A new national project worth over €7 million is being launched in Finland to improve the use of health data and deliver tangible benefits to patients. The project, titled “Towards a Finnish Health Data Space” and led by the University of Helsinki, is part of Business Finland’s Orion-led Veturi ecosystem programme.
The project will establish a new operating model enabling smoother, more secure and more efficient use of patient data in research, care development and innovation. It brings together a broad range of stakeholders, including wellbeing services counties, universities, ministries, patient organisations and companies. It is also the first joint project between wellbeing services counties funded by Business Finland, marking an important step in developing new forms of R&D collaboration in healthcare.
Towards better care and faster research
The project aims to position Finland as a European leader in the use of health data. In practice, this means more personalised treatments, faster research, the development of new solutions, and a strengthened competitive position for the Finnish health sector.
Although Finland already generates large amounts of high-quality health data, it is currently fragmented across different systems. The project seeks solutions to combine and use this data securely at a national level across both public and private healthcare.
Data and AI at the core
The Orion Veturi programme accelerates data- and AI-driven drug research in Finland while building a broad research and business ecosystem. Orion contributes to the project’s governance and brings in a strong perspective from pharmaceutical research and development.
The solutions developed in the project will be implemented in pilot studies that utilise health data, genomic data and artificial intelligence to develop new treatments and research approaches. A particular focus is on AI-based solutions that streamline and harmonise the use of health data in both healthcare and research and development. Pilot studies will focus especially on cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
In the project, the following actions will be carried out:
- creating a clear and secure framework for the use of health data
- streamlining permit processes
- developing solutions for data integration and efficient use
- applying AI to assess disease progression and treatment effectiveness
Strengthening Finland’s position as a frontrunner
In addition to improving patient outcomes, the project aims to accelerate the creation of new business opportunities and better utilise the significant, yet still underused, innovation potential of wellbeing services counties.
– The project strengthens Finland’s position as a frontrunner in digital health and deepens collaboration between the public and private sectors. At the same time, Finland will become an even more attractive partner for international research and health investments, says Professor Risto Renkonen from the University of Helsinki and HUS.
According to Renkonen, the project ultimately focuses on the ability to turn fragmented health data into real-world impact – better care for patients, more efficient research processes, and new solutions for the health sector.
The project is implemented in close collaboration between research organisations, healthcare providers and companies.
The project partners (Veturi consortium) include:
- University of Helsinki: Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Law
- HUS
- Tampere University Hospital
- Orion
- GE Healthcare
- BC Platforms
- Proctivity Leap
The “Towards a Finnish Health Data Space” project is part of the broader Health Capital Helsinki ecosystem activities, which aim to strengthen the Helsinki metropolitan area and Finland as internationally leading hubs for life science, health innovation and data-driven healthcare. Through Health Capital Helsinki, the project connects universities, healthcare providers, companies and public sector actors to accelerate the development and implementation of new health technologies, AI-driven solutions and precision medicine. The initiative further supports Health Capital Helsinki’s mission to promote cross-sector collaboration, international investments and the translation of Finnish health data excellence into globally scalable healthcare innovations.
