Plenty of growth potential in the bioeconomy

The first international seminar focusing on the bioeconomy (International Knowledge Exchange Platform Peer-to-Peer event) was organised at Aalto University on Friday, 3 June. The seminar brought together researchers and political decision makers from Members of Parliament to officials of the European Commission.

The bioeconomy is a growth sector with an annual turnover of more than €60 billion and it already employs one in ten Finns. However, the field is still in its infancy and there are plenty of opportunities for growth companies.

– We have recruited about 20 new professors in the field of the bioeconomy, and the bioeconomy has a key role in our new degree programmes. Textile fibres, for example, is one of our key areas of expertise, says Janne Laine, Dean of the Aalto University School of Chemical Technology.

The bioeconomy requires expensive high-quality research infrastructures as well as large-scale long-term research and product development activity. It is therefore natural that new business activity is created in close collaboration with the bioeconomy infrastructures of Aalto University and VTT.

– The multidisciplinary research conducted at Aalto University creates excellent opportunities for new applications in the bioeconomy. Our new research platforms bring together the researchers from different parts of the university, our stakeholder groups from research organisations, as well as companies, says Tuija Pulkkinen, Vice President of Aalto University.

Further information:

Janne Laine
Dean, School of Chemical Technology
janne.laine@aalto.fi
+358 50 465 6835

Tuija Pulkkinen
Vice President, Research and Innovations
tuija.pulkkinen@aalto.fi
+358 50 591 6013