Finnpartnership is a program funded by Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Finnfund that aims to promote long-term business cooperation between Finnish companies and those in developing countries. It offers free business partnership support, matchmaking services, and advice to connect companies. Finnpartnership works closely with embassies, consultants, and other organizations. Through its matchmaking database online, it identifies potential partnerships by publishing business proposals from developing country companies for Finnish businesses to explore. The process of fully supporting a company's registration in the matchmaking system requires a properly filled application and supporting documents that demonstrate a concrete partnership opportunity.

1. A channel for private businesses
Mr Janne Penttilä, Junior Analyst
17.12.2014

2. Finnpartnership -
background and objective
• Financed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
managed by Finnfund
• The objective is to promote long term business
cooperation between companies in Finland
and in developing countries

3. Services:
1. Business Partnership Support for Finnish
companies
2. Matchmaking service for companies in
developing countries
3. Advice and guidance
• All services are provided free of charge

4. Finnpartnership - in close collaboration with
businesses and other public stakeholders
Consultants
Embassies
Sister organisations
abroad
Regional
development
agencies

5. Finnpartnership
- Area of Operation
http://www.finnpartnership.fi/developingcountries/
Low Income
Developing Countries
Upper Middle Income
Developing Countries

6. MATCHMAKING
Finnpartnership

7. Matchmaking
Identifying Business Partnerships
• Finnpartnership channels business partnership
initiatives and opportunities from individual companies
in developing countries to Finnish companies
• Open for all companies to enter through internet
• Proposals are added to the Matchmaking database
(www) where they can be explored and browsed by
Finnish companies
• Partnership initiatives can also be forwarded directly to
interested parties
• Currently around 150 companies are looking for
business partners in the service
• A fully supported process is offered for most potential
applicants

8. Common ways to enter
• Companies find the service through the internet
• The embassies (both Finnish and foreign) advice the
company to contact Finnpartnership (internet, e-
mail, phone call, meeting… all fine)
• Word of mouth
• A company spotter of Finnpartnership contacts the
company locally.

9. Matchmaking
Identifying Business Partnerships
• In order to register for the Matchmaking Service,
company must be
– in a solid financial base
– registered in one of the OECD/DAC listed
countries OR in Finland
– capable of presenting a concrete and potentially
feasible business proposal
– preferably established a year prior to registering

10. Matchmaking
Identifying Business Partnerships
• Matchmaking registration form must be supported with
additional documents. The mandatory documents include:
– Financial information from the last financial year
– CVs of key personnel / owners
– Business registration certificate
– Copies of social and environmental related certificates and
audits if the company possesses one.
When a company is able to promptly provide all information
and attachments according to the requirements and shows
active communication with Finnpartnership, it is very likely
to get into the fully supported system.

11. www.finnpartnership.fi/matchmaking

12. www.finnpartnership.fi/matchmaking

13. Matchmaking
Matchmaking registration form (1/2)

14. Matchmaking
Matchmaking registration form (2/2)

15. Matchmaking
Identifying Business Partnerships
• Business initiatives are published
on the internet
• Easy to search the profiles with
the search engine
• Business partnership initiatives
will also be forwarded directly to
eligible companies and partner
organizations
• Use of consultants in supported
process (company spotters)
www.finnpartnership.fi/partnersearch

16. Matchmaking
How to enter fully supported Matchmaking
• Finnpartnership covers the costs for more active
Matchmaking for company if:
– The Matchmaking application is filled properly
– All the required attachments are attached,
including the financial information and information
about the owners of the company
– A proper business cooperation proposal is included
– The proposal is relevant and potential to Finland

17. Matchmaking
Active Matchmaking applications / country
2006 - 2013

18. Matchmaking
Active Matchmaking applications / sector
2006 - 2013
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Agriculture/food processing
Automotive parts, lubricants
Chemicals
Construction
Crafts
Educational services
Electrical engineering
Electronics
Energy
Environment
Fishery/fish products
Forestry/wood/paper
Furniture
Health/pharmaceutical
ICT
Manufact./engineering/machinery
Metal and industry engineering
Mining
Packaging/materials
Research and innovation
Rubber/plastics
Services
Textiles/clothing
Tourism
Transportation
Multisector / Other
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

19. c/o Finnfund, P.O. Box 391, 00121 Helsinki, Finland
tel. +358 9 348 434, fax +358 9 3484 3346
fp@finnpartnership.fi
matchmaking@finnpartnership.fi
www.finnpartnership.fi