Cleantech market expansion through Russia?

Matryoshka going nano?

Information and communications technology revolutionized the industries that rely on information in a couple of decades.

Materials technology is expected to do the same in manufacturing industries from forest industry to environmental technologies, electronics to energy. For Finland to be successful and turn its technology into business, remarkable investments are needed from the industry, private investors as well as the state.

We believe that while a large portion of the most prominent Finnish technology companies are seeking for international market presence, most of them are overlooking an obvious expansion direction – the East. While Finns have long traditions in making business in Russia, it seems that for technology based start-ups feel more comfortable in expanding through Europe and US; at the same time the companies are neglecting vast markets, great manufacturing and sourcing possibilities and the bluer ocean within the Russian technology competition.

Nano- and materials technology enables many new possibilities for cleantech.  Finnish existing cleantech business has already been recognized for their innovativeness (for more details see e.g Karl Burkart’s blog post "2010 may be Finland's breakthrough year in cleantech" in Mother Nature Network) but also new breakthrough technologies are being developed.

For example, the fuel cell will provide an environmentally friendly and efficient means of energy production. Nanotechnology expertise is especially needed for development of smaller and more efficient fuel cells. In addition to the growing markets of portable devices, medical devices and RFID applications also demand for even smaller printable fully enzymatic fuel cells, flexible miniature tags that would be paper thin. All these novel technologies are developed in projects under the Finnish Tekes Fuel Cell Programme coordinated by Spinverse.

Speaking of the East - did you know that Suomen Teollisuussijoitus Oy (TESI) together with the Russian Corporation for Nanotechnology (RUSNANO) announced a joint investment program totaling 50M€? If your business has been looking for expansion to Russia and is open for new capital investments, this might be your chance.  The main requirements are willingness to establish manufacturing capacity to Russia with some nanotechnology present in the utilized technology portfolio.

We at Spinverse work with turning nano- and materials technology into business and always remember to look also east for new opportunities.