vaikuttavuussaatio

In the FilmCO project led by Monika Österberg, researchers at Aalto University identified a new method for studying the spreading phenomenon of coatings in bio-based packaging materials. The project was carried out in collaboration with Kemira, and funding from the Finnish Research Impact Foundation enabled research that both addressed the company’s needs and was scientifically meaningful.

Project title: Film formation mechanism of bio-colloids for sustainable coating solutions (FilmCO)

Principal investigator of the project: Professor Monika Österberg, Aalto University

Project partners: Aalto University and Kemira

FRIF funding awarded: €190,700

Companies worldwide are striving to reduce their reliance on fossil-based plastics. This trend has increased the demand for bio-based packaging materials.

The challenge is that bio-based packaging materials do not withstand moisture as well as fossil-based plastics. As a result, many packaging manufacturers have had to add plastic or metal films to otherwise bio-based packages. To overcome this issue, researchers around the world are studying different bio-based coating alternatives.

The FilmCO project also focused on bio-based materials – but with a somewhat different perspective.

“We did not set out to develop a better coating film. Instead, we aimed to develop a method for predicting how a better coating could be created in the first place. By understanding the parameters of spreading, we can in the future avoid trial-and-error research and save both time and chemicals,” explains Monika Österberg, Professor of Bioproduct Chemistry at Aalto University and principal investigator of the FilmCO project.

A new method for studying spreading phenomenon

The project’s industrial partner was Kemira, which has developed, among other things, aqueous dispersion coatings. In dispersion coating, an aqueous dispersion of polymeric particles is spread onto the substrate. When the water evaporates the particles fuse together and finally forms a continuous film.

Kemira wanted to develop a method to study this spreading phenomenon more closely and approached Österberg with the research challenge.

The project’s key result was that spreading can be studied using atomic force microscopy. With an atomic force microscope, it is possible to image a coating in water before spreading as well as at different stages of film formation. Most other microscopes with comparable resolution require, for example, a vacuum to operate, which makes them unsuitable for examining liquids.

“This was a step forward in enabling the development of bio-based packaging materials and moving away from fossil-based ones,” says Österberg.

FRIF funding enabled a win–win collaboration

It was Kemira that suggested applying for the Finnish Research Impact Foundation’s TIA Postdoc funding. For Österberg, this funding model has worked exceptionally well.

“I’ve really enjoyed this way of working with a company. The advantage is that the company explains the problem and shares a lot of tacit knowledge, while at the same time we are able to carry out scientifically significant research,” she says.

Österberg’s research group will continue collaborating with Kemira on similar topics even after the project’s completion.

The FRIF’s TIA Postdoc grants will be open for applications again in spring 2026. Learn more about upcoming calls.

The Finnish Research Impact Foundation (FRIF) has awarded a total of 1,3 million euros in its spring 2025 call to support collaboration between research and business. Funding was granted to six projects representing a wide range of sectors — with partners including Bittium, DNA, Nokia Bell Labs and Valio.

The projects address timely and societally significant themes such as the future of wireless networks, the use of easy language in customer communications, and the effects of sleep on the cardiovascular system.

Boosting impact through research

The funding was awarded under FRIF’s Tandem Industry Academia (TIA) Postdoc programme, which aims to strengthen the societal impact of high-quality science and research, while also building closer bridges between academia and the Finnish business sector.

The spring call closed on April 13, 2025, attracting 61 high-quality applications. Of these, the foundation’s board decided to fund six projects.

“It is great to see that research collaboration inspires more and more researchers across fields and attracts the interest of Finnish companies. Once again, the applications were of high quality and innovative, and there were clearly more fundable proposals than the foundation’s resources allow. This not only reflects the quality of our funding, but also shows that Finland could achieve even broader impact through collaboration between research and business,” says Petro Poutanen, CEO of FRIF.

Collaboration across five universities and six companies

The funded research groups are based at the University of Helsinki, University of Oulu, Tampere University, University of Turku and Aalto University. Partner companies include Bittium, DNA Plc, Hidex Ltd, Liquidsun, Nokia Bell Labs and Valio, which contribute both research and development expertise as well as perspectives on the key issues in their fields.

Descriptions of all six projects can be found here →

The Finnish Research Impact Foundation will open this autumn the Tandem Industry Academia (TIA) Seed funding call, which is aimed at professors who have recently entered the Finnish research funding system.

The call to be held now is the second one. The first call was in autumn 2024. Read here about last year’s funding recipients.

The info webinar will be held online on Monday, September 15, 2025, from 9:30 to 11:00. The event will present the objectives of the funding programme and the application guidelines, and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The purpose of the TIA Seed funding is to initiate and accelerate research and business collaboration, which will lead to significant initiatives for developing Finland’s expertise and strengthening its global competitiveness.

Funding can be applied for by professors who have been employed at a Finnish university or research institute for no more than three years and who have lived abroad for at least five consecutive years before moving to Finland. The project must have at least two Finnish company partners.

The call is open from September 15 to October 26, 2025, and the funding period is January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2028. Read more in our call for applications and register to the event→

Watch the recording of the application info session:

The Finnish Research Impact Foundation’s (FRIF) new TIA Connect networking program brings social sciences and humanities (SSH) researchers to the forefront of solving companies’ research challenges. The program offers researchers in the humanities a unique opportunity to build connections with businesses.

The social sciences and humanities hold vast untapped potential for businesses. This potential is increasingly recognized by both researchers and companies. However, collaboration is still in its early stages.

According to researchers, one of the main bottlenecks for collaboration is the lack of networks with the business sector. From the companies’ perspective, initiating collaboration is hindered by factors such as a lack of mutual understanding and limited knowledge of possible forms of cooperation and funding opportunities.

Our TIA Connect program aims to address these challenges.

“The goal of TIA Connect is to bring together SSH researchers and companies, and to help them identify opportunities for research–business collaboration. Both researchers and companies have expressed a strong interest in this kind of facilitated networking support from FRIF – and now it’s available,” says our Research Impact Officer Outi Vanharanta.

The program is free of charge for participating companies and researchers, and taking part does not commit either party to anything.

TIA Connect: Step by step

Over the spring, the Foundation has been seeking open-minded companies to join the networking program. The participating companies have a research challenge to which the humanities can contribute. Companies already on board include F-Secure, Gugguu, Mirka, OP, Porokylän Leipomo, Valio, and Heino Group.

“The search for companies showed that there are truly interesting research challenges for SSH scholars across a wide range of industries. Many of these challenges are linked to current societal changes. These are critical issues for Finland, such as ecological sustainability, demographic shifts, and the transformation of the food sector,” Vanharanta explains.

The Foundation will publish descriptions of the companies’ research challenges in early autumn. The call for researchers to apply to the TIA Connect program will open at the beginning of September. Researchers can apply by submitting a brief concept paper outlining how they would approach the company’s challenge from a research perspective.

Towards a TIA Postdoc funding application

In October, the FRIF will make decisions—based on input from the companies—about which researchers’ proposals they would like to explore further. In November, the Foundation will facilitate a workshop where researchers and companies can get to know each other better and deepen their understanding of the research challenge and its potential solutions.

If the researcher and the company find common ground, they can apply for the FRIF’s two-year Tandem Industry Academia Postdoc (TIA) funding. If the funding is granted, the researcher will spend two years working closely with the partner company to address the identified challenge. One of those years will be spent embedded in the company.

“We’re delighted to have found open-minded companies that see the potential of the social sciences and humanities in solving their challenges. Now, we need ambitious researchers who are eager to develop solutions to these problems,” Vanharanta concludes.

The companies’ research challenges will be published in August, and the call for researchers to join the TIA Connect program will open at the beginning of September. Check out the TIA Connect call for applications!

Watch the recording of the application info session:

The ReMION collaboration between the University of Helsinki and Karsa Ltd provided valuable insight into just how challenging it is to adapt laboratory instruments for long-term atmospheric measurements – and that led to a breakthrough. Thanks to FRIF’s TIA Postdoc funding, the project was able to recruit a top expert from abroad.

Project title: Resolving atmospheric ultrafine particle phase constituents with Karsa electrospray MION (ReMION)

Project partners: Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), University of Helsinki & Karsa Ltd

Principal investigator of the project: Mikko Sipilä, University of Helsinki.

FRIF funding awarded: €172,904

The recently concluded ReMION project, led by the University of Helsinki, focused on studying atmospheric nanoparticles. The project also aimed to develop more precise measurement methods to determine what these particles are made of. The project’s corporate partner was Karsa Ltd, whose measurement device was both studied and further developed as part of the collaboration.

“Atmospheric nanoparticles are significant because they affect air quality, human health, and the Earth’s radiative balance. These particles can penetrate deep into the human lungs, which is why it is essential to know what they are made of,” says Juha Kangasluoma from the University of Helsinki. Kangasluoma is a professor of aerosol physics and has been closely involved in the ReMION project throughout its entire lifecycle.

A breakthrough via unexpected paths

The project originally aimed to develop a system based on the electrospray method to measure vapors evaporated from aerosol particles.

Electrospray produces highly charged droplets, which generate a chemically well-controlled ion population as they evaporate. These ions are directed by electric fields into the same flow as the vapors evaporated from aerosol particles. The resulting clusters formed between ions and vapor molecules can then be detected using mass spectrometry.

Along the way, the project team realized that applying electrospray to continuous measurements was more challenging than initially expected. In addition, integrating electrospray into the device would have made the system even more complex, so the team began developing alternative methods.

“During the project, we learned what doesn’t work – and that led us to a breakthrough. We figured out how to use a non-toxic solid that is safe for humans and also non-corrosive. You only need a milligram of it, and it can work for years without maintenance,” says Aleksei Shcherbinin, Chief Product Officer of Karsa Ltd.

“This substance sublimates with the help of X-rays, allowing the formation of a chemically well-controlled ion population without the liquid and voltage control systems required by electrospray,” explains Kangasluoma, describing the principle behind the method.

The next step is to calibrate the developed measurement device to ensure it produces the most accurate results possible. The technology created in the project has already reached the field – INAR currently operates a device on the Atlantic coast of Ireland that measures atmospheric particles using findings from the ReMION project.

In addition to its practical applications, the ReMION project also had significant academic value. So far, it has resulted in a research article published in Analytical Chemistry, one of the most prestigious international journals in the field of analytical chemistry. A second article is currently under peer review in the same journal.

Beyond scientific publications, ReMION has had a broader scientific impact. Two new research projects based on ReMION’s results are currently under review at the Academy of Finland. In addition, Kangasluoma has submitted a project proposal to the European Research Council (ERC), also grounded in the outcomes of ReMION.

The work to develop more precise methods for measuring atmospheric ultrafine particles is ongoing.

FRIF funding enabled the recruitment of a top expert for the project

FRIF’s TIA funding played a key role in the success of the ReMION project. It enabled the recruitment of a postdoctoral researcher, Henning Finkenzeller, from abroad. He was responsible for coordinating the collaboration between the University of Helsinki and Karsa Ltd. Even after the project’s completion, he continues to work with both the University of Helsinki and Karsa.

“I think these kinds of programs are very important for attracting foreign talent and providing opportunities for companies – especially small ones like ours – to collaborate with universities,” says Shcherbinin.

“Our project team is grateful to the foundation for the funding. It was absolutely crucial – without it, this project would not have happened in its current form,” Kangasluoma concludes.

FRIF’s TIA Postdoc grants will be open for applications again in autumn 2026. Learn more about upcoming calls for proposals.