Transcript Tekes Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation

Tekes
the Finnish Funding Agency
for Technology and Innovation
Way to successful industry related
innovations
MARKET-DRIVEN INNOVATIONS
Esko Virtanen
Vilnius, Lithuania 5th May, 2011
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Tekes - what do we do and why
Examples - of successful R&D work
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How do we work?
 Tekes encourages companies to do challenging R&D
• Funding for the creation of new know-how and development of products,
processes and service or business concepts
• We accept more risks than private financiers
 Tekes facilitates collaboration and networking
• between small and large businesses
• industry and the academia
• public and private organisations
• globally – nationally – regionally
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Strategy in a nutshell
Growth and wellbeing from renewal
• Priority to growth-seeking, innovative SME’s
• Increased focus on forerunners and strategic
innovations
• Customer success in global value networks
• Services and non-technical contents equally
important as industry and technologies
• Tekes will be a more essential part of the innovation
services cooperation network
• More customer-oriented and flexible approach
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Focus areas
Business in global
value networks
Added value by solution-based
services and intangible concepts
Renewing services and
production by digital means
Natural
resources and
sustainable
economy
Intelligent
environments
Vitality
of people
Strategic research areas
determined by the Strategic
Centres for Science,
Technology and
Innovation
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Examples - of successful R&D work
4 CASES
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Successful gaming industry one of
Finland's strong points
 Global gaming industry worth about USD 50 billion in 2009
(export value of the Finnish gaming industry about EUR 75
million)
 Finnish international success stories such as
Angry Birds, Habbo Hotel, Max Payne
 Strong gaming culture (Assembly computer
festival) and technology know-how behind the
success
 Digital distribution of games the next big thing
 Play Finland attracts international publishers
and investors
 Tekes has supported the Finnish gaming industry strongly
since 2001
 www.playfinland.fi
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Lactose-free milk drinks
Valio Ltd
 Milk-tasting, totally lactose-free
products
 Growing need on the global market,
big share of the adult population is
lactose intolerant
 First products on the market in 2001
 Patented products sold in 12 countries
 Turnover in 2009 over 100 million
euros
 Selection includes sour milks,
yoghurts, creams, cottage cheeses
and fats
 Tekes has partly funded R&D
 www.valio.fi
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Third generation demonstration biorefinery
in operation
Chempolis Oy
 The company’s 3G biorefining
demonstration plant utilizes
agricultural residues
 Production of pulp and paper fibres;
also biofuels and biochemicals.
 Concept rated by a World Bank
report as economically and
environmentally best
 First license agreements with Chinese customers
 China the strongest market
 License and project contract with UPM-Kymmene Corporation
 www.chempolis.com
DM 32182 04-2009
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Deep collection gains world popularity
Molok Oy
 The deep collection system
developed by Molok has spread
around the world
 Waste is held in an underground
container; only a third of the
container is visible
 Deep collecting containers hold more waste than surface bins
= longer intervals between emptying
 Advantages of deep collection are economic and ecological
 Suited to collecting various kinds of waste
 Used at the Beijing Summer Olympics
 60% of turnover exported, mainly to Europe and Scandinavia
 www.molok.com
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Half of the funded projects are
internationally networked
International activities in projects
funded by Tekes in 2006 - 2008
Any international company located in Finland is
eligible for Tekes's funding, regardless of ownership.
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Impacts of R&D funding
Tekes’ s clients have experienced more rapid growth than
companies in the business register in general.
Business Aid Database Creation: Final Report by the Working Group (2006)
R&D funding increases the growth, activeness in seeking patents
and demand for labour of companies and reduces the likelihood
of business closures and mergers.
Hovi et al. (2006)
R&D funding has increased the growth of productivity and improved
employment in companies with a well compensated R&D.
Piekkola (2006)
Nearly two in three companies perceived Tekes funding to have
helped the company increase its net sales.
Pekkanen et al. (2004)
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Encouraging innovation environment
 Growing investments in R&D
– public and private
 Active dialogue involves
companies, research
institutes and public sector
 Innovation leader
– one of the four innovation
leaders in Europe
Innovation Union Scoreboard 2010
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Keep in touch!
Information about Finnish innovation environment, Tekes's activities
interesting publications and research and development projects
www.tekes.fi/en
Subscribe to Tekes Newsletter at
www.tekes.fi/en/newsletter
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