Your Guide to Business & IP Funding Opportunities

While Zennip does not provide direct funding, I can help you identify and navigate the programmes that best fit your business and intellectual property objectives.

Here are the key funding areas I can help you explore:

  • Innovation & R&D – Breakthrough ideas and collaborative projects, like those supported by the EIC Accelerator or Horizon Europe.

  • Business Development & Growth – National-level support such as ELY Centres or Finnvera financial instruments.

  • Regional & Cross-Border Collaboration – Nordic Innovation initiatives or local grants tailored to your region and sector.

  • Start-Up and Early-Stage Support – Seed funding, innovation vouchers, or acceleration programmes, including Business Finland’s Young Innovative Company funding.

Below you’ll find trusted sources of information and links to get started with each of these.

Changes to ELY Centres in 2026

From the start of 2026, Finland’s current ELY Centres (Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) will be replaced by 10 new regional Economic Development Centres. These new organisations will continue to support business growth, innovation, and regional development — but with a more streamlined structure.

Environmental supervision and permitting tasks will be moved to a separate Finnish Supervisory Agency, allowing the new centres to focus fully on economic and business services.

You can read more about the reform here: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment – Economic Development Centres

Business Finland

Business Finland offers funding, advice, and networking services to help Finnish companies innovate, grow internationally, and strengthen their competitiveness. Their funding instruments range from innovation and R&D support to market entry grants.

  • Who it’s for: Finnish companies of all sizes, research organisations, and public bodies.

  • What it covers: R&D projects, innovation activities, internationalisation, and more.

  • Learn more: Business Finland – Funding Services

EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office

The EUIPO manages the EU trademark and design systems and offers the SME Fund to help small and medium-sized enterprises protect their intellectual property rights. The fund can cover part of the costs for trademark, design, patent, and plant variety registrations, as well as IP pre-diagnostic services.

  • Who it’s for: SMEs established in the EU.

  • What it covers: Partial reimbursements for IP registration fees and related services.

  • Learn more: EUIPO SME Fund

Other Potential Funding Sources

Depending on your business sector, size, and goals, there may be other national or EU-level funding opportunities available. Examples include:

  • EIC Accelerator (for breakthrough innovations): EIC Accelerator

  • Horizon Europe (for collaborative research and innovation projects): Horizon Europe

  • ELY Centres – support for business development, investment, and training: ELY Centres – Business Services

  • Finnvera – loans, guarantees, and export financing to support growth and internationalisation: Finnvera

  • Nordic Innovation – funding for projects that boost innovation and competitiveness in the Nordic region: Nordic Innovation

  • Single Market Programme (SMP) – support for SME competitiveness, market access, and growth: SME funding and support.

  • Local and Regional Business Grants – city and municipality-level grants or vouchers for innovation and start-ups (e.g., Helsinki Partners)

  • AceON Accelerator – a pan-European online accelerator for idea and pre-seed stage startups, providing training, mentorship, and networking opportunities, with potential for early-stage investment. Learn more on the AceON official website or read the feature on EU-Startups.