Business Tampere, the economic development agency for the Tampere region of Finland, has opened an office in Lviv. This is the organisation’s first office in Ukraine. It will support and advise Finnish companies interested in entering the Ukrainian market, establishing partnerships and developing joint projects. A memorandum of cooperation was also signed at the opening ceremony.
The opening brought together representatives of Lviv City Council, Finnish businesses and the diplomatic corps. Discussions focused on further cooperation between Lviv and Tampere and opportunities for Finnish companies to operate in Ukraine.
“First and foremost, we want to present Lviv and the opportunities for cooperation with Finland in a clear and meaningful way. The opening of the Business Tampere office coincides with a business mission whose participants have spent several days holding working meetings with the city authorities to gain a detailed understanding of the city’s needs. They will share this information with other businesses considering entering the Ukrainian market and developing cooperation here. The companies taking part in this business mission will also work on organising a joint media and business tour in Finland, focusing on healthcare and accessibility. Representatives of the UNBROKEN rehabilitation ecosystem and the city’s Accessibility Office will take part, sharing their experience in improving the accessibility of the urban environment. These are also important areas for cooperation with Tampere and the wider region: accessibility, healthcare and support for Ukrainians during the war,” said Andrii Pavliv, Head of the Investment Office of Lviv City Council.
Business Tampere also sees long-term potential in the Ukrainian market. The organisation notes that Ukraine is modernising rapidly and that Ukrainian companies are developing technologies at an impressive pace. Finnish partners aim to help Ukrainian businesses access modern solutions while deepening economic ties between the two countries.
Areas identified as having potential for joint projects include defence and dual-use technologies, the UNBROKEN ecosystem, energy and the circular economy. According to Business Tampere representatives, Finnish companies already have solutions that could address some of the challenges faced by their Ukrainian counterparts. Combining Finnish expertise with Ukrainian experience could therefore deliver practical results.
“Finland is one of the countries that consistently supports Ukraine, particularly in strengthening its defence capabilities. It is essential to build close ties between cities, but above all, we need to foster cooperation between businesses. Today, we officially opened the Tampere office in Lviv, a region with a strong concentration of innovative businesses and universities. We also signed a memorandum to strengthen cooperation on important projects, particularly in scaling up MedTech and DefenseTech and other innovation-driven sectors. This is a very important step,” emphasised Andrii Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor of Lviv.
At the opening of the organisation’s first office in Ukraine, Harri Ojala, CEO of Business Tampere, praised the courage and selflessness of the Ukrainian people. He stressed that Finnish businesses want not only to support Ukraine but also to become partners in its future development.
“There are specific objectives, but there is also a profound human dimension to this — your selflessness. It means a great deal. The Ukrainian nation embodies courage, standing firm regardless of what you face on the front line or at home. I believe the only way humanity can overcome difficult times is when good people remain brave. We want to inspire as many Finns as possible to show the same spirit and come here to create mutual benefits. We are here to serve as a platform. We are not a consulting firm; rather, we create opportunities and help strengthen them. We are pleased to work with the most active and committed private-sector partners to help businesses establish operations, expand and scale up. We all support Ukraine and understand the enormous opportunities and potential that this new era for Ukraine presents,” said Harri Ojala.
“Finland supports Ukraine because Ukraine is defending Europe. And it will continue to do so for as long as necessary. You are not alone in standing up to a country that seeks to dictate to the whole world how people should live. Tampere is a city of business, engineering, innovation, problem-solving and healthcare. I am happy to be here, and it is an honour to stand with you,” said Tarja Fernandez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Finland to Ukraine.
Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi also attended the opening. He noted that Lviv has recently seen a growing number of offices representing international business organisations.
“Last year, we began opening offices of international business organisations in Lviv. The first represented Japanese business, followed by Germany and Norway. Today is a special day for me as we open another very important office — Business Tampere,” said Lviv City Mayor Andrii Sadovyy.
During the event, the mayor presented the Finnish partners with a commemorative postage stamp created to mark Lviv’s 770th anniversary. The stamp was designed by artist Serhii Maidukov.
About Business Tampere
Business Tampere is the economic development agency for the Tampere region of Finland, bringing together eight municipalities. The organisation helps companies, investors and professionals grow, access international markets and establish themselves in the region through advisory, investment and sector-specific services.
Business Tampere’s emerging priority areas include defence technologies, artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing and the circular economy. At the same time, one of the region’s largest sectors remains the development and manufacturing of heavy mobile machinery, including equipment for mining, agriculture and other industries.
Earlier this summer, Business Tampere executives met with Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi to explore opportunities for cooperation between the two cities.
Background
Tampere is Finland’s third-largest city by population, after Helsinki and Espoo, and one of the country’s leading student and industrial centres. It has a strong IT sector, a well-established engineering base and several universities.
Hundreds of technology companies and start-ups operate in the region, including businesses founded by former Nokia and Microsoft engineers. Key areas of specialisation include artificial intelligence, renewable energy and advanced industrial technologies.
Photo: Roman Baluk
