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Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure FI-2020-25/1236 – measures in Finland

Tesi's Venture Bridge investment program for innovative companies seeking for growth

Tesin Venture Bridge- siltarahoitus innovatiivisille kasvuyrityksille

Country Finland , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 17 June 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Supporting businesses to stay afloat
– Access to finance
Author Amanda Kinnunen (Oxford Research) and Eurofound
Measure added 05 October 2020 (updated 06 October 2020)

Background information

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, many companies had to postpone their next external financing round which has hindered companies from realising their plans for international growth. Furthermore, it is foreseen that the interest of international investors to make investments will be lower than before the COVID-19 crisis.

The Venture Bridge is an investment program launched by the state-owned investment company Finnish Industry Investment Ltd Tesi (in Finnish ‘Suomen Teollisuussijoitus Oy’). It seeks to fill this financing gap and support companies that prior to the COVID-19 crisis had concrete plans to look for international growth and had previously raised at least seed financing from professional venture capital investors.

Content of measure

This measure is a capital loan that will be automatically converted to equity in the next qualified investment round. It should be used for funding growth and internationalisation. It is available for innovative Finnish companies looking for international growth.

Companies have to meet the following requirements:

  • an unlisted company with its headquarters or a significant share of operations and employment potential in Finland;
  • raised at least €0.5 million in venture capital funding during the last three years;
  • investment round of at least €0.5 million with participation of professional venture capital investors; and
  • Tesi’s investment secures the funding for at least 12 months until the next qualified investment round.

The size of the investment varies between €250,000 and €2 million.

Use of measure

By the end of August 2020, 20 companies had applied for funding. Two companies had been granted funding. The total budget of the granted applications is €1.1 million.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Other businesses
Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Unknown Unknown
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No information available.

Views and reactions

No information available.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Tesi's Venture Bridge investment program for innovative companies seeking for growth, measure FI-2020-25/1236 (measures in Finland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/FI-2020-25_1236.html

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