Proposal for Finland’s first entrepreneurship strategy
Jussi Järventaus and Henrietta Kekäläinen have submitted their proposal for Finland’s first national entrepreneurship strategy in a report requested by Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä. They present ambitious, measurable goals for entrepreneurship policy and discuss in their report entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship policy comprehensively.
Their report contains 8 themes and altogether 45 proposals for creating an environment where entrepreneurs are motivated to expand their business and workforce.
The strategy proposed would span beyond government terms to 2028 and focus especially on small enterprises and small entrepreneurs. It aims to raise the employment rate through measures that are estimated to have positive impacts on entrepreneurs and on society in general as work is being transformed. Entrepreneurship is a key element in the transformation of work and helps create wellbeing and prosperity in the whole of society.
The labour market should be reformed to give enterprises incentives to grow their business and employ more people, a more reasonable and stimulating taxation system should be created, and the social security system should be made more equal. Entrepreneurs should be given opportunities to start over, the regulatory burden of enterprises should be eased and the quality of legislation improved. There should be more intersectoral cooperation and the strategy should be implemented on a long-term basis, spanning beyond government terms.
“We cannot maintain our welfare state without reinforcing Finnish entrepreneurship. That is why these proposals for stronger entrepreneurship are important for everyone in Finland and not just for Finnish entrepreneurs,” says Jussi Järventaus, co-author of the strategy proposal.
“In my opinion, the proposal to amend the tax treatment of employees’ options in unlisted companies is the most important one for start-ups and high-growth companies. It is of critical importance if Finland wants to have high-growth companies stationed in Finland now and in the future,” says Henrietta Kekäläinen, the other co-author of the report.
“The reviewers have done a thorough job. This is Finland’s first horizontal set of measures to promote entrepreneurship that extend over government terms,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä, who commissioned the review. “Successful enterprises that grow and employ people safeguard our wellbeing and prosperity. I am pleased to notice that the strategy proposal highlight the importance of entrepreneurs’ wellbeing and ability to continue working. A wellbeing entrepreneur is the condition for a prosperous enterprise with wellbeing employees.
“We will now discuss these proposals in more detail within the Government and with our partners. I hope this proposal will also serve as a basis for future governments, as well,” says Minister Lintilä.
Inquiries:
Jukka Ihanus, Special Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs, tel. +358 50 463 9929
Jussi Järventaus, co-author of the report, tel. +358 50 336 0015
Henrietta Kekäläinen, co-author of the report, tel. +1 415 860 5166 and +358 50 344 8110