The World Bank Group has published a report that measures the investment environment of selected cities in Finland, Denmark and Sweden. This is achieved by assessing business costs and administrative efficiency of the largest business cities across the main administrative divisions of 16 European Union (EU) member states.
Oulu was included alongside other Finnish locations such as Vaasa, Tampere, Turku, Mariehamn, and Helsinki. When measured against the benchmarks, Oulu emerged as a strong performer, often scoring above EU average. For example, companies based in the region can set themselves up and start operations seven months earlier than those in Helsinki. This is helped by factors such as the ability to gain a building permit quickly compared to other locations.
This report has been commissioned and financed by the Directorate General of the European Union. More information can be found on the World Bank Group website.
You can also read more information on our Why Oulu page to discover why the region is the place to be for technology companies.