ITEA Projects in Finland – Scaling Up and Internationalization with the Support of Business Finland
ITEA will host its annual Project Outline Preparation Days event in Istanbul, Turkey, on 15–17th of September. This is an excellent opportunity to internationalize and grow by joining international project consortia and showcasing your expertise to potential global partners. A preparatory information session for Finnish participants will be held online on 3 September at 14:00 (Finnish time). More information about the event is available here!
ITEA – Information Technology for European Advancement
ITEA is an international innovation programme under Eureka that focuses on the development of software-intensive systems and services. It brings together companies, research organisations, and universities to develop solutions across different areas of digitalisation. Key characteristics of ITEA activities include being industry-driven, international, and impact-oriented. This means that projects are typically based on the needs of companies and aim for clear business outcomes, such as new products and services targeting international markets. Current priority areas for ITEA include artificial intelligence and data, smart urban development, health and wellbeing, as well as security, in other words, fields that are highly relevant for actors in the Pirkanmaa region.
For Finnish participants, ITEA has been an important platform for internationalization, business growth, and the development of RDI activities since its establishment in 1998. Finnish companies and research institutions have already participated in more than 130 projects.
ITEA projects and the funding application process
ITEA projects are always international, multi-partner consortia. In addition to companies, they typically include research institutes and higher education institutions. Consortia must include participants from at least two countries, but in practice often consist of around 10–30 organisations from several countries. The projects are strongly software-oriented, although hardware-driven projects can also be included and receive funding.
Johan Plomp, Senior Scientist at VTT with extensive experience in ITEA projects, described typical projects as follows:
“In many projects, large companies take the lead in planning and coordination, but smaller companies, research institutes, and universities can also take on these roles. Research organisations and universities contribute from a research perspective, and SMEs can participate as partners. However, Business Finland often recommends that start-ups and very small companies participate as subcontractors when possible. Finnish participants are generally expected to allocate at least one person-year per year to the project. ITEA retains 1.5% of the approved project budget to cover its operational costs. A clear vision of impact, particularly regarding international markets, is essential even before the project begins.”
Typically, an ITEA project progresses from initial idea development and partner search to official ITEA events, and after passing the ITEA evaluation process, to national funding consideration.
One of the key events in the process is the annual Project Outline Days. At these events, participants present initial project ideas, including objectives, challenges, and especially expected business impacts. Ideas can come from various actors, including smaller companies, though projects often have a more experienced coordinator. At this stage, the concept can still be quite preliminary, and the final international consortium does not need to be fully formed, on the contrary, partners are actively sought during the event. Smaller actors have the opportunity to highlight their expertise and find their role within larger project structures. Occasionally, separate pitching sessions for SMEs are also organised.
After the presentations, ITEA evaluates the proposals internally and invites the most promising projects to proceed to the Full Project Proposal phase. At this stage, the project plan is significantly refined: the final consortium, division of work, responsibilities, timelines, and exploitation plans are described in detail. The full proposal is evaluated jointly by ITEA and national funding bodies, with particular emphasis on the consortium’s capability to implement the project, its expected impact, and the potential for strengthening international collaboration and business development. Approved projects receive the ITEA label, which enables them to apply for national funding, in Finland from Business Finland.
At the national level, Business Finland works in close cooperation with ITEA and ultimately funds the participation of Finnish actors in the consortia. Business Finland actively supports applicants throughout the process. Even before the official application phase, it can provide feedback on project plans and assess their funding eligibility.
Johan Plomp described the funding timeline as follows:
“The process begins with the submission of initial project outlines in September, with a deadline in November. Results of the internal ITEA evaluation are published in December. Projects that proceed must submit their full proposals by February, and those that pass receive their labels in March. After that, the national funding application process can begin. National processes vary. For example, some countries issue funding decisions faster than others. Overall, the process takes more than a year. Business Finland’s process is regulated and places particular emphasis on fostering international business growth. It is also often more practical for them to fund larger projects rather than many smaller ones.”
ITEA case example – COMPACT
A strong practical example of a successful ITEA project is COMPACT, which involved several Finnish companies as well as Tampere University. The project was carried out in cooperation with German and Austrian partners and focused on enhancing software development for IoT devices through automation and model-based approaches.
COMPACT followed the typical ITEA pathway: starting from an industry-driven idea, forming an international consortium, receiving the ITEA label through a two-phase application process, and obtaining national funding from Business Finland. The project developed new operating models and tools to accelerate software development and improve cost-efficiency, particularly in digital solutions. The results included concrete industrial applications, increased productivity, and clear business potential for participating companies. COMPACT illustrates well the strength of the ITEA model: close collaboration between research and industry, with a strong focus on practical utilization, market impact, and internationalization.
