Design Forum Finland Selects Recipients of Its 150th Anniversary Scholarships

The recipients of Design Forum Finland’s 150th anniversary scholarships have been selected. The scholarships are awarded to Global Commercial Director Lea Aarinen-Koski, CEO Timo Helosuo, and Director Maija Koski. The selections were made by the Board of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design.

The scholarship call attracted strong interest, with a total of 37 applications submitted. The applicant pool was notably diverse, comprising Finnish CEOs, executive team members, and professionals responsible for business development across a wide range of industries — from technology and ICT to finance and services, as well as manufacturing and health and social services. Applicants represented organizations of varying sizes, from startups and established SMEs to large corporations.

According to Satu Mehtälä, Chair of the Board of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design, the scholarship initiative supports the anniversary-year campaign Growth and Competitiveness through Design:

— Our objective is to make the role of design visible as a key driver of business success and a creator of intangible value. The broad range of applicants from different industries reflects both the wide-reaching impact of Finnish design expertise and the growing need to strengthen design leadership and the strategic application of design thinking in business.

In its deliberations, the jury emphasized company diversity as well as the applicants’ and organizations’ potential to leverage design to drive strategic growth, renewal, and international competitiveness. The anniversary scholarships provide the selected recipients with a unique opportunity to participate in the prestigious Stanford University Design Thinking Bootcamp in the coming spring. The program equips participants with tools to better understand changing operating environments, address complex business challenges, and foster innovation.

Joakim Karske, CEO of Design Forum Finland, highlights the strategic importance of design thinking:

— Creativity and design thinking are central to strengthening Finland’s competitiveness and generating new innovations and success stories. The education scholarships awarded this year enable business leaders to learn and apply design methods in strategic decision-making.

Design Forum Finland warmly thanks all applicants and congratulates the selected scholarship recipients.

Photo: Design Forum Finland / Lea Aarinen-Koski, © Mikael Pettersson, Timo Helosuo, © Jaakko Lukumaa ja Maija Koski, © Timo Pyykkö

Founded in 1875, Design Forum Finland celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. The anniversary scholarships are part of the Growth and Competitiveness through Design campaign, which highlights the role of design as a key driver of business success and a creator of intangible value. The patron of the anniversary year is the President of the Republic of Finland, Alexander Stubb.