History of the foundation
The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion was founded in 1949 by a group of companies, organizations and individuals in the fields of industry and business. At that time, the foundation's goal was set as “supporting all technical education, research activities, advanced and continuing education for engineers, and the interests of students in the field of technology”. This goal remains the same today.
The foundation was established in post-war Finland, where industrial development had lagged behind due to the war economy. Education and research in the field of technology were far below the level of other Western countries, and catching up would have required significant investments from the state. However, Finland, burdened by war reparations, could not allocate funds to technical education.
The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion has played a significant role in the development of Finland's technology and industry. The foundation's first major action was the granting of a scholarship of one million Finnish marks in 1949 to prepare for the zoning of the Otaniemi area, where new facilities were built for the Helsinki University of Technology.
The foundation has played a significant role in accelerating the launch of Finnish television broadcasting and the construction of Finland's first computer, ESKO (Elektroninen SarjaKOmputaattori). ESKO was pivotal in the development of Finnish expertise in information technology.
Today, the foundation focuses on supporting young researchers and annually awards several dozen personal grants. The foundation's special funds, such as the Tesvision and Gasum funds, support research in the field and maintain close cooperation with companies.
The foundation also actively seeks to identify new research and educational needs in the fields of business and technology and directs funding towards them.
Over its history of more than 75 years, the foundation has supported the field of technology with over 43 million euros. This equals a vast number of dissertations, research-based innovations, and opportunities to propel Finland towards the forefront of technological expertise.
Explore the foundation's current activities.
1949 The foundation is founded
The foundation's charter was signed by 61 founding members, including Finland's largest industrial companies.
1949 The first grants are awarded
The first grants were awarded at the 100th anniversary celebration of the Helsinki University of Technology. The total sum of the grants exceeded 2,500,000 Finnish marks.
1955 Finland’s first television camera
The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion supported the Radio Engineers' TV Club, which began its activities by building transmitter equipment. The first image transmitter was built by engineering students Erkki Larkka and Juhani Hämäläinen.
1955 Finland’s first computer ESKO
The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion supported Matematiikkakonekomitea (“Mathematics Machine Committee”), which built Finland's first computer, ESKO.
The foundation's contribution remains increasingly significant
The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion grants significant support to research in the field of technology. For example, in 2024, the foundation awarded approximately 900,000 euros in various grants. The foundation's goal is to increase the number of grant applications and the total amount of grants awarded over time.