Advantaged access to Skills

Human resources: Baltic gold

Knowledge and communication are the key to success. The Baltic Sea Region’s workforce can boast the highest levels of technical and multi-lingual education in Europe.

We offer the highest number of researchers per capita in Europe and the highest rates of growth in innovation research. Our scientific communities stand out for their strong traditions of international academic cooperation, high R&D expenditure and close ties with business and government.

Language skills

The region’s role as the gateway to both the EU and CIS means a widespread knowledge of English and Russian language and business culture.

This combination provides you with a ready-made human-capital base which will not only allow you to test and develop your products, but to market them across the widest possible area.

Competencies

There are opportunities in every sector of the diverse and dynamic Baltic Sea Region.

Currently our greatest collective strengths are:

IT & Telecoms

Explosive growth of mobile phone and internet use
Flexible, experienced, committed test markets
Strong, competitive brands for both Western and CIS
markets (Ericsson, Microlink, Nokia, Skype, Telia Sonera,
TietoEnator)
High commitment to R&D backed by state and EU support
Major investment in telecoms infrastructure and services

Life Sciences

Over 1000 biotech and life science companies
Strong, competitive brands (AstraZeneca, Leo Pharma,
Lundbeck, Novo Nordisk)
Strong biotech competencies united into a super-cluster
through the ScanBalt BioRegion initiative
Over 60 universities working in life sciences research
Opportunities in clinical trials and medical technology

Engineering and Automotive

Record-breaking production growth
World-famous brands for trade with Western and CIS
markets (ABB, Atlas Copco, Autoliv, Kone, Saab, Sandvik,
SKF, Snaige, Volvo, Wartsila)
World-class standards of automation and production
Proven record of ground-breaking design
Products tested in the world’s most challenging markets
Established sub-supply network

Productivity growth between 1997 - 2004

Region		(%)
BALTIC SEA REGION		4.7
EU		2.0
Source: European Commission, 2004

Annual growth in investment into R&D

Region		(%)
BALTIC SEA REGION		6.0
US		4.0
JAPAN		3.0
EU		2.7
Source: Eurostat, State of the Region report 2005

Top 5 European countries for expenditure on R&D

Ranking	Country	% of GDP
1	Sweden	4.0
2	Finland	3.5
3	Iceland	2.9
4	Denmark	2.6
5	Germany	2.5
	Other major players
	Japan	3.2
	US	2.7
	UK	1.9
Source: Eurostat, IMD research 2006