thisisFINLAND

Thumbs up for startups in Finland

In Finland, startups are admired and encouraged. If they get off the ground, everybody wins.

Dogs, bedbugs, games: Helsinki’s Maria 01 houses more than 100 startups

Maria 01, a former hospital recently repurposed as a startup hub, is still growing. We meet three companies: one designs online games specifically for women, another makes an app that trains puppies, and a third is putting bedbugs out of business.

Business & innovation Startups

Near Helsinki, Aalto University “A Grid” nourishes startups

“A Grid” is the Finnish home for 140 startups and a thriving entrepreneurship community.

187,888

Number of lakes in Finland

Life & society Equality

Honouring inclusivity with Finnish pronoun power

Finland is championing the gender-neutral Finnish pronoun “hän” to promote equality around the world. To get people talking about equality, the country is presenting Hän Honours to individuals and organisations that are advancing inclusivity.

Business & innovation Biotech

Finland offers stable platform for scientific research

Johanna Ivaska, biochemistry professor at the University of Turku, in southwestern Finland, tells us about her international team and the appealing working environment for researchers at Finnish institutions.

Life & society Language

Integral to the culture, Sámi languages stay vibrant in Finland

We talk to some of the people who are helping keep Sámi languages alive in Finland, and find out why that is so important. Hint: It’s a matter of communication, culture and identity.

Arts & culture Webpick

Finnish singer Alma collaborates on new Charlie’s Angels theme song

Alma’s latest venture in the world of songwriting is a collaboration between three of the biggest names in pop worldwide.

Life & society Helsinki

Taking to the streets for a spirited Helsinki ghost walk

Halloween (October 31) is a traditional season for ghostly activity, but Helsinki’s phantom tales are spooky at any time of the year. The city’s ghost walks perpetuate eerie legends.

in the world to grant women the right to vote (#1 in Europe)

Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union

things you should and shouldn’t know