(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.
Verkotan Oy was incorporated in November 2014 and it acquires from Microsoft the necessary testing chambers, equipment and certain software applications.
The clientele consists of mobile equipment manufacturers (smart phones, wireless transmitters), mobile network operators, wireless equipment developers and test equipment companies. There are no similar accredited Over-the-air (OTA) testing service providers in Northern Europe.
”The increasing complexity of wireless devices and the Internet of Things boost the demand for testing of wireless capabilities. Our primary offering consists of OTA certification testing, operator OTA approval testing, and tailored wireless performance testing”, states the CEO of Verkotan Oy Kari Komonen.
Microsoft desires to support new innovations and start-up companies and build a vivid, growing ecosystem in Finland”, says director Max Mickelsson of Microsoft Oy.
“The Innovation Mill program launched initially with Nokia is a significant success story built with Finnish corporations, measured by the quantity of new companies and their success”, states Director Kari Tilli of Tekes - the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation.
Director Juha Ala-Mursula of BusinessOulu Municipal development Agency points out the rapid and decisive reaction to the structural change: “Our experience from numerous Innovation Mill projects shows that ideas and resources that turn obsolete for one company can, when properly supported, generate profitable business, employment and prosperity”.
Since 2009 Innovation Mill program has facilitated entrepreneurial commercialization of more than one hundred technologies and creation of more than 1000 jobs. “Now, we are renewing the program to cover and expanding network of SME’s and large industrial partners so that ideas and products will move in both directions”, clarifies the CEO of Spinverse Ltd., Mr. Pekka Koponen.
Kari Komonen, CEO, Verkotan Oy, tel. +358 40 500 1241
Kari Tilli, Director, Tekes, tel. +358 50 55 77 850
Juha Ala-Mursula, Director, BusinessOulu, tel. +358 40 559 7020
Pekka Koponen, CEO, Spinverse Oy, tel. +358 40 545 0008
Max Mickelsson, Director, Microsoft, tel. +358 504 999 776