In Short:
Finland is keen on funding telecom and technology startups and companies in India, particularly for research and development in 6G technology. Business Finland, a public organization, aims to facilitate funding opportunities between Finnish and Indian stakeholders. The Finnish Indian Consortia for Research and Education (FICORE) is collaborating on various projects in India. Nokia is also investing in India’s 6G efforts, aiming to help telcos like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel with innovative solutions.
Finnish Government Official Sees Funding Opportunities for Indian Startups and Companies
The Finnish government official, Pekka Rantala, Head of 6G Bridge Program at Business Finland, has highlighted significant funding opportunities for startups and larger companies in India, particularly in the field of telecom and technology research and development, including sixth-generation (6G) technology.
Collaboration through FICORE
Rantala mentioned the collaboration between Finland and India through the Finnish Indian Consortia for Research and Education (FICORE), which is working on various projects in the science and technology domain. FICORE has received a 185 million euro investment from the Finnish Ministry for 2020-24, and is currently seed funding 38 projects in India from 2021-24.
Opportunities for Cooperation
Rantala emphasized the potential for cooperation in areas such as software, hardware, and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) under the umbrella of 6G technology. He also mentioned the Hexa-X-II initiative, the European Commission’s 6G flagship initiative, where Indian stakeholders can engage with 44 participants including Nokia and Ericsson.
Indian Contribution to 6G
The Indian government released its ‘Bharat 6G Vision’ last year, aiming to position the country as a leader in the development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030. Nokia, a key player in this space, has established a joint lab with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and is supporting telco customers like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel in their 5G monetization journey.
Call for Global Cooperation
Harri Holma, Senior Advisor in Technology Office at Nokia’s Finland headquarters, stressed the importance of global cooperation in realizing the 6G vision in India. He urged collaboration between Nokia, the Indian government, and other stakeholders to advance 6G technology.
