Insights

Innovation funding creates an obligation to communicate - Pekka Koponen's column in Kauppalehti

The looming threat of a recession increases the importance of R&D funding, both directly from Tekes and by other means such as tax incentives. Recipients of such funding also have an obligation to communicate to taxpayers about how it is being used, even before specific results are achieved. When the message is clear, new and bold, the media writes. Also positively.

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European Nanotechnology Landscape Report Published

Spinverse and ObservatoryNANO provide nanotechnology landscape report to policy makers

European faces a number of ‘Grand Challenges’, outlined in the Lund Declaration 2009, such as the global warming, tightening supplies of energy, water and food, ageing societies, public health, pandemics and security. Nanotechnologies offer the potential to help address a number of these challenges leading to an eco-efficient European economy, which competes effectively with other world regions.

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Novel solar thermal collectors combining materials technology, energy efficiency and architecture

Aurubis Finland Oy (former Luvata Pori Rolled Products) has developed a novel solution for energy efficient buildings. Their Nordic Solar concept now demonstrated in full scale in the Pori swimming hall opened September 24th, 2011 comprises solar thermal collectors embedded directly within the prepatinated copper façade elements. Their development on new absorption coatings made in the Tekes Functional Materials Programme guarantees effective heat transfer, but more widely it shows how target-oriented material R&D combined with understanding of the application needs opens new business opportunities in a short time frame, says Dr. Markku Heino, Spinverse, Coordinator of the Functional Materials Programme.

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