Finland
Nokia gave the world the mobile phone. Linus Torvalds gave it Linux. F-Secure, Xeovo, and UpCloud quietly run a meaningful slice of Europe's digital infrastructure today. Finland is also the most design-literate country in the EU — Iittala, Marimekko, Artek, Aalto — and the unlikely home of the world's biggest mobile game studios (Supercell, Rovio).
Below: Finnish brands worth choosing over US or Chinese defaults.
Karhu
Standout Features: Karhu offers a range of sneakers suitable for running and casual wear, known for their comfort and performance.
Competitors: Competes with brands like New Balance and Saucony.
Fazer
Known For: One of Finland’s most iconic brands, Fazer is renowned for its smooth milk chocolate (especially Fazer Blue). The company combines Nordic craftsmanship with a modern sustainability agenda, focusing on plant-based innovations and traceable sourcing.
Employees: Approximately 6,000 globally
Competitors: Toms (Denmark), Marabou (Sweden), Nestlé (Switzerland)
Stance on Russia: Exited Russia in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.
Long Drink (Lonkero)
What's in it: Gin and grapefruit soda, pre-mixed and sold in cans. Originally invented as a fast-service cocktail.
Where it's from: Invented for the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics by Alko (the Finnish state alcohol company), so foreign tourists could be served quickly. Still the most popular bottled cocktail in Finland.
When to drink it: All summer. Especially at a Finnish lakeside cabin, ideally with a sauna 50 metres away.
The case: It's a national drink that was originally a logistics solution. That's a uniquely Finnish thing to be proud of.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_drink
Polar Electro
Known for: Pioneering heart rate monitoring technology and producing multisport smartwatches tailored for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Employees: Approximately 1,200
Manufactured in: Mainly China and Malaysia
polar.com
IQM Quantum Computers
Features: Espoo-based quantum hardware. Builds superconducting quantum computers for research institutions and enterprise. Systems already powering Europe's flagship quantum research initiatives.
Price: On-premise hardware and cloud access. Enterprise pricing on request.
Our verdict: Europe's leading quantum hardware company. If quantum computing matters in 2030, this is where European sovereignty in compute starts.
https://meetiqm.com
F-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Features: VPN from the Finnish security veteran F-Secure (founded 1988). Tiered by device count. Includes tracker blocking.
Price: From €3.33/month, varying by device count.
Our verdict: Backed by a serious cybersecurity company, not a marketing operation. Good fit if you already trust F-Secure for endpoint security.
https://www.f-secure.com/en/home/products/freedome
Xeovo
Features: Finnish VPN with a no-logging policy. Servers in 16 locations worldwide. Five devices per plan.
Price: €2.99/month yearly. €4.99/month monthly.
Our verdict: Smaller-scale Finnish operator. Decent value if Mullvad's flat €5 feels steep.
https://xeovo.com
UpCloud
Features: Finnish cloud platform with high-IOPS block storage. Virtual servers, VPC, managed databases, managed Kubernetes, object storage. Data centres across Europe, US, and APAC.
Price: 1 core / 1 GB RAM instances from €7/month. Pay-as-you-go.
Our verdict: The performance bet. Their I/O numbers genuinely beat AWS on equivalent specs. Pick this for database-heavy or memory-intensive workloads.
https://upcloud.com
Hesburger
Known for: Burgers and fast-food meals with a Finnish twist, including unique sauces and local ingredients. Hesburger is a popular choice in the Baltics for its consistent quality and taste.
Available in: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Germany, Poland
Employees: ~8,000