Information Retrieval, LLMs, and Knowledge Graphs: Creating the Most Comprehensive Database of Innovations

SFINNO: 35 Years of Capturing Finnish Innovation, Now Evolved to SFINNO 2.0

Finland has long been recognized as one of the most prosperous and innovative countries in the global economy. Central to this achievement is Finland's robust innovation ecosystem, which continues to drive industrial renewal and technological change. At the heart of this ecosystem lies VTT's SFINNO database, a unique, longitudinal resource capturing Finnish innovations over the past 35 years.

The SFINNO Database: A Foundation of Insight

The original SFINNO database provides unprecedented micro-level insights into the processes of industrial renewal and innovation within Finnish businesses. This tool has been instrumental in identifying trends and fostering academic and policy research on innovation and entrepreneurship. By meticulously documenting individual innovations, SFINNO enables researchers and policymakers to trace patterns of technological advancement, understand the dynamics of industrial transformation, and identify environments where innovations thrive.

Accessible publicly for the first time, the SFINNO database now offers visualizations that provide a wealth of information, including:

• The number of innovations over time.

• Innovation types and their locations.

• Degrees of novelty and complexity.

These insights are invaluable for identifying best practices and optimizing the environments that enable innovation to flourish.

The Evolution: Introducing SFINNO 2.0

Innovation, much like scientific breakthroughs, is rarely serendipitous. It emerges from a careful understanding of the complex factors that drive it. In response to the growing need for deeper insights and broader coverage, with my Team at we have developed SFINNO 2.0—a state-of-the-art upgrade to the original database.

SFINNO 2.0 addresses critical challenges in information identification and retrieval. By applying new methodologies and expanding its scope, the database now:

• Enhances the ability to identify and extract innovation-related attributes, such as content, location, complexity, and collaboration.

• Provides broader coverage and deeper analysis to support academic, policy, and entrepreneurial endeavors.

This upgrade aligns with cutting-edge developments in computer science and software engineering, tackling problems similar to those faced by search engines, such as information retrieval and relevance ranking.

A Collaborative Effort with Broad Implications

The development of SFINNO 2.0 represents a major milestone achieved through collaborative effort and advanced research methodologies. This initiative has already been recognized as a key resource for researchers and policymakers worldwide. Looking ahead, SFINNO 2.0 will play a central role in the upcoming Eu-SPRI Forum Conference, where it will contribute to discussions on integrating AI into science and innovation policy—highlighting both opportunities and risks.

Why SFINNO Matters

Innovation is the engine of economic and societal prosperity. Tools like the SFINNO database empower us to understand the environments where innovation thrives and identify factors that can accelerate growth. By shedding light on the processes of industrial renewal and technological change, SFINNO not only contributes to Finland's success but also serves as a global model for fostering innovation.

As we celebrate the launch of SFINNO 2.0, we look forward to the broader impacts this resource will have on shaping innovation policies and driving economic transformation worldwide. To learn more, explore the database here: SFINNO Database of Finnish Innovations.