Tekes should emphasise internationalisation, report says

Finland’s innovation agency Tekes should increase its role in promoting innovation abroad, an evaluation has concluded.

The Reaching out for knowledge innovation and markets: The impact evaluation of Tekes overseas offices report, published on 27 February, recommended that Tekes increase its activities overseas. This can be done through its more active involvement in the Team Finland initiative—a network of government ministries and publicly funded agencies that aim to promote Finland’s interests abroad. The report was conducted by the consultancies Technopolis and European Touch.

Tekes’s international offices have in general worked well to serve their purpose, and have had a positive influence on the agency’s effectiveness and impact despite limited resources, the report found. However, the agency’s role could be strengthened through forming stronger links between Tekes overseas offices, Tekes’ main office in Helsinki and the regional network in Finland. This could be done through pairing up international office staff with dedicated contact staff in Helsinki. A clear strategy should be developed for this purpose, the report recommended.