Finnish AI Region Secures Second Term with Top Marks from EU

Finnish AI Region (FAIR) will continue its work as a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) with top marks awarded by the European Union. The second term enables FAIR to expand its services and launch new functions from the beginning of 2026.

During its first operational period, FAIR has established itself as one of the key players in the Finnish AI ecosystem. To date, over 4,000 people have participated in FAIR's activities through events or training sessions, for example. In total, FAIR has delivered approximately 270 different advisory, testing or funding support services and helped raise over €26 million in capital investments for its client companies. Key performance targets have been exceeded faster than anticipated.

EDIHs at the Heart of Europe's AI Strategy

The European Union unveiled an ambitious AI Continent Action Plan in spring 2025, aimed at making the EU the world's leading artificial intelligence power. The plan rests on four key pillars: AI Factories, European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs), and AI-on-Demand platforms, which particularly support research and innovation.

Digital innovation hubs such as Finnish AI Region form a central part of the European AI infrastructure. From 2026 onwards, EDIHs will serve as gateways to the entire EU AI infrastructure on a one-stop-shop basis.

In practice, this means that FAIR will either provide the required service itself or direct companies to the right expert or partner in Finland or elsewhere in Europe.

AI Helpdesk to Launch in Early 2026

FAIR is expanding its service offering at the beginning of this year with a new AI Helpdesk function. It will be open to anyone requiring guidance on AI services. The Helpdesk will support business clients by advising and directing them onwards to AI Factories, testing platforms and services from other European EDIHs, among others.

A significant innovation in Finnish AI Region's services is an AI-powered assessment of compliance with the general AI regulation, which will help small and medium-sized enterprises ensure their technology solutions meet current and future EU requirements.

Comprehensive Service Portfolio

FAIR offers a comprehensive range of services to support the development of AI solutions. Services are divided into five main categories. Testing and development environments provide proof of concepts (PoCs), an AI accelerator, as well as co-development workshops and hackathons. Expert services and consultancy include advisory services, the AI Helpdesk and AI regulation compliance assessment.

Training services strengthen organisations' AI competence. Access to finance services support access to necessary funding, and networking promotion services create collaboration opportunities between stakeholders. Additionally, we offer data services to improve access to high-quality data.

In its operations, FAIR focuses primarily on AI, supercomputers, augmented reality technologies and cybersecurity. Sector-wise, the emphasis is on health technology, smart cities and digital services, though services are open to all sectors, SMEs and public sector organisations.

Second-Phase Consortium Strengthened

FAIR's second-phase consortium represents Finnish excellence. The consortium is being significantly strengthened as Tampere University's research group GPT-Lab joins, bringing internationally recognised AI expertise.

The consortium includes the cities of Helsinki and Espoo, Aalto University as well as the universities of Helsinki and Tampere, Haaga-Helia and Metropolia Universities of Applied Sciences, Enter Espoo, KIRAHub and 28 Digital. FAIR also works closely with the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI).

EU contact persons who evaluated the funding application particularly praised the strong consortium, in which each partner has a clearly defined role and which complements one another to form a skilled and experienced whole.

FAIR's activities align with the EU's strategic priorities. Through its networking and support functions, FAIR participates in building large-scale AI computing infrastructure, improves access to high-quality data, strengthens AI skills and simplifies AI adoption.