National Public Health Institute

What National Public Health Institute does

THL (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos / National Institute for Health and Welfare) is Finland's central government expert and research institute for health and welfare, operating under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Established in 2009 through the merger of KTL (Kansanterveyslaitos) and STAKES, the institute serves as the authoritative national source for population-level health and welfare data, professional guidelines, and evidence-based policy research for the entire Finnish population.

The institute's core technical infrastructure consists of comprehensive population-level data registers covering diseases, vaccinations, child welfare, mental health, infectious diseases, and other public health indicators, complemented by an open data platform that publishes statistics and research datasets for researchers, decision-makers, and the public. Core product offerings include the Data and Statistics Portal, Research Programs infrastructure, professional Guidelines portal, Open Data program, and standalone tools such as the Alcohol Calculator. These are integrated through the central thl.fi web platform, which also disseminates news, expert positions, and public health campaigns.

THL's business model is non-commercial: as a publicly funded government research institute, services, data, and publications are provided free of charge or at minimal cost under its statutory public mandate. The institute does not generate commercial revenue, has no external investors, and operates through direct coordination with government agencies, the 21 Finnish well-being areas (hyvinvointialueet), healthcare and social welfare professionals, and the general public. Distribution is digital-first via the thl.fi website, professional portals, open data platforms, and active social media and PR channels.

Name

National Public Health Institute

Legal name

Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos

Website

https://ktl.fi

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

THL (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos) is Finland's national government research institute for health and welfare, producing population-level data registers, professional guidelines, and evidence-based policy research for government agencies, healthcare professionals, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Research

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Information Exchange & Public Health Data Integration (HLAJAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics (BPAIAJAM), Data Governance, Standards & Interoperability (ICD, HL7/FHIR, LOINC, SNOMED) (HLAJAJAM), Health Systems Performance & Quality Measurement (Public Sector) (HLAJANAK), Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage) (BPAIAKAH)

Keywords

• Public health research
• Health statistics data
• Social welfare research
• Clinical practice guidelines
• Open health datasets

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

THL operates as Finland's national expert and research institute for health and welfare, producing reliable research information and maintaining extensive population-level health and social welfare data registers. Its offerings include the Data and Statistics Portal, the Open Data program, structured Research Programs, topic-specific Guidelines for Professionals, and public health tools such as the Alcohol Calculator. All services are provided as part of THL's statutory public mandate under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Product overview

THL (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos) operates as a unified research and expertise institute rather than a commercial product company. Its service portfolio consists of interconnected information platforms and tools: the Data and Statistics Portal provides broad access to social and health sector datasets; the Open Data program makes registry and monitoring data publicly available; Research Programs offer structured research infrastructure and publications; the Guidelines for Professionals section delivers topic-specific guidance; and the Alcohol Calculator provides a standalone public health tool. These offerings are integrated through the central thl.fi web platform, which also disseminates the institute's perspectives, news, campaigns, and expert recommendations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Data and Statistics Portal (Data ja tilastot) A comprehensive portal providing extensive social and health sector data assets openly accessible for research, development, and decision-making, covering topics from alcohol and infectious diseases to child welfare and healthcare statistics. Aimed at researchers, decision-makers, and analysts.
• Alcohol Calculator (Alkoholilaskuri) An online tool allowing users to calculate and understand their alcohol consumption levels and associated health impacts. Aimed at the general public for self-assessment of alcohol-related health risks.
• Research Programs (Tutkimus) Structured research infrastructure producing reliable research data on health and welfare phenomena, including research programs, projects, publications, data assets, and foresight activities. Aimed at researchers, government agencies, and decision-makers.
• Guidelines for Professionals (Ohjeita ammattilaisille) Up-to-date guidelines, recommendations, and tools for health and welfare professionals, searchable by keyword or filtered by topic including infectious disease guidelines, child welfare guidance, and safety protocols. Aimed at healthcare and social welfare professionals.
• Open Data (Avoin data) Publicly available datasets from THL's registries and monitoring systems for secondary use in research and analysis. Aimed at researchers, academics, and analysts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Provides monitoring data and recommendations that support healthcare resource allocation across Finnish well-being areas (27 billion EUR in social and health spending)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment): Netherlands' national public health and environmental research institute. Directly comparable as a state research body conducting population surveillance, vaccination programs, and policy advisory work on health and welfare.
• Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten): Sweden's national public health agency responsible for surveillance, vaccination programs, and population-level health monitoring. Closest comparable peer given shared Nordic welfare-state context, similar mandate, and parallel focus on data registers, statistics, and public-health guidance.
• Robert Koch Institute (RKI): Germany's federal government agency for disease control and prevention. Directly comparable as a national institute responsible for population health surveillance, epidemiological research, and public health guidance within a larger federal welfare system.
• Public Health Agency of Canada: Canada's federal public health agency. Comparable in operating national health surveillance, vaccination guidance, and evidence-based public-health advisory functions, though operating at a larger federal scale.
• Sciensano: Belgium's national public health research institute operating population-level health and disease surveillance, similar in mandate and size profile to THL.
• Statens Serum Institut (SSI): Denmark's national public health and infectious disease research institute. Comparable in being a state-owned Nordic research and surveillance body operating population-level health data infrastructure and serving as an authoritative advisor to government.
• Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI): Norway's equivalent national public health research institute, conducting epidemiological surveillance, infectious disease control, and health-data analytics for the Norwegian population. Directly comparable in scope, Nordic operating context, and statutory role.
• Santé publique France: France's national public health agency operating national health surveillance, epidemiological data, and population-level prevention programs. Comparable mandate covering statistics, monitoring, and evidence-based public-health advisory functions.

Broad incumbents

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The U.S. federal public health agency. Comparable in core mission (surveillance, epidemiology, public-health guidance), but operates at far larger scale and broader scope than THL; relevant as a benchmark for national public-health institute structures.

Others

• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): EU-level agency coordinating cross-border disease surveillance among member-state public health institutes including THL. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that depends on and complements national institutes like THL rather than competing with them directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/THLfinland
• Facebookfacebook.com/thl.fi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-public-health-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/thl.fi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Public Health Institute