“The programme has gotten off to an encouraging start. Nokia wishes to offer support to Finnish ICT companies and help them to be competitive on an international scale. Collaborative initiatives of this kind benefit the community as a whole,' says Mr. Esko Aho, Nokia’s Executive Vice President, Corporate Relations and Responsibility.

A three-year initiative, the Nokia Technopolis Innovation Mill has succeeded in building a new model for generating new businesses, products and services in Finland. It is the result of cooperation among three parties, namely: Nokia, Tekes, which generates funding and also Technopolis, which coordinates the initiative and provides business development services to support the funding effort. In addition, these parties work very closely with 10 cities around Finland to provide funding and provide excellent support for the companies. The initiative has reshaped traditional business models by offering the participating Finnish companies funding and business development services, in addition to providing potentially successful innovations.

“We have now surpassed the goals we set for the first year of the initiative. By utilizing the existing innovations of Nokia's research and development and conveying ideas to Finnish ICT companies, we have reached our goal of stimulating the creation and growth of SMBs and jobs in Finland,' says Mr. Keith Silverang, CEO of Technopolis.

Technopolis is a publicly listed company that specializes in operating environments and services for knowledge-intensive organizations.

12 NEW BUSINESSES IN THE FIRST OPERATING YEAR

In its first stages, the Nokia Technopolis Innovation Mill evaluated thousands of ideas, approximately 100 of which ended up as part of the initiative. Through Nokia's contribution in terms of ideas, Technopolis' business development services as well as funding by Tekes and participating Finnish cities, 12 new businesses with significant growth potential have been created.

The ideas considered included innovations in the areas of environmental and energy-related solutions, location-based services, near field communication, security, healthcare and future internet services. In the first year of the initiative, 18 companies in all received positive funding decisions. Approximately ten more such decisions are expected to be made over the rest of 2010.

Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, provides half of the programme's overall public funding. The remaining half comes from the participating cities, which aim to develop their local ICT sectors.

”The results of the programme have exceeded expectations, and we at Tekes are very pleased. One of the focuses of our operations is to promote the development of new companies. The Nokia Technopolis Innovation Mill has already shown its merit in this direction. For years now, Tekes has discussed such an opportunity in many contexts. It is wonderful to see how Nokia has begun to realize the idea,' says Dr. Saarnivaara, Director General of Tekes.

“Corporate responsibility has been an important starting point for us. Only a small portion of Nokia's ideas are developed into products and services, which is why it is great to be able to use the Innovation Mill programme to find new environments where these ideas may flourish,' says Aho.

The Nokia Technopolis Innovation Mill initiative aims to produce more positive funding decisions during the year and aims to produce development projects with a value of 8 million euros, of which 4.5 million would come in the form of public funding.

”The results of the initiative will be reviewed during autumn 2010. Based on results and feedback from other companies, Tekes will also consider possible extension of the initiative”, Saarnivaara comments.

Contact information:
Press services, Nokia
Tel +358 7180 34 900 (Press services), email
press.services(at)nokia.com

Keith Silverang, CEO, Technopolis
Tel +358 40 566 7785, email keith.silverang(at)technopolis.fi

Juha Tanskanen, Senior Technology Adviser, Tekes
Tel +358 50 557 7860, email juha.tanskanen(at)tekes.fi

(Source: Technopolis press release 6th May, 2010).

Satu Eskelinen, Director of Technopolis Tampere, is satisfied with the deal: “The Technopolis Hermia campus continues to be very attractive for knowledge-based companies, and we also want to be involved in further development of this center. This transaction will give us a stronger foundation for active development work. In the past two years, we have also completed two totally new facilities in the campus with of a total of 9,742 m2.”

The campus is a nationally significant center of for sophisticated research and expertise in ICT mechanical engineering, automation, and laser technology.

“Technopolis centers provide versatile services that enable companies to focus strongly on their core business. The Technopolis Hermia innovation hub provides services to all
businesses in the area. We are also actively surveying customer interest in additional new facilities,” says Eskelinen.

Technopolis has more than one hundred customer companies at Hermia. The Technopolis Hermia center in Tampere has over 27,000 square meters and Technopolis has more than 120 customer companies in Tampere as a whole, with new campuses under construction in the city center and in the Finnmedi life sciences area. With the Kiinteistö Oy Hermia 1 transaction, Technopolis’ total scope of facilities in Tampere increases to 59,718 m2.

Additional information:
Technopolis Plc
Satu Eskelinen
Director of Technopolis Tampere
Tel. +358 (0)50 655 70

(Source: Technopolis press release May 5th, 2010)

“Technopolis will develop and introduce to the Russian market an entirely new concept of operating a commercially funded science and technology park that supports the growth of knowledge-intensive companies, including promising start-ups. The new Pulkovo center will promote the competitiveness of the St. Petersburg region and will introduce a replicable service concept to the market, which will contribute to the evolution of the Russian economy from a raw-material-intensive to a service and knowledge-based model with a better capacity to generate successful innovation”, says Technopolis CEO Keith Silverang.

Sylvia Gansser-Potts, Director of the Property&Tourism Team at EBRD, says:

”Science and technology parks can play an important role in improving the climate for industries to commercialise and absorb innovations. St. Petersburg, which is known for its fast-growing IT and other knowledge-intensive industries and universities of high standards, should have a strong intellectual potential for a project of this kind. Technopolis has built up a team of highly qualified international executives to manage the Project, who will bring know-how of operating technoparks on a commercial basis. These qualified managers will collaborate with and provide invaluable experience to their local Russian colleagues. In addition, Technopolis is planning to open a training centre in St. Petersburg for future managers of technoparks in Russia.”

Peter Coachman, Director of Russian Operations for Technopolis, continues:

“The Project will also introduce improved energy-efficiency standards to the Russian commercial real estate sector. The Pulkovo center will meet the high level energy efficiency standards of the Finnish construction and engineering contractors who are among the EU leaders in the energy efficiency of buildings. As a result, the Project has a very strong energy efficiency component and its energy performance will exceed Russian national standard requirements by 42.2%”, says Coachman.

The Technopolis Pulkovo center’s first phase have a gross rentable area of 24,100 sq.m and total cost of project is EUR 52.2 million including the building and land plot needed for the
first phase.

Further Information:

Technopolis PLC
Keith Silverang
CEO
Phone +358 40 566 7785
Technopolis-Saint-Petersburg LLC

Peter Coachman
Director of Russian Operations
Phone: +99 33 555

(Source: Technopolis press release 26th March 2010)

The pro forma enterprise value of the Technopolis Ülemiste joint venture (to be founded) is estimated at MEUR 63,5 with loans totaling MEUR 44. The company’s estimated full-year net sales is expected to total MEUR 4,75 and its estimated EBITDA will be approximately 4 million euros. Pro forma figures have been formulated on the basis of the financial statements as of the end of the previous fiscal year. Technopolis’ investment in the venture totals MEUR 9,93, including an earn-out payment totaling MEUR 0,5 which will be based on the achievement of commercial targets over the next two years.

Technopolis Group will have a 51 % holding in the Technopolis Ülemiste joint venture, while the remaining 49 % interest will be held by Smart City Group subsidiary Ülemiste City As.
Technopolis Ülemiste will have a roughly 10% share of the Tallinn office space market. The impact of the agreement on Technopolis Plc sales and earnings will depend on how long it
takes to complete the closing of the deal. Once the deal has closed Technopolis Ülemiste will become a part of the Technopolis Group.

”Technopolis Ülemiste will be our first international acquisition and lays an excellent foundation for further growth in Estonia. The Technopolis growth strategy calls for establishing operations in 2-3 new countries outside Finland by the year 2014,” says Technopolis Executive Chairman Pertti Huuskonen.

”By partnering with a professional team with a proven track record we will gain swift access to the Tallinn market. With a world class team, infrastructure and customer base, Technopolis Ülemiste center already meets our selection criteria,” says Technopolis CEO Keith Silverang.

The final execution of the deal within the planned framework depends on the approval of due diligence and joint venture financing procedures. Assuming these procedures are successfully concluded, we estimate that the closing will take place in June of 2010.

Further information:

TECHNOPOLIS PLC
Keith Silverang
CEO
+358 40 566 7785

Pertti Huuskonen
Executive Chairman
+358 46 712 0065

(Source: Technopolis press release 26th March 2010)

In accordance with the wishes of Lockheed Martin, nearly 20 Finnish companies have been invited to the contact-building event. Finnish excellence in cleantech has been recognized throughout the world. Indeed, Lahti's Finnish Cleantech Cluster was just named one of the top three cleantech clusters in the world.

"Our goal is to open a dialogue between top preselected Finnish cleantech companies and Lockheed Martin. We hope that this will be the impetus for bringing commercial contracts and investments to Finnish companies. These contact-building events promote the internationalization of businesses and location of foreign companies in Finland," explains Kati Tuominen, Marketing Manager for the Lahti Science and Business Park.

The American Embassy's Commercial Section is one of the Lahti Science and Business Park's strategic partners for bringing international investments to Finland and the Lahti region.

For more information on Lockheed Martin, visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

Further information on the contact-building event:

Mari Pantsar-Kallio, Director, Vice President
Lahti Science and Business Park
tel. +358 (0)50 402 6919
mari.pantsar-kallio(at)lahtisbp.fi

Kati Tuominen, Marketing Manager
Lahti Science and Business Park
tel. +358 (0)50 402 6917
kati.tuominen(at)lahtisbp.fi

www.lahtisbp.fi

(Source: Lahti Science and Business Park press release 5th May 2010)

The target of the Finnish Cleantech Cluster is to generate new growth companies in environmental, energy and clean technologies sectors and to help the companies to internationalize. Moreover, the Cluster attracts foreign capital investors to invest in Finnish companies.

The evaluation of Sustainable World Capital praised the Cluster for its success to create 40 growth companies in Finland and for its activity in internationalization. The Cluster's programmes for internationalization include efforts to grow business in Russia, India and China. The Cluster also arranges several capital venture seminars and investor events in Finland, like the annual Lahti Cleantech Venture Day.

"There are more than 100 Finnish companies involved in our China, Russia and India programmes. We have succeeded in finding partners for companies and also to do business in these countries. For example, the public support to the FECC-programme in China has more than decupled in the form of commercial agreements", says Mari Pantsar-Kallio, the Cluster's Programme Director, Lahti Science and Business Park.

Appreciation also earlier
The Cleantec Cluster got high level recognition also in 2009 when Danuta Hübner, the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, introduced the concrete results of the Finnish Cleantech Cluster as a model example to other European Clusters. With the invest worth 1,5 million euros from the EU Commission the Cleantech Cluster succeeded in creating 170 news jobs, 40 new companies and investments worth 30 million euros for the cleantech sector.

The Cleantech Cluster is comprised of four remarkable Centres of Expertise focusing on cleantech technologies: Kuopio, Lahti, Oulu and Helsinki Region. The target is to achieve growth and to internationalize the businesses related to the environmental expert knowledge which each of these Centres of Expertise possesses. These four Centres of Expertise represent about 60 per cent of Finland's cleantech business and 80 per cent of the sector's research.

Read more about the Top 10 Cleanteh Cluster Organizations for 2010 evaluation:
http://cleantech.com/news/5640/top-10-cleantech-clusters

Furhter information:
Mari Pantsar-Kallio, Programme Director
Finnish Cleantech Cluster
Lahti Science and Business Park
Tel: +358 50 402 6919
mari.pantsar-kallio(at)lahtisbp.fi
www.cleantechcluster.fi

(Source: Lahti Science and Business Park press release 1st May 2010)

Three new tenants of the new Technopolis Pulkovo center are well-known international companies working in the industrial automation, industrial packaging, and concrete mixing equipment sectors: FlexLink Systems (Sweden), MultiVac Rus (Germany) and Wiggert (Germany).

“We began our cooperation with Technopolis two years ago and we can say that we are extremely satisfied with it. Especially important for us is their customer-oriented attitude, friendly atmosphere and high level of professionalism in every aspect. We recommend Technopolis to any demanding customer”, says Roman Skrok, Managing Director, FlexLink Systems.

The fourth deal was signed with Sodexho EuroAsia, who will also operate the Pulkovo Center restaurant. Sodexho will have both a restaurant and its own office space in the building.

The occupancy of the Pulkovo center has now reached 11% (2140 m2) with these new agreements. Considering the local customer habit of waiting for commissioning before signing leases in Russia, Technopolis management sees this level of occupancy at this stage as a positive sign.

Peter Coachman, Director of Russian Operations for Technopolis, says:”The importance of these deals is in the fact that companies sign binding leases well before the building is
commissioned. It demonstrates their belief in Technopolis’ ability to finish construction on time and with the promised quality, as well as their desire to lock in present rent rates,
which will bring them significant savings”. Technopolis CEO Keith Silverang agrees. “I would also add that this appears to vindicate our decision to continue with Pulkovo despite the
economic crisis and supports our view that Pulkovo will be successful”, says Silverang.

For more information contact:

Technopolis-Saint-Petersburg LLC

Peter Coachman
Director of Russian Operations
Phone: +99 33 555

Technopolis PLC

Keith Silverang
CEO
Phone +358 40 566 7785

(Source: Technopolis press release 29.1.2010)

Technopolis Oyj and Norlandia Care Oy have signed a binding agreement for planing the patient hotel and preliminary agreement for leaseing it.

Net size of patient hotel will be about 7.100 brutto square meters ingluding restaurant and 136 hotel rooms. Net size of office premises will be about 2.400 brutto square meters. The final decission about investment of patient hotel and office premises will be made at the spring 2010.

Net Size of whole project, including the patient hotel, office premises and eye center is 16.000 brutto square meters and total investment is about 32 milion euros. The project will include 43 parking places in garage. Based on preliminary plans the buildings of wellbeing and healthcare campus will be ready by the end of 2011.

Additional Information:

Technopolis Oyj
Keith Silverang, CEO
tel. +358 40 566 7785

Satu Eskelinen, Director
tel. +358 50 655 70

Norlandia Care Oy
Ole Ursin-Smith, Director
tel. +47 90 063 595

(Source: Technopolis press release 4.1.2010)

Technopolis Plc will expand its operations in Kuopio, Finland, nearby the University of Kuopio. The second phase of Viestikatu is estimated to cost EUR 9.6 million and the gross area to be built is 13,400 square meters including an indoor parking
facility for 236 vehicles.

73% of the facilities have been leased with binding prelets. The customer portfolio of the second phase consists of knowledge-intensive companies such as IT service supplier Istekki Ltd and construction service provider Skanska Talonrakennus Ltd. The second phase is scheduled for completion on September 2010.

Further information:

Technopolis PLC
Keith Silverang, CEO, Phone +358 40 566 7785, keith.silverang(at)technopolis.fi

(Source: Technopolis Stock Exchange Release 17.12.2009)

Additional information:

Risto Liljeroos, Chairman of the board of TEKEL
Managing Director, Prizztech Ltd
risto.liljeroos (at) prizz.fi
tel. +358 (0)44 710 5310

Kyösti Jääskeläinen
Executive Director, Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL
kyosti.jaaskelainen (at) tekel.fi
tel. +358 (0)40 541 7971

The Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL is a nationwide co-operation network of Finnish science parks and technology centres, containing 34 members in Finland’s university cities. Together with its partners, TEKEL develops internationally attractive environments for innovation.
These science parks support the creation, growth and internationalisation of technology-intensive business and growth companies. They offer their customers an innovation- and operating environment that activates growth, business development services, co-operation in programmes and projects, and key contacts and network connections.

www.tekel.fi

7signal identifies a growing market in the field of wireless networks

Helsinki-based 7signal Oy, a technology company ensuring the constant quality of wireless networks, has been chosen as Business Incubator Company of the Year. Highly commended in the competition was Mikkeli-based A. Graveolens Ltd. This company has developed an innovative ceramer, which is a non-combustible and non-toxic alternative to traditional plastics and polymers.

The results of this year's competition were announced at Otaniemi in Espoo on 27 November 2009. The competition, which was being held for the sixth time, highlights the most interesting growth-oriented companies in technology incubators. It is organised by the Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL and TEKEL’s Business Development Team.

In the opinion of the judges, 7signal Oy has identified a growing market in the proliferation of wireless broadband networks.

“The market need for network quality monitoring is clear, and the worldwide market opportunities are considerable. 7signal Oy impressed the judges with its single-minded and systematic development, which is evident in such things as the make-up of its team and in the procurement of finance and other resources. The company has also taken great advantage of the assistance offered by the incubator, says Olli Mankonen, Chairman of the panel of judges.

7signal is a technology company that ensures the constant quality of business-critical wireless broadband networks. Unconditional performance is required of a wireless network, for example in the monitoring of operations at airports and seaports, and when a doctor is using it to monitor a patient's vital functions. 7signal’s monitoring system measures a network’s performance, service level and the operation of applications that are utilising it. A problem can be located and solved before the user even notices it.

“The business idea is based on the solution of a major, growing problem. The product has been produced in an innovative way that is worth protecting, and there is a clear global market for it. Not even the major players in the industry have an answer to this challenge,” says Mikko Kaarela, Development Advisor at Technopolis Ventures Oy.

The potential has also been noted elsewhere in the world. For example, in January 2009 the internationally-renowned Red Herring magazine selected 7signal as one of the world’s 100 most promising technology companies.

Fire safety a guiding star for A. Graveolens

Ordinary plastics and polymers burn easily and, when they do so, they produce large quantities of combustion gases and heat. Traditional solutions are being replaced by an innovative ceramer developed by A. Graveolens Ltd, which is a non-combustible, non-toxic, light and breathable solution.

According to the judges, this company, which was highly commended in the competition, has made excellent progress in the commercialisation of this innovation based on the professional skill of the company’s founder. This young but rising company has proceeded rapidly to commercial applications in major business sectors. Fire safety brings significant market possibilities, the company has licensing potential and successful commercialisation is being accomplished with the sensible use of resources. The business incubator and the area’s Centre of Expertise have made concrete contributions to the company’s start-up, business development and financing negotiations.

Additional information:

Veli-Pekka Ketonen, Managing Director, 7signal Oy
Tel. +358 (0)50 357 9700
veli-pekka.ketonen(at)7signal.com

Mikko Kaarela, Business Development Advisor, Technopolis Ventures Oy
Tel. +358 (0)400 607 277
mikko.kaarela(at)technopolis.fi

Mikko Tilli, Managing Director, A. Graveolens Oy
Tel. +358 (0)45 120 7472
mikko.tilli(at)graveolens

Marjo Niittuaho-Nastolin, Business Incubator Manager, Miktech Business Incubator
Tel. +358 (0)440 361 615
marjo.niittuaho-nastolin(at)miktech.fi

Olli Mankonen
Chairman of the panel of judges
Director, Business Development, Turku Science Park Ltd
Tel. +358 (0)400 921 937
olli.mankonen(at)turkusciencepark.com

The Business Incubator Company of the Year competition honours companies that have grown up within technology incubators. General selection criteria are innovation, a competitive edge, opportunities for growth, market potential, business development during the incubator period and the company’s financial standing. The winner is selected from a group of technology incubator candidates by a panel consisting of members of TEKEL’s Business Development Team and supported by the views of a capital investor. The Business Incubator Company of the Year was this year selected for the sixth time. The competition is organised by the Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL and the Business Development Team which is part of the TEKEL Growth-Oriented Company Team.
www.tekel.fi

7signal Oy is a Finnish technology company that assures the constant quality of business-critical wireless broadband networks. Its unique monitoring system automatically measures the performance of applications utilising wireless networks. The system, which functions separately from the network being monitored, alerts the user of any problems even before he/she has noticed them. It also helps to locate and solve these network problems, and enhances WLAN service quality with SLAs. The goal of the highly experienced network experts at 7signal is to advance indisputable efficiency benefits and business cost savings in such fields as the production and warehouse logistics and retail applications of customers, as well as in health care information systems. In addition, the system speeds up the introduction of cost-effective WLAN speech services in companies.
www.7signal.com

Keywords: wireless local area network, WLAN quality monitoring, WLAN troubleshooting, WLAN SLA, industrial WLAN

A. Graveolens Ltd offers safety on land, at sea and in the air. The completely fire-safe and unique cerameric binding agent developed by the company is suitable for components in the automotive, construction and electronics industries. In addition to fire safety, the importance of the lightness of structures and the significance of environmental impact has increased in recent times. Furthermore, our modern society is increasingly dependent on the capacity of different types of cabling and data centres to function in cases of damage or fire. In a fire, cerameric binding agents will neither burn nor produce heat or combustion gases.
www.graveolens.fi

Keywords: fire safety, building materials, cerameric binding agents, nanotechnology

Taija Vento, BBA, has been appointed the Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL’s Communications Officer. She has previously worked in VTT Communications.

The Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL is a nationwide co-operation network of Finnish science parks and technology centres, containing 34 members in Finland’s university cities. Together with its partners, TEKEL develops internationally attractive environments for innovation.

Further information

Pia Pere-Vanhanen, Communications Manager, TEKEL
GSM +358 40 867 1708
pia.pere(at)tekel.fi

Taija Vento, Communications Officer, TEKEL
GSM +358 40 745 6285
taija.vento(at)tekel.fi

In its reasoning behind the award, the Foundation for Advanced Technology of Eastern Finland wishes to highlight one of the company’s key operational principles, namely the use of scientific knowledge. Mr. Asko Saatsi, Managing Director for Pielisen Karelia Development Center, a supporter of the Foundation, says that Nanocomp represents the apex of what has been achieved by Eastern Finland’s educational system.

- The company is genuinely rooted in the University. Core features of the company’s operations include the use of scientific knowledge, as well as cross-disciplinary scientific thinking combined with creativity. The achievements of Nanocomp, a company founded in 1997, are truly admirable examples of this, Saatsi says of the reasoning behind the award.

The award was presented to Nanocomp on 18 November 2009 at the Foundation’s 25th anniversary festivities, held in Joensuu Science Park.

Co-operation with the Science Park from the very beginning

Commercialisation of high technology and activating co-operation between the University and the business world are the factors which brought Nanocomp to the forefront in the Joensuu region. From the company’s earliest days, co-operation with the Joensuu Science Park has been intensive and important to Nanocomp’s rise to becoming a global leader in nanophotonics.

The Science Park quickly evolved into a significant development environment for the company. Nanocomp was able to locate partners from nearby for optics research into, and the product design, testing and production of, its targeted micro and nanotechnology volume products.

Mr. Veli-Pekka Leppänen, CEO of Nanocomp Oy Ltd, says that co-operation with the Joensuu Science Park Ltd., its versatile expert teams and the Centre of Expertise Programme has been crucial to the company from the very beginning.

- Co-operation has certainly meant a lot to Nanocomp. You cannot become a success story on your own. The Science Park has offered us a suitable operating environment and growth platform, always adjusting to our needs.

- For example, the marketing efforts of our company have really benefited from co-operation with the Science Park marketing team.

Leppänen highly praises the co-operation: - In this way, we have been able to gain entry to large exhibitions and participation in shared exhibition stands has been extremely rewarding.

Nanocomp offers a full range of services in the field of photonics. The company’s service capability includes all stages of the production chain, from component design to manufacturing. Tailored solutions are available to customers extremely cost-efficiently and quickly.

For further details, please contact:

Aki Gröhn
Director, Expert Services
Joensuu Science Park Ltd.
Tel. +358 50 4037 540
aki.grohn(at)carelian.fi

Veli-Pekka Leppänen
CEO
Nanocomp Oy Ltd
Tel. +358 40 012 7680
veli-pekka.leppanen(at)nanocomp.fi

www.nanocomp.fi

www.carelian.fi

Technopolis has built a world class, award winning pre-incubation and incubation program over many years in Otaniemi. The unit generates a significant share of the growth start-ups in Finland.

As part of the reorganization of Technopolis, Technopolis and Laurea University of Applied Sciences have now made a letter of intent about transferring these non-profit incubation programs, financed through EU and other public funding instruments to the new Spinno Enterprise Center, operated by the Laurea University of Applied Sciences. While Laurea will operate the programs, Spinno will be offered as a shared innovation platform for Helsinki area academic and research institutions, as well as for area companies. For its part, Technopolis Development Services will shift its offering from incubation to a service portfolio focused on fundraising and strategic matchmaking for a more diverse group companies, including major corporations and later stage growth companies as well as so-called Born Global start-ups.

Laurea’s President Pentti Rauhala says that the University of Applied Science is a natural host for the shared innovation platform, pointing out that Laurea is increasingly integrated into the Otaniemi and Greater Helsinki innovation ecosystem. It has a strong track record in student entrepreneurship and pre-incubation programs, and has been actively developing its international innovation entrepreneurship relationships with organizations like the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning in University of Cambridge. Rauhala says this is an important move for Laurea. “The new Spinno Enterprise Center is a significant new step and will give us an important role in the Helsinki innovation ecosystem.” According to professor Alan Barrell from Cambridge University, “Spinno is breaking new ground and contributing to entrepreneur education and development in true leadership mode.”

Espoo Director of Economic Affairs Kari Ruoho agrees. “This approach will enable us to manage many of the most promising Helsinki area cases through a single pipeline where each party has a clear and complimentary role. Spinno will help streamline and coordinate the Helsinki entrepreneurial community by collecting young high potential cases and providing them strong support from both Finnish and international experts.”

Director of Technopolis Development Services Will Cardwell says the move is good for everybody. “This move will allow the players in the area’s innovation community to feed their best cases into a shared innovation platform, which will in the end enable us to match them with world-class investors, corporate reference customers and partners.”

The new Spinno Enterprise Center is planned and expected to launch its operations in the beginning of 2010 with its experienced incubation team, headed by Tuomas Maisala, to be transferred from Technopolis to Spinno. The operations will continue to be financed by the regional Economic and Employment Development Center (TE), the City of Espoo, as well as the center’s customers and other key stakeholders.

Further information

Laurea University of Applied Sciences,
Jaakko Tarkkanen, Vice President,
tel. +358 40 830 6158

Technopolis Development Services,
Will Cardwell, Director,
tel. +358 40 514 1325

About Laurea

Laurea produces new competences in the field of service innovations and carries out professionally orientated education, regional development and R&D activities by following the Learning by Developing (LbD) operational model. Laurea has been selected twice both as centre of excellence in education and as centre of excellence in regional development. Laurea employs approximately 500 personnel and has app. 7 700 students.

www.laurea.fi

About Technopolis

Measured by the number of clients, Technopolis Plc is one of Europe's largest science and technology park chains. The Technopolis Group is Finland's largest specialized provider of business environment services for high tech companies offering a comprehensive range of services combining modern premises with business and development services. Technopolis operates technology centers in Espoo, Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Lappeenranta, Oulu, Tampere and Vantaa in Finland, and in St. Petersburg in Russia. Currently, some 1,180 companies with 16,000 employees are working in the Technopolis technology centers.

www.technopolis.fi

The negotiations according to the Co-Operation Act, which was announced in Stock Release 5.10.2009, due the financial and production reasons, as well as the reorganization of activities have ended in all Technopolis Ventures companies. The original estimated affect on personnel, including all Technopolis Ventures companies, due to these plans was 25–30 employees.

The final results of the personnel effects due the restructuring depend on negotiations which Technopolis Ventures companies are having with the partners.

Technopolis will announce separately of the final results of reorganization when the negotiations with the partners have ended during this year.

Further information:

Technopolis Plc
Keith Silverang, CEO
Phone: +358 40 566 7785

www.technopolis.fi

The Climate & Cleantech forum organised for foreign diplomats accredited to a Finland was a great success, the number of participants exceeding the organisers’ estimates. Held at Sibelius Hall in Lahti on Thursday 5 November, the event attracted no fewer than 40 attendees representing 30 countries, including 18 ambassadors, for instance those of the USA, China, India, Ukraine and Mexico.

The event was organised by Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd together with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) and Finpro. Finland’s environmental goals, our environmental technology strengths, climate challenges and the cleantech functions of the city of Lahti were all packaged into a concise two-hour info spot.

Pekka Huhtaniemi, Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, expressed the wish that industrialised countries should not resort to protectionism. The economy is recovering and must be given a chance. “The trade in environmental products may have a significant impact on economic recovery, and new technologies are needed to adapt to climate change,” he said.

Tellervo Kylä-Harakka-Ruonala, Director of EK, summarised the basic challenge of energy and climate policy as securing energy availability at a reasonable price while effectively combating climate change – all this at the same time. According to her, a universal and incentive-favouring climate convention is the answer. “A successful climate policy will be triply beneficial. Firstly, efficient emission cuts worldwide; secondly, a level playing field for businesses; and thirdly, an emerging market in clean technology,” she said.

Director Mari Pantsar-Kallio from Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd reported on the dual operations of the national environmental technology cluster that she is coordinating. “The environmental technology that has been under development in Finland for a long time can now be offered to developing countries. On the other hand, ongoing projects represent opportunities for foreign companies to invest in Finland. There is huge business potential in water supply, energy and waste management, on both sides,” she said.

The other speakers at the event were Jyrki Myllyvirta, City Manager of Lahti, and Jorma Turunen, Managing Director of Finpro.

“A very thorough presentation which gave a good overview of Finland’s strategies in general and the top names in the cleantech business in particular,” said Huang Zing, the Chinese ambassador. “There were a lot of new things for me here; I have only been in Finland less than three months. You have a lot of dependable cleantech technology which will help in managing large problems such as climate change,” Huang continued.

The Indian ambassador Om Prakash considered that Finnish environmental technology has potential on the Indian market, and indeed cooperation is already in progress. “The challenges in India are enormous. We have millions of people who do not even have electricity yet, and progress is not possible without energy. We must balance these two challenges – environment and the climate on the one hand, and economic development on the other,” he said.

Further information:

Mari Pantsar-Kallio
Director
Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd
Finnish Cleantech Cluster
+358 (0)50 402 6919
mari.pantsar-kallio(at)lahtisbp.fi

Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd promotes the establishment of growth companies, development and investments in the Lahti region, and cultivates innovative activity in the area. We are responsible for the development and internationalisation of the Finnish Cleantech Cluster. We are developing the Lahti region into a world-class centre for environmental business and research.

www.lahtisbp.fi

(Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd, Press Bulletin, 5 November 2009)

Salo invests in networking and national co-operation

Yrityssalo Ltd applied for membership of the nationwide network of science parks, as it wishes to invest in strong networking activity and in the development of growth entrepreneurship. When the government approved the recent sudden structural change of the City of Salo to a region, the search for new operating models became more important than ever.

Yrityssalo wants to offer the Salo region an environment for innovation and operation, which provides the basic prerequisites for successful, network-based activity. For this reason and in order to increase the influence of operations, we saw our membership in the TEKEL network as very important, says Kari Vähä, Managing Director of Yrityssalo Ltd.

The aim of Yrityssalo is to strengthen the region’s technology-weighted research and development, as well as the development of the prerequisites for the operation of growth companies. The objective is the creation and support of internationally competitive business. When the government approved the recent sudden structural change of the City of Salo to a region, these objectives became more important than ever.

“The sudden structural change has brought the region rapidly increasing unemployment. We are now seeking change and new opportunities above all by increasing and strengthening growth entrepreneurship,” says Kari Vähä.

“Through membership of the TEKEL network, the active workforce of Yrityssalo will have at its disposal new tools, specialised services and the diverse range of contacts provided by this large co-operative network,” says Kyösti Jääskeläinen, Executive Director of the Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL.

A nimble player in business matters

According to Kari Vähä, Yrityssalo is a dynamic and nimble player at the business interface.

“In the city’s division of labour, Yrityssalo’s range of functions includes business development, co-operation with academia and the creation of the prerequisites for commercial innovation. For its part, the city’s developmental and commercial activities include, among other things, regional development and planning as well as the development of a general infrastructure for commerce,” says Kari Vähä.

Yrityssalo bears operational responsibility for the implementation of the city’s commercial policy, business consulting, business development work and business incubator activity all taking place at the business interface. The company also maintains the city’s company register and business premises register.

The region’s main fields of technology are ICT, different areas of the service sector and alternative energy technologies, such as biofuels, wood chips and fuel cell technology. The region is also characterised by the multi-faceted metal, plastic and carpentry sectors. According to Kari Vähä, the absolute focus of Salo’s ICT sector is in the production of goods, which results from a regional cluster of the production of communication devices in Salo.

Yrityssalo acts as a partner for the national Ubiquitous Computing Cluster in Southwest Finland. In its cluster development work, Yrityssalo is focusing on wireless communication technology, fuel cell technology, the productisation of electronics, and technical testing platforms.

Yrityssalo wants to keep links to the world of academia active, both now and in the future. Units of the University of Turku and the Turku University of Applied Sciences are based at the Salo University Centre. They have particularly close and long-standing links to the Department of Information Technology at the University of Turku, the Turku School of Economics and the Helsinki University of Technology.

Additional information:

The Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL is a nationwide co-operation network of Finnish science parks and technology centres, containing 34 members in Finland’s university cities. Together with its partners, TEKEL develops internationally attractive environments for innovation.
These science parks support the creation, growth and internationalisation of technology-intensive business and growth companies. They offer their customers an innovation- and operating environment that activates growth, business development services, co-operation in programmes and projects, and key contacts and network connections.
www.tekel.fi

Yrityssalo Ltd is a company, which specialises in the promotion, strengthening and diversification of commerce and entrepreneurship, business development, and support and the promotion of business start-ups in the city of Salo. Yrityssalo bears operational responsibility for the implementation of commercial policy in the region, business consulting and business development work. The company also maintains the city’s company register and business premises register. The company is owned by the City of Salo, and presently employs 12 people. Salo, the company’s actual region of operation, has more than 3,500 companies, about 200 of which are technology companies, but co-operation also takes place with companies located elsewhere in Southwest Finland.
www.yrityssalo.fi

Technopolis launches a new service to attract international investors and releases Q3 report on Finnish VC Industry

Technopolis is launching a new service, Technopolis Online, which will increase the attractiveness and the visibility of Finnish high tech companies and create a window for investors to easily find potential Finnish investment targets. In conjunction, Technopolis is releasing its Q3 report on the state of the Finnish venture capital market.

Technopolis Online is a world class tool for international investors to find, contact and invest in Finnish high-tech companies. The database contains over 1,500 high tech companies, 155 investors and over 2,300 key people from the Finnish High-Tech ecosystem, which ranks at the top of innovation economies around the world. The key feature is the Investment Tracker, which currently lists investments, both public and private, into Finnish high tech companies from 1999 to today.

Will Cardwell, Director of Technopolis Development Services is clearly excited about the new service. “We started working on Technopolis Online more than a year ago with a goal to create the best information source about the Finnish high tech environment for international and local investors, as well as entrepreneurs. Inbound and outbound transparency is our singular goal, and we believe that transparency itself will lead to more international success for Finnish companies.”

A beta version of Technopolis Online was launched in April 2009: “During the closed beta, we’ve had more than 30 international investors testing Technopolis Online from over ten different countries. The feedback has been tremendous and has already resulted in a few investment cases”, Cardwell continues. For example, Nic Brisbourne of DFJEsprit in London says: “Technopolis Online is one of the best tools we have seen for building visibility for local tech markets. We use it for our initial screens on potential investment opportunities in Finland.”

One crucial element to increase the investments into Finland is to improve the fundability of companies. Technopolis has teamed up with Datamonitor’s Ovum and Business Insights databases to give Finnish companies access to world class reports and tools. With Technopolis Online, companies will get access to hundreds of reports from different high tech industries, which are worth thousands of Euros.

Q3 Report on Finnish Venture Capital Market

The Technopolis Online Q3 report is a digest of all investment activities that happened in Finland during the past quarter. The key point that the Q3 report highlights is that the amount of financing that companies raised during the last quarter was significantly less than a year ago. In Q3 2009, companies were able to raise slightly over 8 million euros, while a year ago the number was €19.3 million, which amounts to an almost 58% drop.

Finnish companies reported only two minor investments during August, leading the month to be one of the lowest months recorded in the history of venture capital in Finland. A positive signal was increased investment activity in September 2009 (€7.3 million) when compared to September 2008 (€5 million). It was the first month since April 2009 that performed better than the same month a year earlier.

Technopolis Online is accessible at www.technopolisonline.com.

Inquiries:

Artur Surov, Business Development Advisor,
Technopolis Development Services
+358 41 501 0732, artur.surov(at)technopolis.fi

www.technopolis.fi