Dynamism and drive INKA-status comes with prestige and national responsibility
katja lösönen
DESPITE HARD TIMES Ostrobothnia can still proudly present the country’s best employment rate. Kaj Suomela, director at the ELY Centre in Vaasa argues that the dynamism and drive in the region is the reason behind this. “We have a very versatile industry structure and we represent an innovative approach. The energy cluster is growing steadily and thanks to that we have received INKA-status.” The INKA-status means that the city of Vaasa has been given national responsibility for sustainable energy solutions. The Ministry of Employment and the Economy has established five different themes for five different innovative cities. Being granted this status means increased international competitiveness and prestige in addition to opening up new opportunities for increased co-operation. The ELY Centre serves the whole region and is always on the lookout for new innovative business ideas that can improve the
employment rate. According to Suomela, there is a great diversity of enterprises in Ostrobothnia: “We have the forest industry in Jakobstad, whilst further north Kokkola is characterized by the metal and chemical industries and the big port. In the southern parts of the region, the greenhouse business dominates the landscape and there is an abundance of subcontractors, family businesses and small-scale entrepreneurs spread out all across the region”, Suomela explains. The agricultural sector is also doing well and, according to Suomela, the sector is increasingly concentrating in western Finland. “We have many large food processing companies in the region. Fishery is also an important and traditional part of the business landscape.” Currently, the ELY Centre is focusing on increased internationalization. Specifically they are working on the Ostrobothnian subcontractors’ internationalization. To
“Some of our most important tasks are to promote startups, focus on the Youth Employment and ensure that Ostrobothnia will remain a region of opportunity”, director Kaj Suomela says.
guarantee a thriving region it is essential that both large and small businesses are faring well. “The big industries live in a constant state of symbiosis with the smaller subcontractors. It is of the utmost importance to be able to continuously provide competent and available subcontractors, since without them the big industries simply would not exist”, Suomela states. c
the ely centre www.ely-keskus.fi/pohjanmaa kirjaamo.pohjanmaa@ely-keskus.fi Tel. +358 295 028 500 Business sector: Promoting 020638 entrepreneurship, the functioning of the labour market, preservation of a thriving countryside, competence and cultural activities and Tekes services (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation). Employees: 130
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