6.3.2023

Castrén & Snellman contributed a chapter on Finland to the Chambers Technology M&A 2023 Global Practice Guide

Miika Junttila, Tuomas Honkinen and Jussi Mäkikangas contributed a chapter to the Chambers Technology M&A 2023 Global Practice Guide covering the law and practice of the technology M&A market and the recent developments in Finland.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a steep decline in M&A activity and also some decline in investments in general (especially in 2020). However, the pace quickly picked up in 2021 and reached record-breaking levels with Nasdaq Helsinki breaking the record for IPOs, with a total of nine listings in the main market and 23 listings in the First North Growth Market.

Given the market uncertainty due to the Ukraine situation and increase in interest rates, M&A activity again showed signs of minor deacceleration in 2022 (especially in the second quarter). Although IPO activity significantly dropped during 2022, trade sale transactions raised their profile as an exit route for investors. The lower deal volume was to some extent also offset by the high number of divestments and reorganisations that many large and medium-sized Finnish companies had to undertake in order to comply with the sanctions imposed against Russia.

New technologies attracting interest

The past two years have seen major interest and investments in new technologies and markets such as AI, robotics, and blockchain technology. These include:

Read more about the technology M&A market in Finland

The second edition of the Chambers Technology M&A 2023 Global Practice Guide covers the lifespan of a technology company from incorporation to early funding and venture capital rounds and to the ultimate goal of becoming a public company or being sold at a high premium.

The coverage of the guide has been expanded this year, and it now addresses the same set of issues in 19 countries globally.

The guide can be downloaded here.

Latest references

We advise Fingrid Oyj in a transaction in which Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company is selling its holding of approximately 20 per cent of the shares in Fingrid to the Finnish State and OP Pohjola Kantaverkko Holding Ky. Fingrid owns Finland’s main electricity transmission grid and all significant cross-border transmission connections. The main grid is the backbone of the electricity transmission network, to which major power plants, industrial plants and regional electricity distribution networks are connected. 
Case published 11.2.2026
We advised Metsäkonepalvelu Oy in its acquisition of the entire share capital of PJP Metsäexpertit Oy. PJP Metsäexpertit is a Pirkanmaa-based company specialising in forest management and logging. The acquisition will strengthen Metsäkonepalvelu’s operations, particularly in the Pirkanmaa region, and expand its operations. Metsäkonepalvelu is a portfolio company of A. Ahlström Oy, a Finnish family-owned industrial owner. Metsäkonepalvelu provides mechanical timber harvesting services to forest companies, large private forest owners, and the public sector in Finland and Sweden. Metsäkonepalvelu Group employs nearly two hundred forestry professionals.
Case published 6.2.2026
We acted as legal adviser to EcoUp Oyj in a directed share issue, through which EcoUp raised a total of approximately EUR 3 million in gross proceeds to strengthen the company’s capital structure and finance its growth. The share issue was directed to a limited group of domestic investors, deviating from the shareholders’ pre-emptive subscription right. EcoUp’s shares are traded on the First North Growth Market Finland marketplace maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki.  EcoUp promotes the green transition of the construction industry by producing carbon-neutral, energy-efficient and circular economy-based materials, services and technologies that help construction industry players reduce their environmental impact. The company has over 40 years of experience in developing and delivering circular economy solutions to customers.
Case published 29.1.2026
We advised a leading global investment firm Brookfield, alongside a global sovereign wealth investor, on the Finnish law aspects of a EUR 1 billion holdco financing for DayOne Data Centers, a Singapore-headquartered developer and operator of hyperscale data centres. Structured as a seven-year secured holdco financing facility of €500 million, expandable to €1 billion – and secured by DayOne’s Finland platform – the financing will support the rollout of hyperscale developments in Lahti and Kouvola, providing nearly 300MW of planned capacity across Finland. The proceeds will also support DayOne’s global expansion across the EU and APAC, with flexibility to allocate to other key growth markets as required.
Case published 29.1.2026