Pirkka Palomäki brings business and technology expertise to the board of the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion

Pirkka Palomäki is an engineer and venture capital investor with experience in various leadership roles as well as founding companies. As a board member of the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, he wants to ensure that the foundation can continue to provide long-term support for top-tier Finnish research.

Who are you, and what motivated you to join the board of the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion?

“I am Pirkka Palomäki, a founding partner at Maki.vc, a company that invests in early-stage startups. I have a degree in industrial engineering and management, and I founded my first company while still a student. Over the course of my career I have worked in various roles at different companies, including as Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and CEO.

I initially became involved with the foundation when a colleague encouraged me to join the foundation’s delegation. As my term in the delegation was coming to an end, I was offered a position on the board, which I gladly accepted. The foundation has been a great place to gain insight into and support technology research.”

You have worked as Chief Technology Officer at F-Secure, and you are now a venture capital investor. What kind of expertise do you bring to the board of the foundation?

“Thanks to my diverse business background, I have been able to give the board insight into the corporate world and various technologies.

I also serve as the chairman of the foundation’s investment committee. I believe that my experience in venture capital investing helps ensure that the foundation’s assets grow and that there will be funds available to support research in the future as well.”

As a venture capital investor, you are familiar with the dynamics of early-stage funding for various innovations. How can the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion support this field within its mission?

“The foundation’s focus is strongly on advancing basic research, and it can fund projects that would be more difficult to secure commercial financing for. Through its funding, the foundation serves as an enabler.

Finland has many examples of research-based companies that would not exist without the groundwork done in universities and research institutions. Without the support of foundations, many such innovations would never come to life!”

What kind of initiatives or goals do you personally want to advance as a board member of the foundation?

“Ensuring the foundation’s continuity is, of course, an important goal I want to support. Another key priority is promoting long-term and sufficiently large grants that truly make a difference for researchers.

Overall, Finland is a country of top expertise. It is crucial that through the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion we can support the continuation of this expertise here. This is the foundation upon which we can build strong business ideas and drive our national economy forward.”