Collaboration blog: Business Finland’s role in funding research increases
Written by Teija Kekonen, Teija Tuhkala and Jouko Uusitalo
Nina Kopola, Director General & CEO of Business Finland, and Jouko Niinimäki, Rector at University of Oulu, held an annual strategy discussion on the outlook of our cooperation on 23 August. The discussion focused on strategic questions, an overview of our current situation, and mutual feedback. It also clarified how the success of Oulu University researchers in applying for Business Finland funding can become more effective.
The brief presentations of both organizations’ strategies that started the discussion provided useful information for researchers’ project plans. Business Finland’s new strategy underlines the significance of sustainable development. The goal is to provide funding for ‘developers of new sustainable solutions and functions’ and to make Finland ‘a superpower in sustainable development’. Sustainable development should be addressed in all applications submitted to Business Finland. In formulating this theme in project texts and goals, researchers are assisted by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and Oulu University’s (internal) Impact Helper tool.
The discussion of the current situation revolved around project preparations and decision making processes. Business Finland has identified a clear difference in projects that have been prepared in cooperation with university research and innovation services, and in projects in which no research and innovation services have been used. This difference is especially noticeable in the credibility of the project consortium and business goals, and in the technical quality of applications. Properly prepared applications usually have shorter processing times, stronger consortiums and, therefore, higher success rates. It is also more likely that goals can be achieved during the project. Business Finland advises Oulu University researchers to start by using the university’s research and innovation services in project planning, and to only contact Business Finland after that. At the University of Oulu, Research Support Services and the Innovation Centre help researchers in different phases of Business Finland’s funding application processes, such as the preparation of project presentations, the assembly of a project consortium, and the definition of business goals.
At the University of Oulu, the role of Business Finland funding has increased during the past two years. In 2020, the University of Oulu received more than EUR 9.7 million of funding, and more than EUR 7.5 million has been granted by the end of August 2021. Currently, 14 projects are awaiting a funding decision. The University of Oulu has been the most successful in obtaining funding for Co-Creation and Research-to-Business projects, while the success of Co-Innovation projects has been lower than the national average. According to Business Finland, a Co-Innovation project optimally has six to eight partner companies. Having a clearly larger consortium may decelerate Business Finland’s processing of the project, as the role of partners in R&D projects requires more investigation. Companies that are already on their way towards internationalization, medium-sized companies in particular, are the best project partners. In this case, even determining the export factor, one of the most significant decision making criteria, is not very difficult, and companies have sufficient resources to advance the international business required in projects. Companies that focus on domestic markets alone or are only taking their first steps have more challenges in fulfilling the criteria or appointing sufficient resources.
Business Finland’s Co-Creation and Co-Innovation projects have no application schedules, and applications are accepted at all times. As part of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland, during the autumn of 2021, Business Finland will target several funding calls at industries in which research conducted at the University of Oulu plays a significant part. In addition, new RRF funding calls have been planned for 2022 for funding sustainable and digital growth and innovation clusters in the travel industry. The new RRF funding calls are part of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland and Next Generation EU, where every project must fulfil the Do No Significant Harm environmental principles. Oulu University’s Innovation Centre or Research Support Services help in the preparation of competitive applications. Researchers should already contact these organisations in the project idea phase.
Teija Kekonen
Director, Research support services, University of Oulu
teija.kekonen@oulu.fi, +358294482053
Teija Tuhkala
Research Funding Specialist, Research support services, University of Oulu
teija.tuhkala@oulu.fi, +358294482923
Jouko Uusitalo
Head of University Innovation Centre, University of Oulu
jouko.uusitalo@oulu.fi, +358 50 476 9717