Spain and Finland Deepen Technology Ties to Strengthen Europe’s Strategic Autonomy

Spain and Finland are strengthening bilateral cooperation in advanced technologies, bringing together companies, research institutions and public-sector organisations to develop joint projects and reinforce Europe’s technological and industrial capacity.

The initiative coincides with the Spanish state visit to Finland and focuses on sectors considered essential to Europe’s competitiveness and open strategic autonomy. These include artificial intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, quantum computing, photonics and cybersecurity.

More than 60 companies and organisations from the two countries are participating in the programme. The Spanish delegation comprises 20 organisations and 39 representatives from large companies, scale-ups, startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, technology centres, public administrations and international groups operating in Spain.

Finland is represented by more than 40 companies and 70 delegates.

The programme was organised by Spain’s Secretariat of State for Trade through ICEX, together with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations and Business Finland.

King Felipe VI of Spain and Finnish President Alexander Stubb attended the central business meeting at Finlandia Hall on 6 October.

Technology cooperation moves up the bilateral agenda

Discussions centred on three areas with growing relevance for European industrial policy: artificial intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, and quantum and photonic technologies.

The meeting included a panel on business competitiveness, presentations examining the technology ecosystems of Spain and Finland, and a showcase in which companies presented projects with potential for cross-border collaboration.

The objective is to turn institutional ties into commercial partnerships, research initiatives and investment projects that can increase Europe’s ability to develop and deploy critical technologies.

The agenda also reflects the complementary characteristics of the two markets. Finland has built a strong international position in telecommunications, applied research, quantum computing and deep technology, while Spain is seeking to expand its role in areas such as semiconductor design and manufacturing, artificial intelligence infrastructure and advanced digital services.

Closer cooperation could give Spanish companies access to Finnish expertise and research networks while opening new opportunities for Finnish technology groups in Spain and other Southern European markets.

Delegation visits Nokia, VTT, Aalto University and IQM

The business mission includes visits to several of Finland’s most prominent technology organisations.

At Nokia’s headquarters in Espoo, the Spanish delegation is examining how connectivity networks, semiconductors and quantum technologies can support the infrastructure required to operate artificial intelligence systems at scale.

Further visits scheduled for 7 October include VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, one of Europe’s leading applied research organisations, and Aalto University, which has developed extensive links between academic research, advanced technology and the corporate sector.

The delegation is also visiting IQM Quantum Computers, a Finnish company specialising in superconducting quantum computing systems. IQM has become one of Europe’s most prominent companies in the race to build commercially relevant quantum infrastructure.

These meetings are intended to identify potential research, manufacturing and commercial partnerships rather than limiting cooperation to institutional dialogue.

Investment ties remain modest but are accelerating

The state visit also includes a separate meeting with Finnish companies to promote investment in Spain and examine opportunities for new operations and business expansion.

The event, organised by ICEX-Invest in Spain, is scheduled for 7 October. Participants include King Felipe VI, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, Secretary of State for Trade Amparo López Senovilla and ICEX Chief Executive Elisa Carbonell.

Finland currently ranks as the 39th-largest foreign investor in Spain. Finnish companies hold an investment stock exceeding €750 million in the country, where 64 Finnish-owned businesses support more than 4,700 jobs.

Annual investment flows have recently accelerated. Finnish investment in Spain reached approximately €58 million in 2025, eight times the amount recorded a year earlier.

Spain is also the seventh-largest destination worldwide for Finnish greenfield investment projects. Since 2003, Finnish companies have developed 70 such projects in the Spanish market, mobilising close to €1 billion and generating an estimated 3,374 jobs.

The latest programme signals an effort to move the bilateral relationship beyond conventional trade and towards sectors where access to technology, research capacity and specialised industrial partners is becoming increasingly strategic.

For Europe, the broader objective is to reduce vulnerabilities in critical supply chains without closing its markets to international cooperation. Stronger connections between national technology ecosystems could help European companies achieve the scale required to compete in areas currently dominated by larger global players.