The ‘90 Day Finn’ program, launched at the beginning of November, turned out to be a huge success. During the five-week application period, Helsinki Business Hub received more than 5300 applications from all over the world. A large majority of the applicants were remote workers looking for a safe and attractive place to live and work.
“We were expecting this program to appeal to a good number of professionals, but the influx of inquiries and the number of high-quality applications exceeded our wildest dreams. This is proof that Finland truly has a charm that intrigues people far and wide, both as a safe and stable environment and as a leading global technology hub,” says Johanna Huurre, Marketing and Communications Director at Helsinki Business Hub.
The ‘90 Day Finn’ program, which offers a free 90-day relocation package to Helsinki, Finland, is primarily targeted for top talent, founders, and investors on the US West Coast. However, the message resonated well with people all over the world. Applications came from, for example, South Africa, Israel and Australia. US applicants were the largest group with a 30 % share.
Of the professionals that applied for the program, more than 70 % were planning on continuing to work for their current employer, remotely from Finland. Approximately 16 % of the applicants were entrepreneurs, and 12 % were currently unemployed or wanted to find a job in Finland. Also, investors showed strong interest in Finland, with almost 60 applicants identifying themselves as venture capitalists or angel investors looking to set base, at least temporarily, in Finland.
More than half of the applicants wanted to come to Finland with their families. This was no surprise since Finland is widely acknowledged for offering a remarkable level of work-life balance. The ´90 Day Finn´ program promises to arrange everything from housing to daycare, schools and healthcare. Program entrants are also provided with in-person introductions to local technology hubs and business networks, which ensures that the selected applicants get settled and up to speed in no time.
“Going through all of the applications is a huge task, and we’ve had a hard time shortlisting candidates. We are now trying to identify applicants, who would benefit the most from what we have to offer, and who would be able to enrich the tech scene here in Helsinki, “ Johanna Huurre says.
Based on the interviews, a maximum of 15 participants will be selected to participate in the program. Both the chosen participants and non-selected applicants will be informed within the next few weeks. All applicants will be instructed on other routes to explore relocation opportunities in Finland.
“We are grateful for the interest people have shown, and although we only have 15 spots available within the ´90 Day Finn´ program, we want to encourage everyone to pursue their dream of becoming a Finn. We have just launched Talent Pool Helsinki, which is a common place for international tech talent and companies from the Helsinki region to find each other. As for entrepreneurs and investors who are looking to relocate here, we encourage them to contact us directly. We are ready to help everyone with tailored services,“ explains Helsinki Business Hub’s Johanna Huurre.
The 90-day visits for selected entrants are scheduled to start from February 2021, offering fast movers an opportunity to experience a true Nordic winter. Stay tuned to follow how becoming a Finn for 90 days works out for our chosen entrants!
For more information on the program, please visit www.90dayfinn.com.
If you would like to be found by Finnish employers looking for talent, please store your information on Talent Pool Helsinki.
Want to know more?
Johanna Huurre
Marketing and Communications Director
johanna.huurre@hbh.fi
+358 400 211 251