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Finland invests more in the games industry than any other
country in Europe. Public investment in the games industry
relative to the population is now 1.1 euros per head, compared
with about 4 cents in the EU region.
The biggest source of funds in Finland is Tekes - Finnish
Funding Agency for Technology and Innovations, which during
2007 has supported the industry to the tune of six million
euros. At the EU level, public investment is 21 million euros.
There is good reason for the considerable investment in the
games industry in Finland. The growth rate in the sector is
expected to reach almost 50 per cent in future years, compared
with an international average of 15-20 per cent. Worldwide,
the entire industry is valued at about 25 billion dollars
a year.
Money for game demos
Tekes finances Finnish games companies through the Verso
- Vertical Software Solutions - programme. There are 21 companies
taking part in Verso, which is accelerating the business competence
and international operations of software companies.
Tekes's latest funding instrument gives companies in the
field an opportunity to finance the making of a game demo
with public funds. A demo is considered vital for companies
with their eyes set on international markets and an audience
with major games publishers.
Unique ideas
Keith Bonnici, Verso's Programme Manager, says that
world-class content expertise and companies that have achieved
international success are to be found in Finland.
"The success factors of the Finnish games industry are
the technical competence of the games companies coupled with
expertise in the games' contents and the unique ideas,"
Bonnici explains.
Bonnici mentions as a good example Habbo Hotel, which began
its world conquest at the beginning of the decade.
"The price/quality ratio of the games production has
traditionally been good in Finland. Big foreign contract partners
also appreciate that Finns produce the goods within the agreed
schedules."
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www.tekes.fi
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