Digital Commerce Finland wants to accelerate the growth of digital commerce. The new community will include online stores and SMEs of the commercial sector as well as a wide range of parties interested in and influencing digital commerce.
Digital Commerce Finland is a new societal and collaborative company that helps digital commerce grow faster. The company was born as a result of Business Finland’s long-term program activities, and it was presented for the first time today at an event organized by the Experience Commerce program of Business Finland.
“Our goal is to build the world’s most competitive digital commerce community in Finland. We want to use the entire network to spur market growth and Finnish competitiveness, as well as to strengthen the attractiveness of the industry,” says Ville Simola who will start as the CEO of Digital Commerce Finland at the beginning of November.
Ville Simola has diverse experience in digital business, innovations and startups. He also has unique experience in managing community organizations. Ville joins the company from the position of CEO at Maria 01. Mirva Sandström has been appointed Digital Commerce Director. Sandström has extensive experience in the development of digital services and e-commerce, and most recently, she has been responsible for IKEA Finland’s e-commerce business.
“It’s more of a community than a business, and we warmly welcome anyone interested in the development of digital commerce!” say Simola and Sandström.
The launch of the community is supported by six founding organizations: the Finnish Commerce Federation, Keskisuomalainen, Paytrail, Posti, Sanoma and the Association for Finnish Work. These and future partners enable the community to provide, among other things, primarily free services, events and training.
Digital commerce is a huge opportunity for Finland
Business Finland has significantly supported the development of the commerce sector through program activities: eCom Growth (2016–2018) and Experience Commerce Finland (2019–2023) have helped more than 500 companies to grow, internationalize and develop digital commerce in a customer-oriented manner. Digital Commerce Finland is building a direct continuum for the program that will end this year.
“The eCom Growth and Experience Commerce programs have created a whole new culture of international commerce in this country, based on peer support and working together. This work will continue and be strengthened by the new community,” says Business Finland’s Aija Kalander, Head of the Experience Commerce Finland program.
While digital commerce is quite dominated by global giants, every Finnish company still has a genuine chance of success,” says Leevi Parsama, Chair of the Board of Digital Commerce Finland.
“There is only one door to every store in the world and each person holds it in their hands every day: the smartphone. The company that understands its customers best, recognizes its own competitive advantages and is able to create an excellent customer experience from the first click onward succeeds in the market. Finland’s top online stores already know this, but the new Digital Commerce Finland wants to help all Finnish companies grow,” Parsama continues.
Success is built on an active and enthusiastic community
The operations of Digital Commerce Finland are centered around online stores, brands and SMEs of the commercial sector. Various parties with strong ties to digital trade and its success in Finland, such as service providers, educational institutions, organizations, public sector players, development companies and private equity firms, will also be widely invited to join the activities. The operations will start gradually during the fall of 2023.
Digital Commerce Finland has also been granted the right to use the Finnish Social Enterprise Mark as an indication that the company has been established to promote social interests and that it uses most of its profits to promote its societal goal.
“Our success is built on an active and enthusiastic community. Some of the most essential elements include encounters between experts, the creation of networks, peer support and the resulting, faster learning. Together, we will build the industry’s competitiveness and growth, as well as its recognition and attractiveness, both in Finland and internationally,” says Mirva Sandström.
Products and services are built for players at different stages of growth. The service package particularly includes events and training on current topics. There are also plans to build a dedicated meeting space for online retailers, including an e-commerce accelerator for promising growth companies.
“The community will also continue and further develop the online retailer clubs created in the Experience Commerce program, which have received excellent feedback. Currently, there are as many as 22 clubs operating in different parts of Finland, joined by more than 200 companies,” says Mirva Sandström.
Source: Posti