R&D funding to boost the creative industries’ business

EUR 9 million per year of Business Finland’s funding authorization will be allocated to support research and development activities in the creative industries.

The development of competitive advantage is at the heart of research and development. Research and development funding can be applied for projects where the solution to be researched and developed seeks a competitive advantage in a selected international market. 

What are the creative industries?

From the perspective of business development, the business arising from creative know-how and creative industries can be divided into three groups. The division is based on the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Creative Economy Network model, which has been used in various contexts in Finland since 2012. Business Finland also looks at the creative industries from the following business perspectives:

• Scalable content, (for example, AV productions, games, music, publishing and their variants and hybrid models) where the business is based on the sale of intellectual property rights (IPR) and where digital platforms enable the reproduction of content and the scaling of the business. Identified trends of change include artificial intelligence and virtual reality, as well as the connection to the tourism industry, logistics, and the catering and accommodation sectors, especially as regards audiovisual content.
• Creative services, where the core of the business is interactive collaborative relationships, as well as the results and sales of physical know-how (for example, architecture and product design) or non-physical know-how (for example, marketing, creative agencies, design, art-based services). Identified trends of change include the transition of the service structure from a single service event to a multi-channel and cross-sectoral business based on creative know-how.
• The event industry is a globally growing market, generating significant economic impacts locally. Events enable interaction between people and synergies in value networks. For example, sustainable development has been identified as a trend of change. Event brands have been developed so as to be more responsible.

Funding for company projects and joint projects between companies and research organizations 

On January 22, 2025, Business Finland opened two funding calls, one for companies’ R&D projects and the other for Co-Innovation projects carried out in cooperation with research organizations and companies.

Funding for companies’ R&D projects

Business Finland’s R&D funding can be granted to critical research work by creative companies, aiming to acquire knowledge that is at least new for the industry and which creates capabilities for later development, but which does not yet result in a finished product or service. In projects of small and medium-sized enterprises, competitive advantage must be sought at least in a selected international market. The projects of large companies aim for a global competitive advantage.

R&D funding may also be allocated to development work for the renewal or development of products, services, production methods or business models.

Companies in other industries can also apply for the funding, if the developed solution, competitive advantage or novelty value is based on creative know-how and the use of creative industry methods in research and development activities. Discover tips on how to leverage the know-how and methods of the creative industries in other industries (PDF).

The development of products, services and business models can be supported in projects of small and medium-sized enterprises with a 35% grant instead of the normal 50% loan. Depending on the level of research and the size of the company, the grant may be lower or higher, or in the form of a loan. In addition, companies from other industries can apply for funding if the solution planned in the project is based on creative skills and at least 40% of the project costs involve know-how of the creative industries.

Funding call for creative industries and companies making use of creative industries

Funding of Co-Innovation joint projects of companies and research organizations

The Co-Innovation funding call is intended for joint projects between companies and research organizations which produce new research information for the creative industry and utilize research expertise of the creative industry. Joint projects promote high-quality research and accelerate the renewal and international growth of Finnish companies’ business and the building of competitive ecosystems.

Companies and research organizations participating in the project have both a common plan and goal and individual project plans with their own goals.

Funding of Co-Innovation joint projects of companies and research organizations

What we fund and do not fund?

The projects and terms of R&D funding granted by Business Finland are based on EU and national regulations.

Business Finland always evaluates the applicant company and the project before making a decision. The company’s business is considered as a whole. The project evaluation examines the competitive advantage, growth plan, team and the adequacy of funding, among other things.

What we fund

Business Finland can fund research and development projects arising from customer initiatives. Below are some examples that are intended to give an idea about the potential areas of research and development:

• Developing new or existing products, services, production methods and business models or significantly renewing existing ones
• Developing new technologies to improve and streamline production, enabling more efficient, faster and higher quality production of games, scripts, sets, clothing collections and TV series, for example.
• Developing a new payment system or production ecosystem for a content product
• Pilot or demo development costs can be funded, for example, as part of the development of a new payment system, when the objective is to verify the functionality of the solution in a limited environment.
• Developing service concepts, earning and business models. International business models for content products, art and culture, for example
• Shared intellectual property rights utilized across industries to create a competitive advantage for multiple actors
• Collaborative solutions between international events. For example, background work done in a new way to significantly improve artistic or technical quality can attract new audiences, create new technological platforms, or promote sustainable development in a way that creates a competitive advantage.  The method to be developed can be scaled in other future events and forms of cooperation.
• Research, development and testing of new materials. What problems could the new material solve? How can it achieve a competitive advantage?

As a minor part of project costs, there may be studies supporting the opportunities to utilize the solution under development, for example, studies related to customers or markets, such as:

• A study of customer and market needs for a product, service or concept under development. The study ensures that there is genuine market demand for the solution to be researched and developed in the project at the price envisaged.
• A study of the purchasing or distribution processes of a company’s customer if a competitive advantage is sought in the supply chain or value network
• Developing the organization or management of the company to support the access of the solution developed in the project to the international market.

What we do not fund

Business Finland does not fund one-person companies.

R&D funding is not granted to

• a single-use earning model such as an audiovisual production or serial production, a clothing collection or a music album that is part of a company’s normal business operations
• a company's routine core business, such as a new game, TV series, film, music album, artwork, or clothing collection
• ordinary updating improvements, changes necessitated by seasonal fluctuations or aesthetic improvements of products, services and methods
• sales, marketing, distribution or related materials
• equipment, software or facilities other than those intended for the use of the project

Read more about Business Finland’s funding terms:

Funding terms and conditions: Funding for companies’ research and development activities (PDF)
Funding terms and conditions: Public research funding  (PDF)

Before applying for funding

Check out our frequently asked questions about funding for the creative industries (PDF) 
What should be taken into account when planning an R&D project? Check out our tips (PDF)

Advance questions

Before you apply for R&D funding in the online service, please answer briefly (max 2 A4 pages) the following questions. Your answers will enable Business Finland’s expert to advise your company/organization when planning a project/application.

Funding call for creative industries and companies making use of creative industries

• Assess the turnover aimed to be achieved by the project in international markets in monetary terms.
• What are the target countries, and on what basis have they been chosen?
• What is the problem to be solved?
• What is the preliminary proposed solution?
• What other competitive alternatives have you identified in the targeted international market?
• Who is the end-user of the solution?
• What are the concrete and measurable objectives of a successful project?
• How will the results of a successful project be utilized?
• Concretization of the project: what kind of work packages does the project consist of? Also,
  describe the financing and human resource needs for the project, as well as the source of
  own financing required for the project.

Send your answers by email with the subject line “Funding for companies” to luovat (at) businessfinland.fi, and our experts will get back to you as soon as possible.

Funding call for Co-Innovation projects of creative companies and research organizations

• What is the idea and goal of the joint project?
• Who are the applicants?
• Other participants, if there are any.

Send your response by email with the subject line "Co-Innovation application" to luovat (at) businessfinland.fi. Our experts will get back to you as soon as possible.

More about the funding calls

Funding call for creative industries and companies making use of creative industries The application period for company projects is January 22 – May 31, 2025. Applications are processed and decisions are made throughout the running time of the call.

Funding call for Co-Innovation projects of creative companies and research organizations The application period for Co-Innovation projects is January 22 – August 27, 2025. Applications are jointly aligned after the end of the application period.

Both funding calls can be continued if necessary, depending on the demand for funding.

The growth of the creative sector is built in cooperation

Business Finland promotes the growth and internationalization of the creative industry together with industry organizations and ministries.

The Growth Deal is a way to foster continuous dialogue between the public sector and the business community. The Growth Deal is also a concrete action plan where the public sector and the representatives of various lines of business jointly outline the future growth and development goals and future business opportunities of the industry. The aim of the Growth Deal is to support the development, growth, and internationalization of the companies in the industry through practical measures. The Growth Deals describe the current state of each industry and propose objectives and measures.