HELSINKI: Finland’s Overall, domestic start-ups received a record-breaking €466 million in investments in the first quarter of the year 2015, signalling a notable increase from the usual €100 to €300 million.
The record is largely attributable to a single acquisition: the acquisition of Paroc, a manufacturer of stone wool insulation panels, by CVC Capital Partners for €700 million. Early-stage investments, in contrast, stood at a modest €15 million, falling well short of quarterly averages.
Furthermore, the Finnish Venture Capital Association (FVCA) has reported that relative to gross domestic product the early-stage investments received by domestic start-ups were second only to Sweden in Europe last year, outstripping countries such as Ireland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.