Governments can think a bit further ahead than typical venture capitalists... it is not about making an exit year from now, but instead ensuring that there is enough tax revenue coming in when the current generation of workers retires.
In Finland the current focus is ensuring that the economy can transition from the failing mobile phones and shipyards to something else, and the game cluster is a part of that.
Update: found an article about the role public funding played with Rovio's success:
Rovio Ltd. has benefited from support schemes by Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. According to the public information provided by Tekes, the company received grants of € 379,510 over the years 2005-2007.
In addition, the Finnish Film Foundation, an institution backed by the state, has granted Rovio Ltd. € 50,000 of support for the production of an Angry Birds animation movie. Already before, Rovio had announced cooperations for producing “Angry Bird” films, including a cooperation with 20th Century Fox.
In Finland the current focus is ensuring that the economy can transition from the failing mobile phones and shipyards to something else, and the game cluster is a part of that.
Update: found an article about the role public funding played with Rovio's success:
Rovio Ltd. has benefited from support schemes by Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. According to the public information provided by Tekes, the company received grants of € 379,510 over the years 2005-2007.
In addition, the Finnish Film Foundation, an institution backed by the state, has granted Rovio Ltd. € 50,000 of support for the production of an Angry Birds animation movie. Already before, Rovio had announced cooperations for producing “Angry Bird” films, including a cooperation with 20th Century Fox.
http://www.proinno-europe.eu/inno-grips-ii/newsroom/finnish-...