Tandem Industry Academia (TIA) Seed 2025
Assistant Professor Merve Atasoy’s project aims to transform wastewater treatment plants from cost centers into resource recovery hubs
Project title:
Integrated Bioprocess for Producing Value‑Added Building Blocks from Wastewater (Intrecovery)
Approved funding:
€201,462
Applicant:
University of Eastern Finland
Industrial partners:
Biopallo Systems Oy and NPHarvest
“Instead of treating wastewater as waste, we treat it as a resource that can provide biobased chemicals and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our collaboration with Finnish industry ensures that the technology is designed from the start to be practical, scalable, and tailored to real industrial needs.”
Assistant Professor Merve Atasoy, Principal Investigator of the project.
Over 500 million cubic meters of wastewater are processed annually in Finland. Wastewater treatment consumes vast amounts of energy, and the process results in the loss of valuable carbon and nitrogen. The University of Eastern Finland’s Intrecovery project is developing 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. At the societal level, the project reduces emissions and dependence on fossil-based substances, while accelerating Finland’s transition toward a circular economy.
Professor Ertugrul Basar’s quantum 6G project can position Finland as an early global research leader
Project title:
Rydberg Atomic Quantum Receivers for Energy-Efficient and Secure 6G Communications
Approved funding:
€232,595
Applicant:
Tampere University
Industrial partners:
Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy and IQM Finland Oy
“We applied for TIA Seed funding because it is uniquely aligned with the early-stage, high-impact research that our project aims to deliver.”
Professor Ertugrul Basar, Principal Investigator of the project.
How to build wireless communication systems that are simultaneously energy-efficient, secure, and capable of operating reliably in increasingly congested and adversarial spectrum environments? This challenge is being addressed in a Tampere University research project, where advanced atomic physics research meets wireless communication.
The project 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.
Assistant Professor Dominik Baumann develops machine learning methods that improve the performance and work safety of autonomous machines in harsh weather conditions
Project title:
Safe, efficient, and robust learning for mobile machines
Approved funding:
€199,864
Applicant:
Aalto University
Industrial partners:
Konecranes and Ponsse
“TIA Seed funding is perfect for what I’m trying to achieve: bringing university research and Finnish industry together to solve real problems.”
Assistant Professor Dominik Baumann, Principal Investigator of the project.
Mobile machines operating autonomously – such as forest harvesters and port cranes – face challenges in harsh weather conditions like snowstorms or heavy fog. Snow, fog, and rain interfere with the machines’ optical sensors, necessitating manual operation. Manual work under harsh weather conditions is often unsafe and always uncomfortable for workers – so precisely the times where autonomous operation of machines would be most valuable. The Aalto University project is creating the first approach that can guarantee safety when training and operating complex mobile machines in harsh, unpredictable environments.
New mathematical methods are being developed in the project, which enable complex machines to be trained safely. This ensures their autonomy functions efficiently and in compliance with work safety, even in severe weather conditions. The project’s results benefit industries such as mining, construction, and logistics. 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.
