Strategic innovation programme BioInnovation has worked with Business Finland, Clic Innovation and Vinnova to implement a joint call for projects for the two strong bioeconomy countries of Sweden and Finland.
Four projects received funding through the call, three of which included Finnish parties. The projects are related to the demonstration of the production process of renewable traffic fuel and to new applications for recycled textiles, among other things. Collectively, the four projects have been granted SEK 13.9 million over four years.
“It is pleasing to see that we are now promoting greater cooperation in research and development between the countries, with strong projects that are also indicating the major scope and potential in the field of biobased development,” says Anna Wiberg, Programme Manager for BioInnovation.
“Cooperation between the strong bioeconomy countries of Finland and Sweden is important, and we have good opportunities to continue it in the future as well, with new biobased and circular innovations,” says Tuula Savola, Bioeconomy Program Manager, Business Finland.
Background to the call for projects
Finland received a gift from Sweden in 2017, at the time it was celebrating its 100th anniversary as an independent state: a joint venture relating to forest and forest industry research in the form of research services. This cooperation on the call for projects is a specific effect of the partnership between the countries that began when the gift was presented.
The call for projects provided the opportunity either to apply jointly for funding between stakeholders in both countries, or to apply directly to the country in question if a project just involved parties from one of the countries. The offer was aimed at projects that facilitate process stages for the manufacture of biobased chemicals and materials. The call for projects focused specifically on technologies taking biobased products and materials from lab scale to pilot or demo level.
For more information, please contact:
Anna Wiberg, Programme Manager BioInnovation, +46 (0)76 129 62 94, anna.wiberg@bioinnovation.se.
Ilmari Absetz, director, programmes, bio- and circular economy, Business Finland, +358295055837, ilmari.absetz@businessfinland.fi.
BioInnovation is a strategic innovation programme initiated by the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, IKEM and TEKO. The programme is being funded by Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency and Formas, along with stakeholders from the business community, academia, institutes and the public sector. The aim is to increase competitiveness and the level of value added in the Swedish biobased sector by creating the best possible conditions for production of new biobased materials, products and services. www.bioinnovation.se
Business Finland offers a broad variety of services that exist to support innovation, internationalisation, investments and tourism. www.businessfinland.fi
CLIC Innovation is an innovation cluster that focuses on bioeconomy, circular economy and energy systems. www.clicinnovation.fi
Vinnova is Sweden’s innovation authority, tasked with contributing to sustainable growth through improvement of conditions for innovation. www.vinnova.se.