Founded by three Finnish water engineers with a knack for modern software development, Fluidit Oy simulates the flow, pressure and velocity of water within a distribution network - or the sewerage -, enabling utilities to save serious money on pipes, pumps and energy, and to better predict the impact of potential accidents or renovation work.
In talking with Matti Lattu, the CEO of Finnish e-invoicing automation provider Heeros, it seems that in a nutshell, to successfully land a Finnish business in the Netherlands demands adherence to three rules: (1) Get a grasp of Dutch small talk; (2) Raise a war chest of at least a million euros; (3) Don’t send off no lonesome cowboy.
A dozen Finnish companies will be participating in the ‘Software from Finland to European Markets’ programme from September 2018 to May 2019. All of them happen to be Software as a Service (SaaS) providers, albeit operating in a variety of industries, from finance automation to logistics and from Internet of Things (IoT) to food supply chain monitoring. According to growth consultant Erkki Tuomi, who leads the programme, a common obstacle to growth is when a company tries to serve every customer they have with the same attention.
"The Dutch are not keen on thinking very long-term; they’d rather go for the quick win. Therefore, as a Finnish entrepreneur, you’ll need to pitch well and follow up fast. Don’t expect they’ll call you back after three months.” What ambassador Cees Bansema has learned *about* the Finns, he says, is that they have not only a very efficient, but also very harmonious society. And *from* the Finns he says he’s learned that it’s actually quite okay in conversation to pause for a few seconds.