Innovative Cities programme: Smart City and Renewable Industry

The overarching vision of the Innovative Cities (INKA)-programme is to foster and support the creation of internationally attractive innovation hubs based on talent, competences and skills refined in Finland. The objective is to generate new businesses, growth and job opportunities via close cooperation and pooling of resources between cities, companies, public administrators, research and development organisations, educational institutes, and the State. The methods used include, for example, launching development environments and testing platforms for new technologies and services, fostering national and international cooperation in leveraging expertise, creating pioneering markets, and supporting new operation models competence-based entrepreneurship.

Machine Technology Center Turku Ltd. is in charge of coordinating the Renewable Industry –theme of the programme in the region of Turku. The objective of the theme in Turku is to support the region’s existing expertise, competence bases and new capabilities in order to enable Turku to become a competitive and attractive hub of maritime, metal, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing industries. The development measures of the theme focus on utilisation of new technologies in manufacturing, production processes, services, and business operations, improving the competitiveness and production practices of the mechanical engineering industry, and fostering the utilisation of environmentally viable and energy efficient technologies. Research, testing and production environments will be established in order to enable businesses to participate. Support is also available for companies interested in obtaining information about funding opportunities and applying for project funding. In addition, emphasis is placed on creating and maintaining contacts with national and international project and collaboration networks, and on ways to identify, create and exploit new markets.

The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (Tekes) is responsible for the operative management and administration of the programme.

For more information, please contact:

Aki Piiroinen, aki.piiroinen[at]koneteknologiakeskus.fi, Mobile: +358 40 1841 525

Juha Valtanen, juha.valtanen[at]koneteknologiakeskus.fi, Mobile: +358 50 5623 442

Mervi Pitkänen, mervi.pitkanen[at]koneteknologiakeskus.fi, Mobile: +358 40 5353 066