Media innovation support will begin to be granted for the development of new digital services aimed at the Finnish public.
In the spring, the government decided on fixed-term innovation support to the sum of 30 million euros divided over the next three years. The support represents temporary transition assistance, the goal of which is that the media sector would be able to transition into the new digital age better than ever. The support will be administered by the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation Tekes.
According to the Minister of Education and Communications Krista Kiuru, the development of new services in the media sector is difficult in the current economic situation for both small and large businesses. The smaller the player in question, the more likely it is that they do not have sufficient resources and know-how to invest in the challenges raised by digitalisation.
"The dramatic change now taking place in the media sector will strongly affect the sector's business environment and will require a significant investment in the renewal of operations. This is what we want to support", Minister Kiuru says.
"Innovativeness will be the most important criterion for the granting of support. Of course innovativeness is something that can in itself be interpreted in numerous ways. However, the goal is not to set a strict framework, but rather to enable different kinds of creative media sector services and solutions", states Minister Kiuru.
The goal is not to limit the use of the support to, for example, only certain types of media or a particular technological solution. The support is technologically neutral, but still such that the project must be implemented in a digital environment.
The support can be granted to different kinds of development projects, such as the development of new products, services, solutions or production systems. The goal is to promote in particular the creation of media sector services and solutions aimed at the Finnish public.
Further Information
Mr Antton Rönnholm, Special Adviser, tel. +358 295 34 2676
Ms Elina Thorström, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 34 2393
