Press release from Fingrid

Fingrid will begin building the 300-kilometre Lake Line in autumn 2023. The transmission line will run through Vaala, Kajaani, Sonkajärvi, Vieremä, Iisalmi, Lapinlahti, Siilinjärvi, Kuopio, Suonenjoki, Leppävirta, Pieksämäki and Joroinen. It will enable renewable energy production to connect to the main grid and strengthen the electricity transmission capacity. 

Fingrid has applied to the government for an expropriation permit for a main electricity transmission link known as the Lake Line. Due to the importance of the project, Fingrid has decided to begin clearing trees from the transmission line right-of-way and building the foundations for the line in areas where the landowners made agreements with Fingrid during the transmission line design phase to consent to the takeover of the land in advance.  

The tree clearing and foundation work will begin in October/November in the area between Kajaani, Iisalmi and Lapinlahti. Fingrid aims to make full use of the upcoming winter season by initiating the work phases at this stage. The Lake Line is due to be commissioned by the end of 2026. 

The Lake Line will help Finland achieve its climate goals by enabling new energy production facilities to connect to the main electricity transmission grid. It will contribute to ensuring that Fingrid remains a single market area in terms of electricity pricing – one of Fingrid’s obligations under the Electricity Market Act.  

You can submit feedback to Fingrid on the project planning here: www.fingrid.fi/kantaverkko/rakentaminen/anna-palautetta-hankkeista/

Project’s website (in Finnish) www.fingrid.fi/jarvilinja/

Further information about the project: 

Tommi Olsson, Project Manager, Fingrid Oyj, tel. +358 30 395 4151
 

Questions about land expropriation:

Mikko Kuoppala, Expert, Fingrid Oyj, tel. +358 30 395 5220
Eero Kujanen, Specialist, Fingrid Oyj, tel. +358 30 395 5190 

Email addresses are in the form [email protected] 

Originally published on 2 October. 

Press release from FAME

The FAME ecosystem, which supports the growth of 3D printing in Finland, is now joined by Materflow Oy. Materflow’s approach is straightforward: understand the client’s needs, and then engineer a solution, even if it means venturing off the beaten path.

“We’re engineers at heart. When faced with a unique requirement, our first instinct isn’t to say ‘it can’t be done’, but rather ‘how can we make it work?’. This often leads us to modify existing machines, experiment with materials, or adjust parameters until we get it right,” explains the Timo Peltonen CEO of Materflow.

This problem-solving mindset has led Materflow to work on projects beyond Finland’s borders, indicating a recognition of their practical and tailored approach in the international arena.
Materflow’s commitment to solutions goes beyond the immediate task at hand; it extends to the broader impact on our planet. Recognizing the environmental implications of manufacturing, Materflow has taken a proactive stance by developing cost-effective climate-neutral/negative solutions for raw materials. This approach underscores their dedication to innovation while also highlighting their commitment to a sustainable future.

Eetu Holstein, Ecosystem Lead at FAME, notes, “Materflow brings a blend of engineering tenacity and environmental consciousness to the table. Their addition to FAME aligns well with our objectives.”

Founded in 2013, Materflow is one of the leading additive manufacturing and 3D printing technology service providers in the Nordics. In joining FAME, Materflow aims to share its engineering insights, learn from peers, and continue its commitment to sustainable and tailored 3D printing solutions.

Originally published on 28 September. 

Press release from CooliBlade

CooliBlade has been handpicked as one of the top 60 growth companies in the esteemed Kasvu Open competition. This placement underscores CooliBlade standing as a significant entity in the technological innovation landscape.
The competitive Kasvu Open sparring program, known for its comprehensive growth-oriented business events and extensive network of experienced advisors and entrepreneurs, has provided CooliBlade the platform to refine its growth strategy and business internationalization efforts.

Kasvu Open entrepreneurial sparring days have already served as a platform for the CooliBlade team to interact with experienced advisors and entrepreneurs. These interactions have equipped the company with valuable insights and knowledge, building its capabilities for enhanced business growth and strategic expansion on a global scale.

Aki Määttä, Head of Marketing and Business Development at CooliBlade, declared the Kasvu Open to be a valuable opportunity for CooliBlade: “The Kasvu Open experience and subsequent recognition of our place in the top 60 indicating the potential of our product platforms. This program has provided us with to enhance our growth strategy. As we move forward in the program we look forward to gathering even more insights that we can apply to our ongoing developments and bolster our global presence.”

Originally published on 27 September. 

Press release from FAME

3D printing of large pieces is brought to the use of the manufacturing industry with a national 3-million-euro 3D printing collaboration project (3DTY). The industrial introduction of 3D printing of large structures is promoted by researching and testing, in addition to plastic and metal printing equipment, the post-processing of parts, quality assurance as well as joining and interfaces.

The University of Oulu is leading the 3DTY project, which is being implemented with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) granted by the South Savo Business, Transport and Environment Center (ELY) and business funding.

“We have gathered a good team. We have the best know-how and the best equipment for the 3D printing of large pieces and its research and product development, meaning that the different 3D printers complement each other comprehensively. Our network extends well across the country, which means that we can improve the 3D printing expertise of large pieces nationwide,” says Future Manufacturing Technologies (FMT) Group Development Manager Kari Mäntyjärvi from the University of Oulu’s Kerttu Saalasti Institute.
The implementation of the three-year project is carried out by the Additive Manufacturing Research- and product development operators of Northern Finland (University of Oulu, Lapland Education Center REDU), Eastern Finland (University of Eastern Finland, Savonia University of Applied Sciences), Southern Finland (LUT University) and Western Finland (Tampere University of Applied Sciences). Innovation platform DIMECC Ltd’s ecosystems FAMN (Finnish Advanced Manufacturing Network) and FAME (Finnish Additive Manufacturing Ecosystem) ensure the project’s business impact.

With Twenty Manufacturing Companies

3DTY includes twenty companies from the manufacturing industry around the country. In the technology of additive manufacturing, i.e. 3D printing, we are at a stage in the size range of large pieces, meaning a maximum of a few meters, where there are technologies available for industrial use, both in metal and plastic printing, and in combining different materials. In the industrial process, additive manufacturing is seamlessly connected to other manufacturing technologies, and when manufacturing large pieces, 3D printing and machining and different joining methods can alternate.

“By researching and developing the use of new technology together with companies, we can speed up its application in practice. With the help of pilots and demonstrations, we are able to offer participating companies reliable information about the application of 3D printing of large parts to their specific applications. Through our networks, we can disseminate emerging information to other companies struggling with the same questions. For example, there is no information or concrete examples in Finland about the use of 3D printing for large-scale mold manufacturing. In this way, we promote the renewal of the industry and generate new business”, says Senior Ecosystem Lead Antti Karjaluoto from DIMECC Oy.

3D printing is a digital technology, the transition to which also supports the green transition of companies. It helps to manufacture products energy-efficiently and with a smaller amount of waste.

3DTY is part of the Renewing and competent Finland 2021–2027 EU regional and structural policy program. The support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has been granted by the South Savo Business, Transport and Environment Center (ELY).

Originally published on 26 September. 

Press release from Business Finland

The application for Business Finland’s funding services Innovation Voucher, Into, Market Explorer and Tempo will close on Sunday October 8th 2023 at 11:59 p.m. You can apply for funding again at the beginning of 2024 at the earliest. The exact date will be announced separately.

Once the application closes, it will not be possible to open new applications or submit pending applications created before the application closes.

Business Finland will reorganize its operations during this autumn. In order to maintain the speed of processing the applications already received and the quality of the service, it is necessary to close the above-mentioned applications for the funding services.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Originally published on 25 September. 

Press release from 6G Flagship

6G research at the University of Oulu is already well advanced. The Empirical Software Engineering in Software, Systems and Services (M3S) research group is one of Europe’s largest research units in the software sector, specializing in, for example, car software. The main goal of the started project, 6G Visible, is to find out the possibilities the 6G technology provides for autonomous driving and the requirements autonomous driving sets on 6G.

The focus is especially on software because an autonomous car is a comprehensive software platform with strict requirements on functionality, reliability, and security. The research partners of this project are the University of Oulu and the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The funding comes from Business Finland’s 6G Bridge program. The project will last until May 2026.

“In the research, our aim is to find out how to combine the various sources of expanded traffic situation information and the most efficient data transfer methods as well as information processing to enable autonomous driving. Software, communication, and computing solutions are critical issues. We also want to find out how the solutions and software architecture can be tested in both virtual and real traffic situations”, says the responsible leader of the project, Adjunct Professor Kari Liukkunen from the M3S research unit.

Researchers focus on enhancing autonomous driving by traffic-related data outside the scope of a vehicle’s own sensors. Extended traffic situation information refers to information that is obtained from elsewhere and combined with the information produced by the car’s own sensors. This refined information is used to assist the driver, remotely control public transport, and finally enable fully autonomous driving.

“The research topic is the development of autonomous driving using our own wireless 5G/6G networks and distributed computing solutions as a basis for the collection of extensive situational information, data analysis and decision-making. The research and its results can be used especially in companies developing software in the Finnish automotive and transport equipment industry in the development of know-how and new business opportunities. As part of other 6G research made at the University of Oulu, this project offers a concrete, intelligent traffic use case for developing and testing software solutions and architectures,” adds M3S university lecturer Pertti Seppänen.

”Finnish Meteorological Institute complements the research themes by developing tailored road weather services for autonomous driving, partially based on weather radar-originated Nowcasting short-term accurate weather forecasts. Intelligent traffic road weather services test track in Sodankylä and autonomous miniature vehicle of FMI are naturally our essential tools in this work”, complements Dr Timo Sukuvaara, senior research scientist of Finnish Meteorological Institute.

The main goals of the 6G Visible project are:

• Deployment of 6G-era technologies and solutions for autonomous and semi-autonomous driving
• Use cases supporting Finnish automotive-related software businesses
• Testing and combining sensors and environments
• Technologies and solutions for enhanced situational awareness

Research topics in a nutshell:

• Smart traffic solutions, sustainability, societal dimensions
• Sensors, sensor data gathering, data fusion
• Big data, knowledge creation, AI, decision making
• System & software architectures related to the problem domain and 6G promises
• Real-time, off-loading and orchestration related to different data types, decision making and AI solutions
• Digital twins, simulations, enhanced validation methods
• Experimentations on the levels of autonomous driving

The following companies are involved in the project:
DIMECC, Remoted, Siili Auto, SpectacularAI, Sitowise, and Elektrobit.

Originally published on 25 September. 

Press release from Tech Mahindra

Opening of the new centre marks the organisation’s triumphant 10-year establishment in Finland, and a strategic step in its expansion into the Nordic region

New Delhi, September 19th, 2023

Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting, and business re-engineering services & solutions, today inaugurated a local innovation centre in Espoo, Finland. This expansion comes after a sustained period of growth in the region and signifies Tech Mahindra’s commitment to further its journey in Finland, and the Nordic region. The new centre will accommodate a diverse workforce – increasing the in-country headcount ranging from experienced business leaders to fresh talent, in collaboration with the local ecosystem.

Located in Espoo, the second largest city in Finland, and a part of the greater Helsinki metropolitan area, the new centre situates Tech Mahindra at the heart of one of the major business hotspots and innovation hubs in the Nordics. From this strategic location, Tech Mahindra will continue to provide digital business transformation services and solutions to customers.

Mohit Joshi, Managing Director and CEO Designate of Tech Mahindra, said, “Given its focus on innovation, sustainability, and a unique approach to entrepreneurship; today Finland ranks amongst the topmost countries in the world that leverage emerging technologies to shape the future business landscape. This is also reflected in Tech Mahindra’s commitment to the ongoing expansion in the Nordics region, and the establishment of our new centre in Espoo. It is our endeavor to widen the talent pool, fuel innovation, improve agility to deliver robust solutions, and be closer to our customers’ businesses to drive sustainable growth.”

The inauguration ceremony was attended by dignitaries such as Raveesh Kumar, Ambassador of India to Finland; Jusa Susia, Senior Director & Head of Region East Asia & India at Business Finland; and Janne Kari, Head of Industry, ICT and Digitalisation at Invest in Finland. Tech Mahindra representatives include CP Gurnani, Managing Director and CEO; Mohit Joshi, Managing Director and CEO Designate; Mukul Dhyani, Senior Vice President & Business Head Continental Europe; Rajesh Barwal, VP & Country Manager for Sweden and Finland; C-H Hallstrom, Vice President, Strategic Programs, Nordics.

Further to the commitment in 2022 to set up a Makers Lab, Tech Mahindra’s research and development arm in Finland, the newly opened centre will also facilitate innovation in collaboration with new and existing customers in the region. The team will work on new and emerging technologies such as Quantum computing, Generative AI and Metaverse. The Makers Lab will also plug into the local startup ecosystem and universities to provide new opportunities in R&D across customer industries.

In the ten years since Tech Mahindra entered the Finnish market, the organisation has firmly established itself as a leading business transformation expert in the region. By leveraging deep industry expertise and long-term experience in tailoring and deploying best-in-class solutions, Tech Mahindra continues to help businesses across industries to navigate the complex challenges present in the modern business landscape.

About Tech Mahindra
Tech Mahindra offers innovative and customer-centric digital experiences, enabling enterprises, associates, and society to Rise for a more equal world, future readiness, and value creation. It is a USD 6.5+ billion organisation with 148k+ professionals across 90 countries helping 1250+ global customers, including Fortune 500 companies. It is focused on leveraging next-generation technologies including 5G, Metaverse, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and more, to enable end-to-end digital transformation for global customers. It is the only Indian company in the world to receive the HRH The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta Seal for its commitment to creating a sustainable future. It is the fastest growing brand globally in ‘brand value rank’ and among the top 7 IT brands globally in brand strength with AA+ rating. With its NXT.NOWTM framework, Tech Mahindra aims to enhance ‘Human Centric Experience’ for its ecosystem and drive collaborative disruption with synergies arising from a robust portfolio of companies. It aims at delivering tomorrow’s experiences today and believes that the ‘Future is Now’.

Tech Mahindra is part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federations of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology, and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality, and real estate. The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.

Connect with us on www.techmahindra.com

Originally published on 19 September. 

Press release form Flasheye

Flasheye, a leader in lidar software for infrastructure, and Hatteland Technology, a global technology provider known for its expertise across industries, are thrilled to announce a strategic partnership. 

From now on, Hatteland Technology is a distributor of Flasheye’s lidar solutions for security and public safety in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. It’s a commitment that places them at the forefront of accelerating the adoption of advanced lidar technology in the field.

“Flasheye is a magnificent addition to our software portfolio. The partnership reaffirms Hatteland Technology’s commitment to providing cutting-edge surveillance solutions” said Monica Myklebust Øyen, COO &VP Sales at Hatteland Technology.

Flasheye has always been driven by a visionary mission – to democratize lidar technology, for monitoring on a grand scale by forging robust partnerships. Hatteland Technology, with its global network and comprehensive suite of technology solutions, represents the ideal ally.

Ulf Lindström, CEO Flasheye, see a lot of potential. “As automation and data-driven insights continue to reshape industries, the collaboration between Flasheye and Hatteland Technology promises to be a game-changer for businesses across the Nordic region and beyond“.

About Flasheye

Flasheye is a leader in lidar software for infrastructure, specializes in making advanced 3D data into invaluable insights across various industries. Their agnostic approach and support for multiple brands of hardware and platforms enable us to enhance automation, safety, and operational efficiency.

More about Flasheye at flasheye.se.

About Hatteland Technology

Hatteland Technology is a renowned, global technology partner that offers tailored solutions encompassing monitors, panel computers, industrial automation, network hardware, CCTV, and software. They cater to clients across diverse industries, including Maritime & Offshore, Transportation, Industrial automation, High security & Retail, and Defense, providing customers a one-stop-shop for advanced technology, excellence, and reliability.

More about Hatteland Technology at hattelandtechnology.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

Flasheye:

Ida Rehnström, COO, Flasheye

[email protected]

Hatteland Technology:

Monica Myklebust Øyen, COO, VP Sales Nordic

[email protected]

Originally published on 19 September. 

Press release from Fingrid 

Fingrid plans to waive grid service fees for a total of six months in 2024, thus reducing its customers’ grid service fees by approximately EUR 250 million. The plan is a reaction to the exceptionally large amount of congestion income. The company has already decided to waive the grid service fees for January, February and June 2024. The decision to waive grid service fees for the remainder of the year will be made in the summer of 2024. The connection fees for new grid connections will be adjusted to reflect higher construction costs as of 1 January 2024.

Fingrid’s main grid investment programme will enable rapid growth in the production and consumption of renewable electricity and support the achievement of Finland’s climate targets 2035. Clean, affordable and reliable electricity is a key competitive advantage for Finland. As the power system expands and becomes increasingly complex, the costs of operating the system also increase. At the same time, fluctuations in the price of energy and large transmission volumes in the main grid increase uncertainty in Fingrid’s market-based cost items.

Due to exceptionally large area price differences in 2022, Fingrid accumulated a significant amount of congestion income. Congestion income accumulates for Fingrid from the Finland–Sweden and Finland–Estonia transmission connections. The use of congestion income is determined in EU regulations. Fingrid uses congestion income to finance investments that increase electricity cross-border transmission capacity and to cover operating costs and waives grid service fees for its customers. As for 2024, the decision has already been made to waive the grid service fees for January, February and June. The waiving of grid service fees for the remainder of 2024 will be confirmed in the summer of 2024. The presented plan will not affect the pricing of the company’s other services.

“Fingrid’s key objectives are to maintain the system security of the power system at a high level and to enable the growth of the power system based on renewable electricity. This also contributes to securing an affordable electricity transmission price. Fingrid prices its services based on costs. When variations in the company’s market-based costs increase, this is inevitably also reflected in customer pricing. In the future, it is possible that the size of grid service fees will be adjusted more frequently than once a year,” says Senior Vice President Jussi Jyrinsalo, who is responsible for grid planning at Fingrid.

Connection fees 1 January 2024

The grid connection fees will be updated as of 1 January 2024 to reflect the rise in substation connection construction costs in accordance with the principles for the grid connection fees. The connection fees will be raised on all voltage levels.

Originally published on 21 September. 

Press release from ouluHealth

Two OuluHealth ecosystem’s members, Innokas and Screentec, are joining forces to showcase Nordic Healthtech expertise at MedFit in Strasbourg in mid-October.

MedFit is a yearly organized European partnering event for innovation partnerships and investment rounds in the MedTech, Diagnostic and Digital Health sectors. The event has established connections with many European ecosystems and clusters in the field and gathers participants not only from France but throughout Europe.

“We see this as a great opportunity to take the Nordic reliability and expertise in MedTech and put it in the spotlight on a European platform together with our colleagues at Screentec. Working together means we have broader shoulders to talk about Finnish technology expertise and promote both companies as prominent partners in developing and manufacturing innovative medical technology products in Europe”, sauid Päivi Leppänen, Business Development Director, from Innokas Medical.

Mikko Paakkolanvaara, CTO of Screentec Oy, explained: “The European market holds huge significance for us in the medical technology sector, and this importance is further underscored by the fact that over 80% of our customers in the medical sector are based in Europe.”

Europe’s healthcare landscape is characterized by its advanced healthcare systems, rigorous quality standards, and strong focus on patient well-being, making it an ideal market for cutting-edge medical technologies. “Our commitment to serving European market reflects our dedication to advancing healthcare technology and improving patient care across Europe and beyond. Success in the European market can also serve as a launchpad for global expansion. Many companies view Europe as a strategic entry point into other international markets due to its well-established healthcare infrastructure and regulatory standards”, added Paakkolanvaara.

Both companies have wide hands-on expertise in helping Medtech companies from startups to large companies bring their solutions to market. “We have a deep understanding of what it takes to design, and manufacture medical devices and to develop medical software, considering the regulatory side. “We are looking forward to sharing our know-how together with another experienced manufacturer to European customers and want to cooperate to make sure we are better found”, concluded Leppänen.

Innokas and Screentec are showcasing at the MedFit on October 10^th-11^th at stand C1-D2.

Contact persons

Eeva Lindroth, Head of Brand and Communications, Innokas / [email protected]

Mikko Paakkolanvaara, CTO, Screentec / [email protected]

Source: Innokas Medical

Originally published on 19 September.