Funding for research infrastructures

Bioeconomy(consortium), 756.000 euros (+ VTT 756.000 euros) 

The Bioeconomy Infrastructure combines the scientific infrastructures of Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and provides an internationally unique research environment for bioeconomy innovations and the promotion and renewal of Finnish industrial competitiveness. The infrastructure covers the whole development cycle, from molecular level research excellence to process development and new technology solutions. 

The research focuses on the development of new technological solutions for the processing of renewable raw materials. The focus areas include industrial biotechnology, chemical process technology and materials technology, and expertise in refining forest biomass into high technology products. Collaboration is further boosted by the Academy of Finland Flagship FinnCERES in which Aalto University is strongly involved. Bioeconomy is coordinated by Aalto. 

OtaNano (consortium) 567 830 euros (+ VTT 503 440 euros) 

OtaNano is a national research infrastructure offering a wide variety of facilities for the needs of micro- and nanoscience and technology, and quantum engineering. These facilities are important for scientists as well as for high-tech companies working with micro- and nanotechnology applications. OtaNano is a national platform to develop innovative enabling technologies and apply them to practical micro- and nano-systems. It serves as a first-rate educational centre for young researchers, and acts as a national node for scientific collaboration. 

OtaNano is an open access research infrastructure, operated by Aalto University and VTT, and available for academic and commercial users internationally. Quantum Ready OtaNano represents the strategic improvements of the national research infrastructure to secure state-of-the-art research environment. 

FLEX-EPOS (consortium) 373 800 euros (total funding app. 2.8 million euros) 

The actors of FLEX-EPOS research infrastructure will create a national pool of geophysical instruments and multi-disciplinary superstations to solve fundamental scientific questions in seismology, geomagnetism and geodesy. The full benefit of novel technologies will be developed and applied. Due to the extensive network of devices, researchers can use large amounts of detection equipment for both short and long-term monitoring. Extensive observation capacity enables large amounts of data, observations and research results, which will strengthen and extend the role of Finland in the European Plate Observing System (EPOS). The consortium is led by the University of Helsinki with Aalto acting as one of the partners. 

Further information: 

Aalto University research infrastructures 

Academy of Finland’s funding decisions FIRI 2019