GLOW
Developing International Growth Environment for the Wellbeing Sector in the South Savo Region
We develop an operating model, expert services, and a collaborative network to accelerate the agile internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the health and wellbeing industry.
Services and solutions are refined and scaled in international markets.
Making Your Business Shine
The core objective of the GLOW project is to build a supportive operating environment to facilitate internationalization, product and service development, and market fit of health and wellbeing SMEs in South Savo. The capabilities related are anchored to the Preventive Health Research Unit at South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk).
The GLOW continues the work started in the Active Life HUB project, further strengthening the regional health and wellbeing ecosystem. It encourages the SMEs to take bold steps towards international growth.
The participating companies share their valuable insights of the diverse challenges, objectives, and needs related to internationalization process. The project brings together strategically important domestic and international partners and stakeholders for co-creation, while establishing connections with ongoing national growth programmes.
The key outcome of the GLOW will be a versatile and impactful network-based expert service portfolio and its associated operating model. This integrated offering combines:
- Commissioned research tailored to the health and wellbeing industry
- Product and service design
- Business and commercialization expertise.
This holistic approach supports sustainable growth and agile internationalization for both start-up and scale-up companies.
In short and long term, the GLOW will strengthen the competitiveness, product and service portfolios, and international business capabilities of health and wellbeing SMEs in the South Savo region. Furthermore, the project creates beneficial conditions for increasing both the quality and volume of Research, Development and Innovation investments made by the companies.
In parallel, the visibility and attractiveness of the Preventive Research Unit as an international competence hub will increase, while South Savo’s position as a vitality platform for health and wellbeing SMEs will be further reinforced.
Joint projects and ecosystems support internationalization, and start-ups and SMEs play a key role in transforming healthcare. We should therefore be inspired together by international growth opportunities.
– Tarja Enala, Programme Director, Health 360, Business Finland
The GLOW is closely aligned with the objectives of Finland’s National Health and Wellbeing Sector Growth Programme. that aims to accelerate growth and renewal, and to strengthen RDI activities in collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups, across five thematic areas:
- Aligning RDI objectives, governance, and incentives to support sectoral growth and renewal
- Identifying export spearheads and strengthening Finland’s positioning as a leader in health and wellbeing RDI and commercialisation to attract international investments
- Enabling and scaling effective RDI solutions to support companies’ access to national and international markets
- Building multi-actor national and international ecosystems, collaboration networks, and a bold experimentation culture
- Strengthening Finland’s attractiveness and retention power among top RDI talent to enable international growth.
The programme involves multiple ministries (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry for Foreign Affairs), as well as domestic and international companies, Sitra, the Academy of Finland, Business Finland, wellbeing services counties, and higher education institutions.
Furthermore, Business Finland launched the Health 360 programme in August 2024, and will invest 85 million euros in Finnish digital and preventive health solutions by 2028.
Key Activities
The GLOW project applies the Double Diamond service design model, encompassing discovery, definition, development, and delivery. The work is structured into five work packages:
Work Package 1: Analysis and Insight
We begin by analysing the characteristics, internal and external operating environment, and competitive position of the research unit providing testbed services, using a four-field (SWOT-style) analysis. In parallel, we deepen our understanding of the challenges, needs, and objectives of health and wellbeing SMEs planning international business, and design customer-centric service pathways.
Work Package 2: Benchmarking Best Practices
We conduct benchmarking studies of domestic and international testbed organisations, ecosystems, and clusters, identifying best practices, operating models, and the most impactful expert services.
Work Package 3: Service Concept Development
We develop a comprehensive service concept to support market- and customer-driven internationalisation. The concept integrates testbed services, business development, and internationalisation support. It is piloted, refined based on experience and stakeholder feedback, and ultimately productised and launched.
Work Package 4: Ecosystem and Network Building
We bring together health and wellbeing SMEs, higher education institutions, and testbed operators to establish an ecosystem-like internationalisation network. A shared strategy, operating plan, membership model, and funding structure are defined.
Work Package 5: Results, Communication, and Visibility
The project concludes with the compilation and reporting of results. We communicate the integrated offering, comprising of the internationalization network, operating model, and expert services, through digital channels utilizing content marketing.
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We Welcome You to Join Our Glowing Network
The GLOW project is targeted to:
- Growth-oriented and internationally ambitious health and wellbeing SMEs connected to South Savo
- Universities, ecosystems, clusters, hubs abroad, and domestic business development partners
- Funding agencies supporting company testing and internationalization efforts
Are you interested in international business? Does your company need support in testing and scaling services or applications for new target markets? Could your organisation become a strategic partner in our internationalization network?
The GLOW is for you. Start the conversation by expressing your interest through a short Webropol survey:
Sustainable Growth and International Ambition in Business and RDI
Population aging, small younger cohorts, high morbidity, and low population density present well-known challenges to the vitality of South Savo. Alongside public services, the availability and diversity of private services are critical to the region’s attractiveness and retention across all population groups.
At the same time, resident satisfaction with living conditions remains high. The rise of remote work has extended seasonal residence and increased multi-local living. During peak periods, South Savo’s population grows by up to 100,000 people, and the region hosts nearly 60,000 international overnight visitors annually.
Responsible travellers increasingly value nature-based and wellbeing tourism, conscious consumption, and experiences that emphasise uniqueness, immersion, and regeneration—representing a new form of luxury and significant international growth potential for South Savo.
Health and wellbeing have been identified as a strategic priority in Finland’s national RDI policy by the Research and Innovation Council. The “good life” theme represents high value-added services and technologies at the intersection of health, creative industries, and tourism—areas where further RDI and business investment is essential.
While South Savo’s exports are currently dominated by forestry, wood products, food, technology, and machinery, there is considerable room for bold new initiatives in health and wellbeing. At the national level, the export value of medical health technology alone reached EUR 2.57 billion in 2024, with healthcare devices accounting for 62 % and laboratory diagnostics and reagents for 34 %. Digital services and software are not fully captured in export statistics, yet they are typically estimated to represent around one third of total export value.
RDI expenditure as a share of GDP in South Savo remains modest compared to Finland’s national target of 4 % (South Savo 0.9 % vs. Finland overall 2.8 %), and international RDI investments in the region remain limited.
The current situation highlights a clear need to increase both the volume and quality of RDI investments, as well as the value-added of exports—requiring cross-sector collaboration and new approaches.
High-quality education and RDI expertise in health and wellbeing, active ecosystem development, and a large base of companies provide productive ground for change. Despite the region’s strong micro- and small-enterprise profile, smart conceptualization, targeting, and international scaling of services and digital solutions may become South Savo’s key competitive advantages.
Finnish health and wellbeing expertise enjoys a strong international reputation. Now is the time to scale local solutions to improve health and wellbeing globally.
Perttu Noponen, Project Manager,
GLOW