Growth Forum 2026 – Innovating Boldly, Growing Globally
Final Seminar of the ISMEF Project | Interreg Central Baltic Programme
On 20 January 2026, the Growth Forum brought together the smart mobility community across Finland, Estonia, and the wider Nordic‑Baltic region to discuss how bold innovation, cross‑border collaboration, and export acceleration can drive sustainable economic growth. Held at Pörssitalo in Helsinki, the event also served as the final seminar of the ISMEF project, co‑funded by the Interreg Central Baltic Programme and implemented by ITS Finland and lead partner ITL Estonia.
As the culmination of a three‑year collaboration, the Growth Forum highlighted the project’s core mission: enabling small and medium‑sized mobility companies to scale, internationalize, and enter new global markets through shared knowledge, joint actions, and cross‑border partnerships.
Growth Forum recording
A Stage for Collaboration, Innovation, and Global Ambition
Moderated by Jenny Simonsen (ITS Norway) and Sanni Remonen (ITS Finland), the day opened with a clear message: Europe—and especially the Nordics and Baltics—needs to move from discussions to implementation. Innovation must translate into exportable solutions, and ecosystems must work seamlessly across borders.
The programme gathered an outstanding lineup of speakers:
Bold Innovation as a Growth Driver
- Inka Mero (Voima Ventures) delivered an inspiring keynote on Finland’s opportunity to lead with radical innovation and deep‑tech entrepreneurship. The slogan “Lasse Viren moment” became familiar again.
Digital Society as a Platform for Growth
- Kedi Välba (Aktors / ITL Estonia) demonstrated how digitally mature societies create competitive advantages that translate directly into export opportunities.
Market Opportunities Abroad
Participants received timely insights from:
- CES Las Vegas and the Los Angeles mobility ecosystem
- UK market specialists
These highlighted the demand for Nordic‑Baltic expertise in smart, sustainable, and data‑driven mobility solutions.
Best Cases from Finland and Estonia
Showcasing SME excellence was central to the event:
- ScanwAi (FI) – Olli Tannerkoski
- CybExer Technologies (EE) – Tomi Helkearo
- Solita (FI) – Anssi Krooks
These cases demonstrated how companies from Finland and Estonia can jointly offer full‑stack solutions to international markets—an essential theme of the ISMEF project.
Ecosystems, Partnerships, and the Power of Cross‑Border Networks
The afternoon programme further emphasized the strategic importance of collaboration:
Scaling Innovation Through European Ecosystems
- Adriana Pacheco (EIT Urban Mobility) shared pathways for companies to connect with European partnerships, funding instruments, and innovation platforms.
Fireside Chat: Smart and Sustainable Futures
Featuring:
- Jamie Saab (Wolt)
- Andreas Holmberg (Bolt)
- Eevi Heikkinen (Starship Technologies)
Their discussion emphasized sustainability, automation, and the need for harmonized regulation to support cross‑border mobility solutions.
From Local Innovations to Global Business
Experts from VTT and Tieto outlined how experimentation, data, and design‑driven development help companies scale solutions beyond the Nordic market.
ISMEF Project: Strengthening Export Capabilities Through Cooperation
The ISMEF project – “Increasing international sales in the intelligent and sustainable mobility sectors of Estonia and Finland” – has provided a comprehensive set of tools and activities to support SMEs, including:
- market insights and analyses
- export coaching and sales training
- joint workshops and co‑creation
- company delegations to priority markets
- branding and visibility support
The project’s core belief has remained constant:
Finland and Estonia are stronger together.
Pooling expertise enables companies to bid for larger international projects and deliver integrated, high‑quality mobility solutions.
Why Export Promotion Matters—Especially Now
In a rapidly changing world shaped by geopolitical shifts, climate targets, and digital transformation, the Nordic and Baltic countries must embrace proactive internationalization. Export‑driven growth is essential for strengthening regional competitiveness, securing high‑value employment, and scaling sustainable technologies that support the green transition.
For small and medium‑sized companies, this is especially critical. Access to global markets often requires networks, joint offerings, and support that extends beyond national boundaries—exactly the environment created by ISMEF.
A Collective Effort
The success of the Growth Forum and the broader ISMEF project has been made possible thanks to strong collaboration between:
- ITS Finland
- ITL Estonia (Lead Partner)
- Business Finland
- Fintraffic & Traffic Data Service Cluster
- EIT Urban Mobility
- Ministry of Transport and Communications, Finland
- numerous companies, experts, and partner organizations
We extend our warm thanks to all speakers, partners, and participants who contributed to the event and to the three‑year journey of ISMEF.
Looking Ahead
While ISMEF officially concludes in early 2026, the networks, competencies, and joint export models created during the project will continue to live on. Growth Forum 2026 demonstrated clearly that when Finland and Estonia combine their strengths—and when Nordic‑Baltic partners work as one—innovation scales faster, exports grow stronger, and sustainable mobility solutions gain global relevance.
The work does not end here. It evolves.
