Enterprise Ireland first Information Technology Trade Mission to Finland

Issued by Enterprise Ireland

Ten software companies will participate this week (5-7 November, 2003) in Enterprise Ireland's first Information Technology Trade Mission to Finland. The mission, designed to raise Ireland's profile as a world-class supplier of the latest information technology, will be led by the Minister of State for Trade and Commerce, Mr Michael Ahern T.D.

Commenting on the importance of the Finnish market for Irish software companies Minister Ahern said: "One of the aims of this trade mission is to raise the profile of Ireland as a world-class supplier of high technology products and services to the sophisticated and discerning Finnish market. Finland is one of the most advanced IT nations in the world and is widely regarded as an early adopter of new technology. It is particularly important therefore that Irish companies develop high quality contacts with potential customers in this market. This Trade Mission offers valuable opportunities to the 10 participating companies to meet some customers for the first time and will help others to build on existing relationships".

Robert Bushnell, IT Business Development Adviser Nordic markets, Enterprise Ireland said: "Finland is not a big market but it is a market with a big reputation. A reference site in Finland carries weight in the rest of Europe in a way that a sale in Ireland or the UK, does not. A referenceable implementation in a technology credible country like Finland is one of the most powerful sales tool for an unknown Irish software company looking to internationalise".

"Software sales by Enterprise Ireland clients to Finland are currently running at about €3 million. We are putting in place a program to increase this by €2.5m in an 18-month period", he added.

Notes to Editors:

Companies participating on the Trade Mission

• Tango Telecom - www.tango.ie
• Daon - www.daon.com
• Orbo Technologies - www.orbo.com
• WS2 - www.ws2.com
• Iona Technologies - www.iona.com
• 3Q Solutions - www.3q-solutions.com
• Ossidian - www.ossidian.com
• SoftCo - www.softco.com
• Soft-Ex - www.soft-ex.net
• Espatial - www.espatial.com

Example of Irish companies with sales in Finland in 2003 include:

• Securitas in Finland is pioneering the use of the WS2 telematics middleware platform to monitor remote assets using GPS technology

• Finnish Government State Treasury is using SoftCo technology for digital archiving and purchase invoice management

• Finnish Defence Forces use Soft-Ex technology to control and analyze their telecommunications costs

• Sonera Zed is using Am-Beo technology for rating and settlement. Sonera Zed was formerly owned by Sonera and Yahoo and is now part of theTeliaSonera Group, the largest Nordic telco.

• Finnish Population Register Centre is using the (former) Baltimore UniCERT™ for its National Electronic Identification Card

IT Facts Finland

• In 1982 Eunet the first Finnish Internet Service provider was established and the first generation mobile phone network was taken into use

• In 1991 the Year of "The Digital Big Bang". Finland's Prime Minister Mr Harri Holkeri made the first GSM call in the world.

• In 1993 the first GSM text message is sent by a Finnish engineering student Riku Pihkonen.

• In the following 10 years Finland has remained at the forefront of the IT revolution, not least through the world famous Nokia and extensive R&D investment. Finland is number 3 globally in R&D per capita investment and has one of the highest mobile phone and Internet penetrations in the world.

Points of interest - Finland

• Europe's most competitive economy 2002 -2003 (WEF)
• Number 3 globally in R&D spending per capita
• One of the highest Internet penetration in the world
• One of the highest mobile phone penetration in the world
• Global leader in electronic banking
• National 100% digital fibre-optic network

For further information:

Robert Bushnell

Enterprise Ireland, Stockholm

Mobile + 46 709667613