The Finnish Research Impact Foundation received a record 92 applications in this year’s TIA Postdoc call. Due to the high number of applications, the Foundation decided to increase both the number of funded projects and the total amount of funding. Nine joint projects between research organizations and companies will share nearly €2 million in funding.
TIA Postdoc funding is intended for joint research projects between companies and research organizations. Last year, six projects received a total of approximately €1.3 million. Due to high demand, three more projects are being funded this year, and the total amount of funding has increased to €1.9 million.
The funded projects cover a wide range of topics. Research focuses on areas ranging from the use of AI in learning and climate-smart farming to strengthening the resilience of satellite positioning and youth ice hockey coaching. Industry partners include Atria Suomi, Kemira, OP Pohjola, Nokia Bell Labs, and Kuopio-based ice hockey club KalPa Hockey.
The Finnish Research Impact Foundation’s efforts to raise awareness of TIA Postdoc funding have paid off, with applications also coming from fields that have not previously applied for the funding, says Petro Poutanen, CEO of the Finnish Research Impact Foundation. According to Poutanen, researchers also increasingly recognize the value of industry collaboration.
“The quality of applications was exceptionally high this year. That is why we decided to increase the amount of funding awarded,” says Sampo Ahonen, Chair of the Board of the Finnish Research Impact Foundation.
Low Earth orbit satellites can make positioning more resilient to interference
Society is increasingly dependent on satellite positioning and precise timing. These systems play a critical role in telecommunications networks, power grids, and other critical infrastructure. At the same time, jamming and spoofing of satellite signals are a growing problem.
One of the projects funded by the Finnish Research Impact Foundation is PERLEO, a joint project between Tampere University and Nokia Bell Labs. The project investigates how low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites could be used for positioning and precise timing. The aim is to complement existing systems with a more resilient alternative. The results can be used in the development of future 6G networks and satellite systems, as well as in areas such as transportation and emergency response.
The project received €201,493 in funding.
A pulp mill side stream could become a tool for removing forever chemicals from water
PFAS compounds, often called “forever chemicals,” are persistent pollutants, and new solutions are needed to remove them from industrial water. Forever chemicals can cause significant harm to people and the environment because they do not break down in nature and can accumulate in animals and humans.
In the HELIX-PFAS project, the University of Helsinki and Lamor are investigating whether lignin, a by-product of pulp production, could be used to bind PFAS compounds. The researchers produce small lignin particles whose diverse structure provides different binding sites for pollutants. The solution will also be tested in an industrial environment at Lamor in Porvoo. The aim is to develop an affordable and sustainable material made from Finnish industrial side streams for removing PFAS compounds from contaminated industrial water.
The project received €223,613 in funding.
Data makes youth ice hockey coaching more equitable
Young athletes grow and mature at different rates. If biological maturation is not taken into account in coaching, training loads may be misjudged and the potential of later-maturing young athletes can be overlooked.
In a joint project between the University of Jyväskylä and KalPa Hockey, researchers are building a player development pathway based on research and data, from the U8 age group toward the professional level. The project combines information on players’ physical development, biological maturation, training load, and game performance. The aim is to prevent excessive training load and overuse injuries and identify talent more equitably.
The project received €170,000 in funding.
More detailed descriptions of all nine projects are available on the Finnish Research Impact Foundation’s website.
Putting research-based expertise and solutions to use
The Finnish Research Impact Foundation’s Tandem Industry Academia (TIA) Postdoc funding is intended for research carried out by Finnish universities and research institutes together with companies. This year marked the seventh TIA Postdoc funding call. The funding aims to strengthen the impact of high-quality research and support the transfer of research-based expertise to companies and society.
