The Internationalisation Award of the President of the Republic is a prize granted to Finnish companies and organisations that have achieved international success. The President grants the award annually on the recommendation of the Board of Directors of Team Finland.

”This award emphasizes the fundamental reasons of why FiBAN has been founded: the desire to promote Finnish economy, internationalization, employment and innovation. Giving back attitude was an important driver for setting up a non-profit organization – business angels wanted to bring capital and know-how back to the society. There was a strong will to support Finnish companies’ innovations, help them go global and consequently affirm the role of Finland in the world.” says FiBAN’s Managing Director Jan D. Oker-Blom.

FiBAN is one of the biggest and most active business angel networks in the world with more than 620 members. “FiBAN has managed to grow because of the active attitude of business angels. In Finland, we have so many who are brave to take risks, believe in new business ideas and are ready to work hands-on to make startups grow.” Oker-Blom explains. European Business Angel Network (EBAN) has awarded FiBAN as the “European Business Angel Network of the Year” in 2012 and 2014.

FiBAN actively supports cooperation between business angel networks. FiBAN has for example co-founded Nordic Business Angel Network (NordicBAN), which is driven by FiBAN’s co-founder Claes Mikko Nilsen.

Thank you for the President of Republic of Finland and 100-year old Finland – let the business Angels be with you!

FiBAN is a Finnish, non-profit association inspiring private startup investing. The network consists of over 600 approved investor members actively seeking new growth companies. www.fiban.org
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For more information please contact:
​Jan D. Oker-Blom, Managing Director of FiBAN (+358) 40 551 7551
​Torsti Tenhunen, Chairman of Board, p. (+358) 400 729 271
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Follow the event on Twitter with hashtag #TPKVP.

​ABOUT THE AWARD
In 1967 the Association for Finnish Work (Suomalaisen Työn Liitto) suggested awarding Finnish companies for excellent accomplishments in export. For 31 years The President’s Export Award was presented as a token for successful export operations.

In 1999 the name “The Internationalization Awards of the President of the Republic” was introduced together with a new set of rules for rewarding. The grounds on which the recipients of the Internationalization Award are chosen today reflect the challenges of an altered operating environment as well as the companies’ ability to develop and implement new operational methods in their internationalization processes.

The Award can be presented to a company or community that has actively participated in developing international Finland. Until 2015 the candidates for the Award were presented by Finpro. Since 2015 the preparatory work and the choosing of the candidates for the Awards has been done by Team Finland. The president grants the award based on a proposal from the Team Finland Board of Directors.