Epicenter Pulse – Clean Energy Investments

The growth-focused Epicenter Pulse meetings provide a unique platform for fostering dialogue, understanding, and cooperation between business leaders and political and governmental decision-makers.

I had the privilege of hosting the second Clean Energy-focused Epicenter Pulse discussion forum on Tuesday 27th of February with an extremely topical theme, "Investments in Clean Transition," which arguably shed a positive light on the future during these rather uncertain times.

Review: The current market environment in Finland is challenging. We need cohesion and trust in the future, even though the situation is rather difficult during these uncertain times when projects and investments have been postponed, and funding is harder to obtain than before. Countries race for investments and compete with money, which Finland has difficulties competing with. However, there is money in the market for ready-to-build projects, whereas potential new innovations might be hindered by the lack of venture capital and risk-taking.

What's next? During a tough economic period, the government has chosen to allocate limited resources with scrutiny—a strategy to be applauded. The situation also requires collaborative efforts from everyone: Business leaders and governmental decision-makers need to engage in constructive discussions, share insights, and collectively strategize for the overall well-being of the nation. All in all, Finland ticks many boxes and is an attractive investment destination; we have clear competitive advantages over many of our competitors – advantages that we have not made enough noise about. In the long term, industrial investments, a reliable foundation of democracy, affordable energy, and know-how appeal to investors as much as monetary investment support, if not more.

1. Transparency: One of the primary advantages is our transparent and predictable government. When the relationship between businesses and government involves dynamic exchange, it helps in crafting policies that are not only conducive to a thriving business environment but also align with the broader goals of the nation. Overall, foreign investors should see us as a trustworthy nation to invest in.
2. Know-how: In an era of heightened awareness about climate change, discussions on environmental sustainability are integral to the agenda. Finland has a lot of expertise when it comes to sustainability, and we could truly be one of the key players in the green transition. Strong collaboration between the state and businesses, with relatively economical energy resources, allows for the acceleration of the already-established know-how in the clean tech industry.
3. Positive thinking: Believing in the core capabilities that we have is the root of success. We have seen too many instances where low self-confidence has become an obstacle. How about we turn it around and pump up healthy self-reliance? With a positive and spirited "can-do attitude," things can be changed.

Conclusion: Open dialogue is instrumental in shaping the trajectory of our nation. Epicenter Pulse fosters a culture of collaboration, transparency, and shared responsibility. In other words, it serves as a forum for open discussions about regulatory challenges, enabling both parties to collaborate on crafting regulations that balance the need for business growth with public interest and ethical standards. We might not have saved the world yet, but by hosting these meet-ups more often, we have at least tried to become 1% better than we were yesterday. After all, it's all about doing, and we truly believe that we have started something meaningful here. We will host more of these Pulse events, and if you're interested in joining us next time, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,

Kristian Nieminen

Country Manager, Epicenter Finland