Tampere for Investors

Business Tampere / Why Tampere? / Tampere for Investors

Together with its neighboring municipalities, Tampere constitutes one of the fastest-growing and developing urban regions in Finland.

Compact but big enough city for the great things to happen

Tampere Region (Pirkanmaa) is the second largest urban area in Finland with a population of 544, 444*.
The number of people living in and around Tampere is 400,000. In the Tampere city area, there are close to 255, 050** residents.
Tampere’s ideal location in the centre of Finland means that as much as 94,2 per cent of Finland’s population lives within 500 kilometres of the city.

*) 2024
**) 2023

Tampere is a great place to do business offering also a more human scale and making it easier get around and to meet the right people – and to collaborate with other businesses.

Tampere region is the second largest urban area in Finland with a population of 545 000. In comparison to bigger cities, Tampere can offer great advantage with high quality research, education and talent in cost effective way.

“Unlike many other cities, the sense of belonging together is typical for startups here in Tampere. Even though we’re competitors, we pull together.”

Juuso Kaari, VAU Company

Tampere business ecosystem benefits from the strong co-operation with companies and academic research. The atmosphere in Tampere is very active, open, and versatile. Easy networking between the city, universities and industry enables great possibilities for R&D collaboration with no real distractions to business. Also the compact size of the city enables easy networking across different industries and co-operation projects are very common between large companies and a tightly knit startup community.

Internationally competitive and cost effective

According to statistics, Finland is the fourth best country for business in Europe*, and
has the third best economic environment for business growth**
Finland has one of the lowest corporate tax rates globally, and the lowest in the Nordics: 20 per cent.

*) European Chamber, Best European countries for business 2020
**) Grant Thornton, Global Dynamism Index 2015

Access to top talent

Finland ranks 3rd globally in the Enable pillar of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (2023), offering a stable regulatory environment, innovative business landscape, and flexible labor markets that foster talent growth and investment opportunities.

Tampere Region is specifically known as a the industrial centre of FInland and a hub of high technological expertise
The availability of cost competitive and talented hi-tech workforce in the Tampere Region is very good: there are hundreds of ICT masters graduating every year.
Tampere University community consists of over 35,000 students and academic experts and welcomes 5,600 new students every year.

In the city of over 35,000 university students and 34.000 technology industry workforce the talent pool is excellent.

66% of foreign owned companies in Tampere region indicate that the most important reason to stay in the region is the availability of competent workforce and low attrition. Level of education in Tampere is also very high – one third of the population has an academic degree.

The Tampere University and the Tampere University of Applied Sciences form the second largest university community in Finland with over 35,000 students and 5,000 specialists.

Tampere University is one of the most multidisciplinary universities in Finland. Almost all internationally recognised fields of study are represented. The core competencies are found in technology, health and social sciences.

The key strengths of this community are the blending of cutting-edge research with top-tier innovations, multidisciplinary learning, lifelong partnerships and unique experience with the business and public sectors.

Accelerated return on investment

The operating costs for companies are significantly lower in Tampere region compared to Helsinki area
Salary costs 31% cheaper than Munich
Salary costs 165% cheaper than California

Talented, experienced and loyal workforce provides good value for money. The availability of talented work force is good and the region’s cost level is 20% lower compared to the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Accelerate your return on investment – Tampere is very cost effective compared for example to Munich and California in average annual ICT R&D salaries. Tampere is also highly cost effective R&D unit alternative compared to more expensive Helsinki area.

“The Tampere Region offers competent workforce at reasonable cost and the attitude of the city is positive towards companies.”

Ville Rönkkä, CEO, CROCS Nordic

Year after year, Tampere tops the Finnish list of attractive cities as chosen by people and companies

Tampere region is the second largest economic region in Finland after the Helsinki capital area.
As a business area, Tampere serves the entire Pirkanmaa region, which has 544, 444 residents.
Around two-thirds of Finland’s economic activity is concentrated within a two-hour drive from Tampere.
Together with its surrounding municipalities Tampere creates one of the fastest growing city regions in Finland. Tampere city center is estimated to attract 40 % more inhabitants and 15,000 new jobs by 2030.
According to the provincial population forecast, Helsinki, Tampere and Turku regions, are the three large urban districts in Finland that will continue to grow up to 2040.

“The success story of Tampere has been built for a long time through determined work. We are known as a city where we do things together and equally. We welcome new residents”

Kalervo Kummola, Mayor of Tampere

Contact us

Oliver Hussey

Head of ICT

+358 40 6794 142

oliver.hussey@businesstampere.com