Insights

The October 2014 round of the SME instrument funding saw two Phase 2 grants being given to Finnish companies. The SME instrument, launched under the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Union, aims to support innovative Small- or Medium-sized Enterprises to gain competitive edge in their aspirations to accelerate the exploitation of their innovations, and to expand their business. According to the EU, the SME instrument is a simpler and more easily accessible funding scheme for SMEs in the Horizon 2020 programme. However, the competition is tight: less than 15 % of all the proposals get funded. “A successful application requires a strong focus on the business opportunity, high level of innovation, and a well written application”, says Dr. Pirjo Pasanen, a certified EU consultant from Spinverse.

The MATCH project funded by the European Union within the Horizon 2020 framework programme was initiated to strengthen and deepen the Alliance4Materials strategy with a further increased stakeholder network. Spinverse is a work package leader on communications and events section and is also participating in a work package related to the identification of success stories and analysis of the best practices.

Nine European companies and research institutes combine forces in the NanoPilot-project to create a pilot plant aimed at accelerating the development of nanomedicine by facilitating the production of small clinical batches under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). One of the first three nanopharmaceuticals chosen for production in the pilot plant is a promising intranasal HIV vaccine.

Helsinki - February the 4th, 2015. Juha Inberg from Ponsse Plc and Jussi Pyörre from Eniram Oy have been chosen as the recipients of the CTO of the Year 2015 award. The award recognises chief technology officers who through their work have added value to their companies’ technological expertise and growth potential, are inspiring leaders and have an active role in societal networks. This is the fifth time that Technology Academy Finland (TAF), Sitra and Spinverse Oy are giving the CTO of the Year award.

(Helsinki, 23rd January 2015, 9:00 AM) – Microsoft Mobile Oy and Verkotan Oy have agreed to continue the operations of the mobile equipment testing laboratories in Oulu, Finland as an independent company that offers outsourced testing services to mobile equipment manufacturers and network operators. Verkotan Oy starts the business with funding from Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, in the framework of the Innovation Mill program.

Spinverse has grown its innovation ecosystems and business consulting business areas with five new professionals.

(UPM, Helsinki, 18.12.2014 at 11:30) - UPM and Indicatorium Oy have entered into an agreement for the international commercialisation of the food freshness indicator technology developed by UPM. Food freshness indicator is a smart label that reacts to certain chemicals and helps to determine whether a food product is still fresh and safe to eat. Indicatorium is aiming to introduce food freshness indicator to the global markets. Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation will finance the initial stage of the project.

The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) has made a decision to finance a European innovation cluster specialised in the field of minerals. The new innovation cluster will focus on the European raw material needs. One of its six offices will be based in Otaniemi, Espoo, Finland. Spinverse is part of the Finnish cluster.

Column in Kauppalehti by Pekka Koponen 15.12.2014, B16