The council allocated 250,000 euros to the business support fund – DEFINE's operations will expand nationwide

At its meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025, the Riihimäki City Council discussed, among other things, the initiation of corporate sponsorship activities and the city's participation in a project funded by Sitra and coordinated by the city, which aims to expand the operations of DEFINE (Defence Innovation Network Finland) nationwide.

The council granted an additional allocation of 250,000 euros to establish a business support fund. The city will cover the additional allocation from the income from the city's investment assets. The establishment of the support fund is related to the DEFINE expansion project funded by the city of Riihimäki and Sitra.

At the same time, the council noted the city board's decision to participate in the DEFINE project. The board's decision was conditional and its implementation required the city board to allocate the necessary funds to establish the fund. The city-owned business company Riihimäen Tilat ja Kehitys Oy (RTOY) has also committed 250,000 euros to the fund.

The project aims to build a national, multi-actor defense and security innovation ecosystem from DEFINE, which originated in Riihimäki and Kanta-Häme, connecting cities, companies, universities and authorities. DEFINE is a defense and security network launched by the city of Riihimäki.

The City of Riihimäki is the main implementer of the project. The city's self-financing share of the project is 650,000 euros, of which the city will cover 150,000 euros for the salary costs of the technology and innovation responsibility area. The remaining 500,000 euros will come from a support fund established by the city and RTOY.

Thanks to the project, DEFINE's funding has been secured for the next two years. The total budget of the project is almost two million euros, of which Sitra's share is 800,000 euros and other partners' share is 510,000 euros.

Read more about the defense and security network on the DEFINE website.

Delegates have their own sponsor company

In addition to the project, the council decided to launch a business sponsorship program. In the business sponsorship program, city councilors who are interested will receive a randomly selected sponsor company from Riihimäki. In the operating model, the sponsor councilor meets with the entrepreneur or company representative once or twice a year.

The city will match the sponsor and the company by drawing lots. The term of office of the corporate sponsor is the same as the term of the city council, i.e. until May 2029. The model is based on voluntary work for both city councilors and companies.

Read more about corporate sponsorship activities in the city's press release.

Read more about the city council's decisions in the city's press release.

Check out the city council agendas and minutes on the city's website.