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Strategic Forum 2025 brought the Finnish–U.S. business community together in New York for a full day of conversation around defence, cybersecurity, AI, and quantum technologies — and their growing role in transatlantic cooperation.

The forum featured keynote talks and panel discussions with speakers including Ambassadors Jarmo Sarevaand Tom Shannon, Risto Siilasmaa, Tero Ojanperä, and leaders from organizations such as NASA, Palantir, TactoTek, Emberion, and KuvaSpace. Conversations reflected timely themes shaped by Finland’s NATO membership, Arctic expertise, and leadership in emerging technologies.

The day concluded with FACC-NY’s Little Christmas Party, giving nearly 150 participants the chance to continue conversations in a relaxed, festive setting.

Cities rarely fail because of a lack of capital. They fail when vision, incentives, and execution fall out of alignment.

How Happy Cities Are Built brings Helsinki and New York together in a mayoral-level dialogue to consider how cities can strengthen livability and affordability while remaining economically competitive. Through a peer exchange between two global cities with different perspectives, the event looks at how leadership can align policy, capital, infrastructure, and lived behavior to deliver long-term urban outcomes. The focus is on practical insights and lessons learned, turning dialogue into real collaboration that supports people, communities, and long-term urban wellbeing.

How do Nordic start-ups and SMEs successfully enter, scale, and compete in the U.S. market?

The FACC-NY US Market Entry & Growth Forum brings together Nordic growth companies, U.S. investors, Nordic banks, procurement specialists, and market-entry experts for a focused, high-impact day at Scandinavia House in New York City — with a virtual participation option.

Designed for companies preparing to enter, expand, or raise capital in the United States, the forum combines live investor pitching, candid feedback, practical market-entry guidance, and curated B2B matchmaking. A unique student consulting component, featuring teams from Hult International Business School and Harvard, adds fresh, datadriven perspectives on U.S. market-entry and growth strategies.

The forum is co-hosted by FACC-NY and Business Finland / Team Finland and forms part of a broader Nordic–U.S. dialogue on innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable growth. Key insights from the event will be shared through a dedicated podcast to extend the reach and impact of the discussions.

Join us to connect, learn, and accelerate your U.S. growth journey.

 

–> More information to follow.

Please join us for the Finnish–U.S. Life Science Accelerator Forum 2026 with DNB Carnegie Backbay, a high-level event bringing together leaders from across the Atlantic to explore innovation, investment, and collaboration in life sciences and health technology.

This forum will feature an outstanding group of speakers, including MD, PhD Leena Niemistö, board professional, Finnish business executive, and prominent health-tech angel investor; Andreas Dirnagl, Senior Adviser, DNB Healthcare; Jarmo Sareva, Consul General of Finland in New York; Rami Jokela, CEO, Solar Foods (alternative protein and food tech); Antti Vuolanto, CEO, Herantis (biotech, neurodegenerative diseases); Juho Himberg, CEO, Optomed (medical imaging and diagnostics); Mikko Karvinen, CEO, Nexstim (neurotechnology and brain stimulation); Jukka Tapaninen, CEO, Aiforia (AIbased medical imaging and diagnostics), and MD Jonathan Gertler, Managing Partner&CEO, BackBay Life Science Advisors along with other inspiring speakers, panelists, and moderators.

The day will feature insightful keynote talks, engaging panel discussions, and valuable networking opportunities. Themes include:

• How Finnish healthcare and life science companies navigate this moment in the U.S
• Policy Landscape – Healthcare in a Changing Trade Environment
• Backing Breakthroughs – How Smart Capital Builds Life Science Success
• From Innovation to Impact –Translating Finnish Healthcare Solutions into the U.S. System
• MedTech Innovation – The Future of Detection
• New Frontiers – Next-Generation Patient Treatment Outcomes

Following the Forum, we invite you to continue the conversation in Volvo Hall for drinks and light bites, as we conclude the day in a relaxed and collegial setting.

Sign up through link: https://luma.com/4pion0gk

Women’s Leadership Roundtable

A quarterly gathering for conversation, learning, and connection.

Each roundtable brings together Finnish, Nordic, and Baltic professionals for interactive discussions and workshops — shaped by the participants themselves. Topics may include leadership, entrepreneurship, funding and finance, future skills and AI, innovation, and work–life balance.

Launch Event on the 9^th of March

Join us as we mark the official launch of the Roundtable in connection with International

Women’s Day. We are honored to welcome Kristiina Helenius, C.E.O. of Miltton USA and bestselling author, as our inaugural speaker. With over 30 years of leadership experience spanning business, diplomacy, and media across Europe, Asia, and the United States, Kristiina is a widely recognized thought leader, cited by The New York Times and Forbes. Her work focuses on helping companies and leaders succeed in new markets—particularly in the United States.

📍 Scandinavia House

🗓 Monday, March 9, 2026

⏰ 12:00–2:00 PM

🍽 Lunch & seminar

Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program

A structured mentorship program focused on personal and professional growth.

The mentoring program pairs experienced business leaders and founders with Finnish professional women seeking guidance and support. The pilot phase will include 10 mentors and 10 mentees and offer one-on-one mentorship, leadership tools, skillsbuilding workshops, and access to a supportive professional community.

🗓 Applications open Spring 2026

🚀 Program launches September 2026

Who Can Join

The initiative is open to Finnish professional women in the NYC Tri-State area, as well as partners and collaborators across the Nordic and Baltic community.

Get Involved

Be part of the inaugural year of this new initiative.

Stay tuned for upcoming events, announcements, and application details. 👉

Celebrating Community, Collaboration & Momentum for 2026 

Dear FACC-NY Community, 

As we look back on an inspiring and productive quarter, we extend our heartfelt thanks to every one of you—our members, partners, speakers, collaborators, and friends. Your energy, ideas, and engagement made this quarter truly impactful and strengthened our Finnish-American business community. 

This quarter once again demonstrated the power of our shared mission: to strengthen transatlantic cooperation between Finland and the United States, elevate Finnish innovation and leadership in the U.S. market, and provide a trusted platform for dialogue, growth, and new opportunities across business, policy, and technology. 

Through our events, forums, and conversations, FACC-NY continued to serve as a bridge—connecting Finnish companies, U.S. leaders, investors, policymakers, and experts at a time when global complexity, technological change, and geopolitical shifts demand deeper collaboration than ever before. 

Whether you joined us at events, contributed your expertise, supported fellow members, or shared feedback that helped shape our programming, you played an essential role in building a vibrant, forward-looking community. Together, we are not only responding to change—we are helping shape what comes next. 

As we close out the quarter we are pleased to share four key highlights from 2025: 

• Your feedback from the fall event season 

• Insights from our Executive Summit, From Caution to Courage: Finnish Companies and the Path to U.S. Growth  

• Key takeaways from the FACC-NY Strategic Forum 2025, Connecting Finland and the US in Defense, AI, Quantum and Cybersafety 

• A Night at the Museum: Finland’s 108th Independence Day. 

 

This year made it clear that the future of Finnish–American cooperation is being shaped now. From U.S. market entry and investment to security, advanced technologies, and the energy transition, our members are operating where business strategy meets global relevance. In this environment, standing still is not an option. Progress requires clarity of vision, courage to act, and partners you can rely on. 

 

1. What We Heard: Member Feedback 

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback this fall. It guides our strategy and ensures our programming reflects the needs and interests of our community. 

 

🎯 Strong Satisfaction With Events 

Members praised our high-quality speakers, relevant topics, and excellent organization. Many highlighted FACC-NY’s energy, professionalism, and welcoming atmosphere as standout elements of the season. 

🌐 More Networking, Please 

A recurring—and welcome—request was one we hear often: more time for networking. Members deeply value opportunities to connect with peers, partners, and potential collaborators. 

🌎 Growing Interest in Sustainability & Renewables 

Many respondents asked for expanded programming on sustainability, renewable energy, and green-transition innovation. We are excited to bring more of this to the forefront in 2026. 

🚀 Topics That Resonated Most 

• Access to U.S. funding 

• Finnish strengths in the U.S. marketplace 

• Life sciences and health innovation 

• Pathways for company expansion into the U.S. 

 

The fall season was described as “phenomenal.” Our holiday gathering also stood out as a warm and appreciated moment of community connection. 

If you haven’t shared your thoughts—or have new ideas—please reach out. Your voice directly shapes our work. 

 

1. Executive Summit Recap 

From Caution to Courage: Finnish Companies and the Path to U.S. Growth 

Our annual Executive Summit brought together leaders to examine what it truly takes for Finnish companies to succeed in the U.S. market. The clearest message: success in America is never accidental. It requires insight, boldness, and committed local presence. 

📉 The Growth Gap 

A recent McKinsey report shows Finnish companies trailing global peers by 1.6% in annual shareholder returns.
Key recommendations included: 

• Setting more ambitious growth targets 

• Allocating capital more effectively 

• Embracing innovation and risk-taking 

🇺🇸 Local Presence Is Critical 

Whether through greenfield or brownfield investments—or through the often-faster route of M&A—companies that build visible, trusted local leadership gain credibility and long-term traction in the U.S. marketplace. 

💡 Key Advice for Finnish Companies 

• Build a strong local presence 

• Stay true to your values while taking calculated risks 

• Be bold in competitive environments 

• Engage geopolitical advisors to navigate global complexity 

 

♻️ Innovation & Sustainability 

We had an enlightening discussion on how to cut emissions and accelerate the energy transition through bold investment in renewables and continuous innovation. We explored how emerging technologies can transform low-quality raw materials into high-quality renewable solutions—from recyclable inputs to sustainable fuels—and how new scalable feedstocks, including regenerative agriculture–based oils, will shape the next chapter of the industry. 

The panel offered compelling advice: stay true to your values, design for the next generation, and leverage local expertise, including U.S. renewable tax credits that help bring solutions to market faster. 

One message came through clearly: policy support is essential. Stable, long-term frameworks unlock the investment and innovation needed to scale low-emission solutions. California’s LCFS—enabling more than 75% renewable diesel penetration—is a powerful example of regulation driving real-world transformation. 

The message was unmistakable: it is time to shift from caution to courageous, value-driven international growth. 

 

 

 

1. Strategic Forum 2025 Recap 

Connecting Finland and the US in Defense, AI, Quantum and Cybersafety 

What an extraordinary day of insight, collaboration, and forward-looking discussion. The FACC-NY Strategic Forum brought together leaders across defense, technology, policy, and industry to examine how innovation, security, and competitiveness are evolving—fast. 

 

Our themes spanned dual-use technologies, cybersecurity, and the accelerating frontiers of AI and quantum. Conversations moved from low -tech cybersecurity protocols to the possibilities of future lunar habitats—a testament to the breadth of today’s innovation landscape. 

As Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen emphasized in her opening remarks, dual-use technologies, AI, and quantum have the potential to become Finland’s next major competitive edges. 

⚡ Lessons From Ukraine 

Ukraine demonstrates that speed and adaptability—not size—now determine advantage.
Innovation cycles measured in days, not years, are transforming how allied nations design, test, and deploy technology. 

🔁 Dual-Use Technologies Are Redefining the Landscape 

From scalable autonomous systems to resilient communications, the divide between civilian and defense innovation is rapidly dissolving.
The future belongs to organizations that can integrate, adapt, and scale quickly. 

These conversations reinforced a key insight: leadership in this new era will belong to those who innovate boldly, collaborate deeply, and act with strategic foresight. 

🔭 A Mindset for the Future 

Risto Siilasmaa’s concept of paranoid optimism captures the moment perfectly: 

• Stay alert to weak signals and emerging risks 

• Stay confident that challenges are solvable 

This balance—curiosity paired with vigilance—lies at the heart of true foresight. 

 

 

1. A Magical Night at the Museum  

Finland’s 108th Independence Day. A heartfelt thank you to our Consul General Jarmo Sareva for a magical “Night at the Museum”. This year’s celebration of Finland’s 108th Independence Day 🇫🇮 was unforgettable—held at the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art and framed by the museum’s stunning new exhibition on Helene Schjerfbeck. 

It is a rare privilege for our community to gather at the Met, especially with such an extraordinary Finnish artist in the spotlight. Schjerfbeck’s evolution—from finely detailed realism to bold, distilled modernism—reflects the same spirit of reinvention and creativity that defines our Finnish-American community. As Roberta Smith wrote, Schjerfbeck’s works are “distilled, nearly abstract images in which pure paint and cryptic description are held in perfect balance.” 

 

For those in or traveling to New York, we warmly encourage you to experience this remarkable exhibition. It is a beautiful way to honor Finland’s artistic legacy and celebrate our shared cultural heritage. We marked this year’s Independence Day with meaning and pride. 

 

Looking Ahead to 2026 

We enter the new year with gratitude—and with great enthusiasm for what’s ahead. 

 

In 2026, FACC-NY will continue to: 

• Expand sustainability and renewables programming 

• Deepen conversations on U.S. expansion and capital markets 

• Elevate technology, innovation, and dual-use insights 

• Strengthen leadership and talent development initiatives 

• Create even more opportunities for networking and collaboration 

 

Together, we will continue building a strong, global community through innovation, and shared ambition. 

 

Warmest Holiday Wishes 

On behalf of the entire FACC-NY team, thank you for your continued participation, and support. You make our conversations meaningful and possible. Looking to 2026, FACC-NY will continue to connect leaders, ideas, and opportunities across the Atlantic. 

 

A heartfelt thank you to our Executive Members Virala Oy Ab, Veikko Laine Oy, DNB, Neste, Fiskars Group, Endomines, PwC and Orion for a fantastic partnership.  Thank you also Consul General Jarmo Sareva and Team Finland for your continued support and collaboration. 

 

We wish you all a joyful holiday season and a successful, inspiring start to the new year 2026. 

Hyvää Joulua – Glad Advent! 

 

The FACC-NY Team  

📸 Photo Credit: Pontus Höök