What Is Finland Good at? It’s as Simple as FGH!
Our "ABC" article about Finland’s strengths turned out to be very popular so we decided to carry on with the theme. In the first article A was for arctic, B for biotech, C for cleantech, D for digitalization and E for education. Now you are about to find out what F, G and H stand for!
F is for Fashion
Modern Finnish fashion was born during the heyday of Finnish design and architecture in the 1950s. Just like Finnish design, Finnish fashion was practical and designed for everyday rather than celebratory occasions, and the use of natural materials was considered important. The same principals still apply today.
The most internationally and nationally recognized and influential Finnish fashion brand is, no doubt, Marimekko, which was established byArmi and Viljo Ratiain 1951. Marimekko became an international phenomenon at an early stage when Jacqueline Kennedy, the wife of U.S. presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, bought seven Marimekko dresses in 1960. Its tradition of young and colorful designs, and making highly personalized outfits from the outset, continue in its latest collections. Today Marimekko has brick-and-mortar stores all over the world.
Talent in the fashion business is not limited to Marimekko. Rising stars include Samuji who aims to create functional, sustainable design and items that serve a purpose and yet carry a story, and Ivana Helsinki, an independent art, fashion and cinema brand, delicately mending Slavic rough melancholy and pure Scandinavian moods.
Today, Finnish fashion is flourishing and the future looks bright. Finland is home to some of the brightest young talents in Europe, and Finnish fashion has become an international talking point. In recent years, Aalto University has become one of the hottest design schools on the international fashion scene, and its students have enjoyed huge success at Hyeres International Festival of Fashion, which is organized every year France.
G is for Gaming Industry
Finland is a country of game developer enthusiasts. The growth of the entire local industry has been dramatic during the past few years, namely because of companies such as Supercell and Rovio. But Finland has a lot more to offer than these two companies.
Finland’s success in the industry owes a great deal to Nokia. The company had all the required resources, and by the end of the 1990s, Finland already had lots of mobile game developers. Snake was one of the very first mobile games in the world. Finland also has a public funding basis which enables risk sharing and private investments in the game business.
The new era for Finnish gaming industry started in 2010 when Angry Birds became a global success, and two years later reached the milestone of 500 million downloads. People thought the Finnish gaming industry had gained everything, but Supercell proved them wrong by launching first Hay Day and then Clash of Clans. In 2015, Clash of Clans was the top grossing app on both the App Store and Google Play, with an estimated revenue of 1.5 million dollars per day.
The Finnish gaming industry is not only about entertainment anymore. Finland has created world-class learning solutions for example in math and business management.
H is for Health
Finland’s world-class health care is available for all residents of the country. The Finnish healthcare system provides comprehensive, high-quality healthcare ranging from primary to specialized medical care and from care for newborns to services for the elderly. In many aspects, Finnish healthcare is state-of-the-art among the OECD countries.
Public healthcare is complemented by a number of private providers of specialized medical care. Public healthcare in Finland is not completely free but charges are very low, since the system is mainly tax-funded.
In May 2015, Save the Children announced that Finland was the second best country in the world in which to be a mother, based on key criteria such as maternal health and the child’s wellbeing, as well as the mother’s educational, economic and political status.
Finland is also known for sending a maternity package to all expectant parents. The so-called Baby box includes clothes and other necessities such as quilts and nappies for the newborn. Even the British royal family has received the handy package, when Finnish officials sent one to Prince William and Duchess Catherine when their son, George, was born. In Finland, the package is seen as a symbol of the country’s egalitarianism.
Additionally, health-tech accounts for almost half of Finland's high-tech exports. Finland has the most digital health startups per capita in the world and in fact, the country is becoming a leading country in personalized healthcare.
Finland's strong networking culture and high level of R&D funding facilitate the creation of new healthcare innovations. Ranked as the world's most innovative country, Finland produced a range of healthcare solutions that are in global demand. There are several health-tech companies to keep an eye on, such as Better Doctor, Beddit, Noona and Meedoc, just to name a few.
Read the previous article What Is Finland Good at? It's as Simple as ABC!