The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €250 million to Finnish elevator and escalator company KONE to accelerate research, development and innovation in advanced building mobility technologies. The financing will support the development of next-generation elevators, escalators, auto-walks and intelligent digital solutions designed to optimise the movement of people in modern buildings and urban environments.
The EIB loan will support KONE’s research and innovation programme between 2026 and 2029. The activities focus on improving safety, performance and energy efficiency in elevators and escalators, while developing intelligent technologies that help manage people flow in increasingly complex urban environments.
“Smart, safe and energy-efficient mobility within buildings is an essential part of sustainable cities,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “By supporting KONE’s innovation programme, we are helping strengthen Europe’s technological leadership in advanced building systems and supporting high-skilled research and engineering jobs.”
Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, KONE is a global leader in elevators and escalators. The company reported sales of €11.2 billion in 2025 and operates worldwide across new building solutions, service and modernisation.
“This programme supports our ambition to create smarter, more sustainable people flow in the urban environments,” said Kone Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Johannes Rastas. “By leveraging digitalisation and innovation, we aim to improve urban mobility, enhance energy efficiency and ensure the safe and reliable use of our equipment throughout its lifecycle.”
The research and innovation programme supported by the EIB loan will be carried out primarily in Finland, with additional activities in Italy. The project will help maintain highly skilled research and engineering jobs in Europe while advancing technologies that improve the energy efficiency of buildings where KONE systems are installed.
The operation is part of the EIB’s TechEU initiative, which supports European companies developing advanced technologies that strengthen innovation, industrial competitiveness and Europe’s technological leadership.
