The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide a €250 million loan to Finnish company KONE to support research, development, and innovation in next-generation elevators, escalators, and smart people-flow technologies. The financing will help advance digital and energy-efficient solutions designed to improve mobility within modern buildings and urban environments.
The funding will support KONE’s R&D programme from 2026 to 2029, focusing on improving safety, performance, and energy efficiency in building transport systems. It will also enable the development of intelligent technologies that optimise how people move through increasingly complex urban infrastructure, contributing to more efficient and sustainable cities.
EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer highlighted that smart and energy-efficient building mobility is essential for sustainable urban development. He noted that the investment will strengthen Europe’s leadership in advanced building technologies while also supporting high-skilled engineering and research jobs across the region.
KONE, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, is a global leader in elevators and escalators, with operations spanning new installations, maintenance, and modernisation services worldwide. The company reported €11.2 billion in sales in 2025 and continues to invest heavily in innovation and digital transformation.
Company representatives stated that the EIB-backed programme will help accelerate the development of smarter and more sustainable people-flow systems. By integrating digital technologies, KONE aims to improve energy efficiency, enhance user safety, and extend the lifecycle performance of its equipment in urban infrastructure.
The research and innovation activities will primarily take place in Finland, with additional work in Italy. The project is also expected to support highly skilled jobs in Europe while advancing technologies that contribute to lower energy consumption in buildings.
The operation forms part of the EIB’s TechEU initiative, which supports European companies working on advanced technologies to strengthen innovation, industrial competitiveness, and Europe’s global technological leadership.
