Insights

Open Innovation (OI) ecosystem projects are complicated and demanding. Ecosystem partners have multiple roles and different internal drivers and objectives. Typically innovation projects involve high technological and commercial risks, which increase the level of complexity. Furthermore, there may be competing ecosystem projects either running parallel or about to be initiated. These characteristics require special measures and actions when leading and managing OI ecosystem projects.

Temperature sensors, drug tests and disease detection devices made out of paper: the future of green electronics has kicked-off  with the INNPAPER project. The four-year project aims to develop alternative solutions to traditional electronics. It is funded by the European Commission and has a budget of €7.5 million.

Does your company have an innovative idea or solution that you would like to pilot together with Fortum? Are you looking for new business opportunities and world-class expertise to support in commercialising your idea?

Spinverse and the Nordic Council of Ministers through the Danish Business Authority have broadened the CTO Forum concept to cover all Nordic countries. The first ever CTO Forum Nordics was held in Stockholm, Sweden on the 14th of December 2017. The aim of the day was to find ways to enhance Nordic cooperation in industrial digitalisation: Industry 4.0.

Tekes Smart City and Environment event “100 Lasissa”, Helsinki, 12.12.2017

Helsinki-based edtech software company 3DBear Ltd has raised over one million euros of seed funding. Investors are New York -based Rethink Education VC, a publicly listed media and publishing company Keski-Pohjanmaan Kirjapaino Oyj, chairman of the Board of Directors of Basware Hannu Vaajoensuu through his investment company, angel investor Tero Lehtonen and an edtech investor and founder Mitch Weisburgh. Current investors Spinverse Group, Glyn Eggar, Kaisa Olkkonen and Veli-Pekka Saarnivaara made additional investments.

Do you know an exceptional CTO in Finland? We are now looking for nominations to find the CTO who is the most inspiring team-builder and leader, who adds significant value to the company through technology.  you can submit your nomination at http://www.ctoforum.fi/nominate. Anyone who is responsible for their company’s technology in Finland is eligible. The selection criteria are very comprehensive and are divided into three section: the person, the CTO's company and societal impact.

The European Commission has earmarked €30 billion for Horizon 2020 during 2018-2020 in the last work programme. According to the Commission, over the next 3 years, it will strive for greater impact of its research funding by focusing on fewer, but critical topics such as migration, security, climate, clean energy and digital economy. Horizon 2020 will also be more geared towards boosting breakthrough, market-creating innovation.

The exponential development of technology is driving fundamental change in the world. As the pace of change is continuously increasing, people and companies need to understand the nature of exponential growth.

Eyal Shimoni, CTO of Strauss Group and Sebastien Equis, CTO of Nanolive have been awarded with the title European Chief Technology Officer of the Year 2017 in their respective categories: large corporations and SMEs. The awards ceremony took place during the CTO Forum 2017 at Empa Academy, Zurich, Switzerland on October 26^th, 2017. Both awardees serve as prominent role models fuelling growth and strengthening European innovation and technology leadership.