Saastamoinen Foundation donates EUR 1.5 million to Aalto University

Saastamoinen Foundation has granted Aalto University a donation of EUR 1.5 million. The donation is directed to the activities at the Marsio building supporting the cross-disciplinary fields of Aalto University. With the donation the university will be able to strengthen its art and media education and interdisciplinary research as well as societal interaction and impact.  

Marsio is a place for radical creativity, experimentation and new thinking. The building has a total of 6 500 square meters of state-of-the-art facilities, especially for art and media teaching and research, for multidisciplinary research, digitalisation of teaching and the Aalto Studios media centre. The ground floor of Marsio, with the Saastamoinen Foundation Stage, is a meeting place and venue for open-to-all events and exhibitions to showcase how Aalto is shaping a sustainable future and solving global challenges.  

‘At Saastamoinen Foundation, we firmly believe that powerful ideas emerge when art, science and technology meet to face the challenges of our time. At Marsio, we are proud to offer long-term support to the multidisciplinary collaboration, creativity and bold experimentation that defines Aalto University,’ says Petteri Karttunen, Saastamoinen Foundation. 

‘We are deeply grateful for this donation and for the support from Saastamoinen Foundation. Marsio offers an interface for bringing art, business and technology together. With this support we can boost new ways to innovate and be creative for many years to come’, says Ilkka Niemelä, President of Aalto University. 

With this donation Saastamoinen Foundation contributes to Aalto University’s fundraising campaign that will continue until end of 2026. 

More information 

• Aalto University fundraising campaign 
• Saastamoinen Foundation
• Marsio