1. Support for Projects in Developing Countries

2. Background and objective
Financed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, managed by Finnfund
Promotes business cooperation between companies in Finland and in developing countries
Offers support for developing country projects:
Business Partnership Support
Matchmaking service
Advice and guidance

3. Business partnership support
Finnpartnership
Business partnership support

4. Business Partnership Support - What?
Financial support for the planning, development and training phases of projects aiming at establishing long term commercial activity in, or starting importing from developing countries
BPS can cover a part of the following expenses in projects involving importing from developing countries:
identifying business partners and assessing the available product range; feasibility study
product development related to market specific merchandising
tests related to market specific merchandising
test fees required by authorities
tests and analyses related to project or environmental assessments
improving working conditions, terms of employment and occupational safety
auditing related to assessing the social and environmental responsibility of producers
employee training related to improving quality or research and development.
BPS can also be applied for implementing Quality and Environmental Management Standards and Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, EMAS, OHSAS or Social Accountability Standard SA8000), as well as for training related to these. However, the certification of Management Systems, including costs for auditing and certification, cannot be covered with BPS.

5. Business Partnership Support
Supportable projects

6. Business Partnership Support - Area of Operation
Low Income Developing Countries
Upper Middle Income Developing Countries

7. Business Partnership Support - Approved BPS by continent

8. Business Partnership Support - Supportable project types
A grant type of seed capital for projects aiming at long-term business partnerships in developing countries, e.g.
joint venture, subsidiary company
other long-term partnerships (long-term subcontracting, maintenance, franchise or licensing contract)
importing from developing countries
vocational education and training
The support does not cover:
market studies related to establishing a sales office
identification of distributors
exports from Finland to developing countries!
BPS can cover a part of the following expenses in projects involving importing from developing countries:
identifying business partners and assessing the available product range; feasibility study
product development related to market specific merchandising
tests related to market specific merchandising
test fees required by authorities
tests and analyses related to project or environmental assessments
improving working conditions, terms of employment and occupational safety
auditing related to assessing the social and environmental responsibility of producers
employee training related to improving quality or research and development.
BPS can also be applied for implementing Quality and Environmental Management Standards and Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, EMAS, OHSAS or Social Accountability Standard SA8000), as well as for training related to these. However, the certification of Management Systems, including costs for auditing and certification, cannot be covered with BPS.

9. Business Partnership Support - Eligible applicants
companies registered in Finland or elsewhere that have a substantial link to Finland (significant Finnish ownership or a contractual relationship between a Finnish company and the company registered abroad)
public utilities or other institutions registered in Finland
research facilities, universities, cooperatives, chambers of commerce or similar organisations based in Finland
non-governmental organisations/associations registered in Finland that practice or contribute to economic operations
consortium of several companies or organisations

10. Business Partnership Support - Supportable sectors
Support to all sectors except for exclusion list, e.g.
E.g. alcohol, tobacco, gambling
Support (€) allocated mostly for:
ICT (17 %)
Services (8 %)
Environment (8 %)
Energy (8 %)
Manufacturing, engineering and machinery (7 %)
Metal and industry engineering (6 %)
Agriculture and food processing (6 %)
Construction (6 %)
Hakemuksia vastaanotettu, hyväksytty, hylätty keskimäärin laskettu luvuista ja pyöristetty yksikkö ylöspäin jos ei kokoluku (kokovuosina eli )
Tukea myönnetty eniten (euroissa):
IT-ala (13 %), konepajateollisuus (13 %), ympäristöteknologia (10 %), energiateollisuus (8 %), metsä- ja paperi (7 %), rakennusteollisuus (6 %), metalliteollisuus (6 %).
Laskettu 2006 – 2009 luvuista.

11. Finnpartnership
Matchmaking

12. Matchmaking - Identifying Business Partnerships
Finnpartnership channels business partnership initiatives and opportunities from companies in developing countries to Finnish companies
Opportunities are added to the Matchmaking database (www) where they can be explored
Partnership initiatives can also be forwarded directly to interested parties
Currently around 350 companies are looking for business partners from Finland
One registered company from Bhutan so far

14. Matchmaking - Identifying Business Partnerships
Business initiatives are published on the internet and newsletter
Easy to search for the profiles with the search engine
Business partnership initiatives will also be forwarded directly to eligible companies and partner organizations
Workshops
Team Finland network
Finnpartnership screens potential Finnish companies operating in the same sector.

15. Finnpartnership
Advisory services

16. Advice and guidance
Monthly newsletter: information on business opportunities and events related to business partnerships and business opportunities
Developing Country Database: provides useful information for the companies aiming to do business in developing countries

17. c/o Finnfund, P. O. Box 391, 00121 Helsinki, Finland tel
c/o Finnfund, P.O. Box 391, Helsinki, Finland tel , fax