News

Aalto University and VTT launch a major innovation ecosystem aimed at doubling the value of forest industry

Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland signed a collaboration agreement on the CERES flagship programme.
Aalto University President Ilkka Niemelä (left) is hoping CERES to bring solutions especially to microplastic problems. VTT President and CEO Antti Vasara is excited about biodegradable electronics.

The aim is to develop materials from renewable resources in order to safeguard a sustainable future. The Academy of Finland has granted a EUR 9.5 million flagship funding for the first four years of the project. An extension funding for the next four-year period will be based on an interim evaluation. The total funding of the project is EUR 24 million.

The CERES innovation ecosystem will create a unique foundation for new bioeconomy innovations in Finland. Plant-based biomaterial is the future plastics and, according to researchers, much beyond. The purpose of this ecosystem is to develop new materials, in particular based on lignocellulose and forest biomass, for industrial-scale production of packaging, textiles and separation systems, as well as semiconductors, composites and solutions for energy storage.

According to VTT's scenario calculations, if used to manufacture high added-value products, Finnish forest and field biomass could double in value by 2050. It is possible to do all this and, at the same time, reach the climate targets set for the country. This scenario work is the first analysis of Finland's potential in the bioeconomy and its transition to a low-carbon economy, which takes account of all industrial and emission sectors.

The objective of Finland's national bioeconomy strategy is to create 100,000 new jobs in the country and increase the bioeconomy output by EUR 40 billion by 2025. The research and development work to be performed under CERES will support the delivery of this objective and help companies to make new openings in the international market.

On 23 August 2018, VTT President and CEO Antti Vasara and Aalto University President Ilkka Niemelä signed a collaboration agreement to establish the CERES ecosystem. In this agreement, both parties emphasise their willingness to create a joint ecosystem in the field of biomaterial research, as well as create ground rules for successful cooperation. The agreement also aims to support the commercial exploitation of project results.

CERES will function as a virtual knowledge centre. It will develop new methods for biomass processing as well as material solutions based on these, and provide the industry long-term, globally cutting-edge R&D work.

Further information:

Aalto University
Professor Orlando Rojas
tel. +358 50 512 4227, [email protected]

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
Research Professor Kristiina Kruus
tel. +358 50 520 2471, [email protected]

  • Published:
  • Updated:

Read more news

Lennart Engels, Karolin Kull, Ágnes László, Julia Postrzech and Valenti Soler won the Habitare Design competition 2023.
Awards and Recognition, Research & Art, Studies, University Published:

Team of Interior Architect and Contemporary Design students won the Habitare Design competition 2023

The Habitare Design Competition is intended for students studying art, design, and architecture in Finland. This year ‘s theme of the competition was “Tools for togetherness”, which required the teams to design and implement new types of tools to promote togetherness and interaction on a human scale or more widely.
Crowd of people networking at a career fair.
Cooperation Published:

International theses workers provide new ideas for business operations

Thesis Fair helps international students connect with Finnish companies and find master’s thesis positions.
A group of several dozen people pose for a photo outside at Aalto University.
Cooperation Published:

Workshop photo gallery: At the frontiers of physics and biology

This three day event included talks, poster presentations, and cross-disciplinary collaboration
The Fifth Wave - BRIE-ETLA Collection of Articles book cover
Research & Art Published:

Audiobooks can today be created with AI

The Department of Industrial Engineering and Management has published its first AI-based audiobook.