16:15:00 EEST | Press release
A list of 30 European companies, unveiled at the World Circular Economy Forum 2024 in Brussels, shows how circular solutions can tackle biodiversity loss and unlock new business opportunities. Alongside the list, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra released a first-of-its-kind handbook for developing circular economy business models to deliver on nature targets.
Sitras år 2023: Megatrender, försök runt om i Finland och strategireform på gång15.4.2024 08:00:00 EEST | Tiedote
2023 var ett år av försök och en ny inriktning för Sitra. Vi genomförde och finansierade mer än hundra försök för Finlands framtida framgångar. Sitras arbete i EU gav resultat. Sitra fick också en ny överombudsman och började förnya sin strategi så att framtidshuset kan sporra Finlands långsiktiga framgångar på bästa möjliga sätt. Läs om Sitra och vårt arbete i verksamhetsberättelsen.
Sitran vuosi 2023: Megatrendit, kokeiluja ympäri Suomen ja strategiauudistus työn alle15.4.2024 08:00:00 EEST | Tiedote
Vuosi 2023 oli Sitralle kokeilujen ja uuden suunnan vuosi. Toteutimme ja rahoitimme yli sataa kokeilua eri puolilla Suomea. Sitran työ EU:ssa toi tuloksia. Sitra sai myös uuden yliasiamiehen ja ryhtyi uudistamaan strategiaansa, jotta tulevaisuustalo pystyy parhaiten kirittämään Suomen pitkän aikavälin menestystä. Tutustu Sitraan ja työhömme toimintakertomuksesta.
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom