vaikuttavuussaatio

An increasing number of foundations are seeking ways to strengthen the impact of research and to allocate funding more effectively. The Finnish Research Impact Foundation (FRIF) together with STEK ry (the Finnish Centre for Promotion of Electrical Technology and Energy Efficiency) are now piloting a joint funding model that enables more efficient use of resources.

Foundations that support research receive a growing number of high-quality applications, often involving committed partners alongside researchers. Many of these projects show clear potential for impact. However, even strong proposals cannot always be funded from the annual resources of a single foundation.

FRIF has launched a new joint funding model between foundations with the aim of increasing the impact of research-driven collaboration between academia and industry and allocating funding more effectively. Through this pilot, the Foundation is exploring new ways to respond to the growing demand for research collaboration and to identify impactful projects beyond individual funding instruments. The model is being developed step by step, based on experience and collaboration with partners.

Many foundations share common goals, even if their strategic priorities differ.

“Foundations often have major goals that are important for society as a whole, such as strengthening national expertise or contributing to environmental sustainability. In funding as well, collaboration can achieve more than working alone,” says Petro Poutanen, CEO of the Finnish Research Impact Foundation (FRIF).

Joint funding connects impactful projects with the right funders

The joint funding model of FRIF is based on a process in which the Foundation pre-evaluates the applications it receives through its standard assessment procedures. During this process, projects may be identified that also align with the strategic priorities of another funder.

In such cases, FRIF may propose that the application be reviewed by another foundation as well. Applicants are always asked for their consent before an application is shared with a potential partner.

This so-called exchange of applications allows another foundation to review a project that has already undergone a thorough evaluation, without requiring the applicant to start the entire process again.

“When one foundation has carried out a comprehensive assessment, others can benefit from that work as well. This helps reduce overlapping effort and makes it easier to identify impactful projects,” Poutanen explains.

Energy-sector research project as the first jointly funded case

The first jointly funded project emerged from a research collaboration in the energy sector between the University of Vaasa and ABB Ltd. The project examines the increasing share of renewable energy in the power system and how the safety and reliability of the electricity grid can be ensured in a changing operating environment.

The project ranked among the top applications in FRIF’s TIA Postdoc call but could not be funded due to the call’s limited budget. However, it proved highly relevant for a second funder, STEK ry, and a joint funding decision between FRIF and STEK was reached in a short timeframe.

Read more about TIA Postdoc-funded projects here.

“From STEK’s perspective, this project aligns closely with our mission to accelerate the energy transition. It is important that this topic is studied broadly and in close collaboration with industry. Developing flexibility and resilience across the entire power system requires new ways of optimally integrating inverter-based solutions into the grid. Jointly funding this project with the Impact Foundation is a significant opening. It creates opportunities to tackle more complex challenges and to take a more substantial approach to emerging opportunities,” says Tapio Koivu, CEO of STEK ry.

From a pilot to broader impact

FRIF sees joint funding as part of a longer-term development effort to identify new ways to strengthen research impact and support collaboration in areas where the resources of a single actor are not sufficient.

“Our resources are limited, which is why we aim to experiment with different models to extend the impact of our funding. Joint funding is one way to scale impact, find new partners, and enable important research,” Poutanen notes.

Joint funding does not replace the foundations’ existing funding instruments but complements them. From the applicant’s perspective, the model may, over time, offer a smoother funding pathway and better opportunities to progress with a single high-quality application. For funders, it provides a way to allocate resources more impactfully and to identify new, strategically relevant research projects.

“This kind of thematic joint funding, where we seek partners who share common goals with us, is an open experiment for us. We hope it will spark interest among other foundations and encourage the development of new forms of collaboration around shared objectives,” Poutanen says.

The 7th round of the Finnish Research Impact Foundation’s Tandem Industry Academia Postdoc (TIA Postdoc) call opens on 2 March 2026. The application period runs from 2 March to 10 April 2026. Applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s grant management system by 10 April 2026 at 23:59.

Updates to the call and conditions in 2026

The application form and the funding conditions have been updated for 2026. The updated funding call and application guidelines have been published, and applicants are encouraged to review them carefully before submitting an application.

Further details on the updates will also be presented in the call information session on 2 March, which applicants and partner organisations are strongly encouraged to attend.

Call information session

The Foundation will host a call information session on 2 March 2026 at 9:30.
Please register for the online event via the registration link. You will receive the participation link by email prior to the event.

The session will present the key principles of the call, outline the 2026 updates, and provide an opportunity to ask questions. The information section of the event will also be available afterwards as a recording.

TIA Postdoc funding in brief

TIA Postdoc funding is intended to support joint research between research organisations and companies. The funding targets ambitious, pre-competitive collaborative research projects with high impact potential that advance both top-level research and business objectives.

In a TIA Postdoc project, the postdoctoral researcher works for half of the project duration with the academic partner and for the other half with the industry partner, in close collaboration.

The project led by Yagut Allahverdiyeva-Rinne identified microalgae that can be utilised in purifying greenhouse wastewater. The findings of the joint project between the University of Turku and Oksasen puutarha support the circular economy and sustainable food and agrichemicals production in greenhouse cultivation. The funding from the FRIF enabled cooperation, where academic expertise was taken outside the research bubble to solve practical problems.

Project title: Integration of greenhouse farming and microalgae bioproduction for a sustainable circular agriculture approach (AgriAlga)

Principal investigator of the project: Yagut Allahverdiyeva-Rinne, University of Turku

Project partners: University of Turku & Oksasen puutarha

FRIF funding awarded: €214,326

Climate change challenges food production both in Finland and globally. At the same time, the need for resource-wise production methods is growing. The joint AgriAlga project between the University of Turku and Oksasen puutarha investigated how microalgae can be utilised in greenhouse cultivation and the treatment of its side streams.

“The aim of the project was to upgrade nutrient rich, drain water from a greenhouse by using a nutrient source to produce the algae biomass. The resulting biomass can be further processed and used as a novel agrichemical or fertilizer for different purposes in the greenhouse. Like this, we could create a circular sustainable system for greenhouse producers”, says Yagut Allahverdiyeva-Rinne, Professor of Molecular Plant Biology at the University of Turku and Principal Investigator of the AgriAlga project.

Algae offer solutions to many challenges

Allahverdiyeva-Rinne is a photosynthesis researcher by background. Her research group investigates how plants and photosynthetic microbes – such as algae and bacteria – harvest solar energy to fix CO2 into biomass, and how this knowledge can be utilised in new bioproduction technologies.

In the North, algae production throughout the year is challenging due to low temperature and limited daylight during autumn and winter. However, both of these are found in greenhouses all year round. One of Allahverdiyeva-Rinne’s research lines is therefore the utilisation of algae in greenhouses.

“Algae don’t need land, they only need some nutrients, light, water and that water doesn’t need to be fresh water, it can be seawater or it can be suitable wastewater streams,” explains Allahverdiyeva-Rinne.

Growing algae in greenhouses also helps with another problem, namely greenhouse wastewater, the nutrients of which, carried along with the water, eutrophicate water bodies. This also made Oksasen puutarha interested in the possibilities of algae.

Oksasen puutarha is a family business that grows salads and herbs in Turku, Oripää and Hamina. The company needed to understand how it could purify the circulating water in the greenhouses and potentially reuse it.

“Before this project, we knew nothing about growing algae,” laughs Juha Oksanen, Chair of the Board of Oksasen puutarha.

Project results accelerate the circular economy

Researchers examined the properties of dozens of different algae types and identified a couple of algae that thrive in greenhouse conditions. After this, the researchers grew algae cultures, using a nutrient-rich side stream from the Oksasen puutarha greenhouse as their nutrient source.

The most promising culture was successfully scaled up to a 50-litre bioreactor. The researchers also tested how the biomass produced in the process is suitable for agricultural use.

“Microalgae cultivation provides an efficient and scalable solution for treating side streams from horticultural greenhouses, enabling nutrient recovery while complying with EU discharge limits. The process is highly adaptable, allowing the operational strategy to be tailored for hydroponic or soil-based systems and adjusted according to the nutrient load of the effluent,” says Allahverdiyeva-Rinne.

“For example, a 1000 liter photobioreactor can effectively treat about 300 liters of typical effluent containing 100 milligrams of nitrogen per liter daily. This capacity enables a small commercial greenhouse to manage and treat a substantial portion — if not all — of its daily nutrient-rich drainage. The resulting algal biomass is a valuable product that supports circular use of resources.”

The results of the project’s invention disclosures have not yet been confirmed, so the more precise final results of the studies are still confidential. However, Allahverdiyeva-Rinne is convinced that the project results will accelerate both the circular economy and sustainable development.

“From our point of view, the project gave positive results. Related to social or broader impact, I think what we are doing directly contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals. It also promotes more sustainable bioproduction, and the best use of the resources.”

Funding from the FRIF offered a route outside the research bubble

Allahverdiyeva-Rinne thanks the Finnish Research Foundation’s (FRIF) TIA Postdoc funding for offering researchers a route outside the university walls.

“For us, I believe that this funding opportunity has been extremely important because it really gave us the possibility to work in close collaboration with the industrial partner. This allowed us to align not only our scientific curiosity, but also the needs and the priorities of the industrial sector,” she says.

Oksasen puutarha, in turn, gained new knowledge through the cooperation on how to solve the problems arising from their wastewater. Generally, the cooperation brought a new way of thinking to the company.

“This very benefit for us from being in this project is that now we think about things a little bit differently. We know what are the key points that we have to solve and can concentrate on the things that we can do,” says Oksanen.

The journey towards an algae-based circular economy continues

The cooperation between Allahverdiyeva-Rinne’s research group and Oksasen puutarha will continue in the future. The broader AlgaCircle consortium coordinated by Allahverdiyeva-Rinne received over a million euros in funding from Business Finland’s Veturi program in 2024. 

The goal of the consortium is to create a broader circular economy model in which microalgae are used to produce food, feed, and agricultural chemicals. Oksasen puutarha is one of the consortium’s corporate partners.

The heart of AlgaCircle is the AlgaTech algae production facility, which was opened in 2024 at the Ruissalo Botanical Garden in Turku. The facility has excellent frameworks for the production and research of microalgae cultures – the facility’s largest bioreactor has a capacity of a thousand litres.

AgriAlga was thus just the beginning. The journey towards an algae-based circular economy is in full swing in Turku!

FRIF’s TIA Postdoc grants can be applied for again in spring 2026. Read more about upcoming grant calls.

Three international top researchers have received funding from The Finnish Research Impact Foundation (FRIF) to help launch and accelerate their research in Finland. The projects develop quantum-based 6G technology, train complex work machines to operate even in difficult weather conditions, and aim to transform wastewater treatment plants from cost items into resource hubs.

Professor Ertugrul Basar from Tampere University, Assistant Professor Dominik Baumann from Aalto University, and Assistant Professor Merve Atasoy from the University of Eastern Finland have received funding for their research projects from The Finnish Research Impact Foundation (FRIF).

The projects address three current issues: how to make future 6G connections safer and more energy efficient, how to ensure heavy work machines operate reliably in difficult weather conditions, and how to recover valuable carbon and nitrogen from wastewater.

“It is critically important for the recently arrived top researchers in Finland to quickly gain a foothold in the domestic business sector in terms of impact. It is great to see that our funding attracts the interest of international top experts and helps them integrate with Finnish companies and ecosystems,” says Petro Poutanen, CEO of the FRIF.

The research–business collaboration enabled by the funding allows researchers to create significant new openings that keep Finland at the forefront of high technology.

Three top talents from abroad – three projects advancing Finland’s leadership in high technologies

In his project, Professor Ertugrul Basar from Tampere University develops entirely new wireless communication technology, using ultra-sensitive quantum receivers instead of traditional metal antennas. The project’s results enable more energy efficient and secure 6G networks worldwide. Through this project, Finland can position itself as a global leader in quantum-assisted 6G research. The industrial partners of the project are Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy and IQM Finland Oy.

Assistant Professor Dominik Baumann from Aalto University develops a machine learning model that helps train mobile machines operating autonomously — such as forest harvesters and port cranes — to operate in snow, fog and rain. If successful, the project creates a competitive advantage for Finnish machine manufacturers: if the technology works in Finnish conditions, it works anywhere, giving Finnish companies a unique selling point in global markets. The industrial partners of the project are Konecranes and Ponsse.

Assistant Professor Merve Atasoy from the University of Eastern Finland develops biotechnology to recover carbon and nitrogen from wastewater and process them into high-value biobased chemicals. Technology like this has not been implemented in wastewater treatment before. If successful, the project could fundamentally change how wastewater treatment plants operate – shifting them from cost centers into resource recovery hubs. The industrial partners of the project are Biopallo Systems Oy and NPHarvest.

Broader descriptions of the funded projects can be found on the FRIF’s website.

Funding that brings top international expertise to Finland

Basar, Baumann and Atasoy have received funding for their projects in the FRIF’s Tandem Industry Academia (TIA) Seed programme. The funding is aimed at researchers who have recently become part of the Finnish research funding system and are at the beginning of their careers in Finland.

The funding supports the integration of top researchers into Finland and helps build collaboration between Finnish research organisations and companies.

“With this funding, we can, for our part, strengthen the ability of domestic sectors to stay at the forefront of global competitiveness,” says Petro Poutanen.

The TIA Seed funding call was organised for the second time this year. More information about the funding can be found on the Foundation’s website, as well as information about the projects funded in the previous application round.

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 →