Megatrends 2026: business opportunities in an ageing Finland

Megatrends are currents that reshape the structures of society and business over decades. A defining feature of today’s megatrends is that change is happening faster than ever.

Sitra published its 2026 megatrends in January. The report outlines four shifts that will open new business opportunities in the future, while at the same time pushing parts of current business towards sunset. Companies that know how and dare to leverage megatrends in developing services and products can uncover unexpected business opportunities.

In this article, we focus on the megatrend describing population ageing, “Towards a society of longevity”, and the opportunities it creates.

Towards a society of longevity

Ageing population is often discussed in a negative light. The dependency ratio weakens as the number of working-age taxpayers declines. Finland is one of the most rapidly ageing countries in Europe: there are 1,3 million Finns aged over 65. By 2035, an estimated 40 % of the population will be over 50. At the same time as demand for elderly care increases, the need for services aimed at children and young people is decreasing. In 2024, the total fertility rate reached its lowest level on record, 1,25. 

As the population ages, the number of working-age informal carers is also increasing. More and more middle-aged people are balancing their own jobs with caring for ageing parents or loved ones. This is reshaping working life, increasing the need for flexibility and opening new business opportunities in, for example, support services for carers, solutions that strengthen wellbeing and services that make it easier to combine work and care responsibilities.

Services for affluent seniors

An ageing population will consume more healthcare services, but also a wider range of other services. Unlike previous generations, future pensioners are more affluent, healthier and more aware of the kind of service they expect. Urbanisation creates challenges for service provision, but also enables new digital opportunities.

• Luxury care homes and hotel-like 24/7 care communities.
• Mobile hairdressing, beauty and wellbeing services visiting care homes, assisted living units and private homes.
• Comprehensive health agreements that treat the person as a whole, rather than focusing only on illness.
• Exercise services for older adults: gyms for pensioners, yoga classes for seniors, wellbeing retreats for mature customers.
• Digital service platforms for healthcare, community building and hobbies.
• Home-delivered meal services and smart food dispensers.
• Care and companion robots that assist with household tasks and daily support.

Flexible work in retirement

An increasing number of seniors continue their careers beyond the official (and steadily rising) retirement age. The transformation of working life also affects retirees: some want to continue working, others feel compelled to do so. As working-age cohorts shrink, organisations increasingly look to retirees for skills and talent. Alongside traditional employment, alternative ways of working are becoming more common: entrepreneurship, light entrepreneurship, and interim roles are on the rise.

• Work-sharing platforms that connect employers and professionals on a project basis.
• Entrepreneurship-enabling services: artificial intelligence-assisted accounting, invoicing and administration.
• Collectives where professionals with specific expertise offer their services together.
• Shared employment models where several professionals rotate responsibilities.
• Applications and communities that optimise workload sharing.