Innovation Centre team introduction: Part 4

In the last round of introductions we present you Business Development Manager Markku Känsäkoski and Customer Manager Petri Leukkunen. Experts share what their diverse roles include and tell a little bit more about themselves as well.

Markku Känsäkoski - Business Development Manager

markku.kansakoski@oulu.fi

Markku’s role at the Innovation Centre: 

x Markku's work as a business development manager includes harvesting for business projects at the university. Markku is involved especially in the fields of medicine, biochemistry, engineering and natural sciences. 

x In projects, Markku helps in team building and searching for commercialisation experts. He is also involved in the review of funding applications and project plans. After receiving funding, he also continues sparring teams. 

x Other work tasks for Markku include IPR licensing issues and PoC (Proof-of-Concept) funding evaluations aimed at making the first implementation of an invention or idea. 

Markku’s background: 

x Markku has studied electrical engineering and is particularly oriented towards measurement technology. He has 20 years of work experience in a variety of positions in VTT. Markku has also cooperated a lot with companies, conducting, for example, applied research, financing procurement and international transactions. 

x In the 2000s, Markku went on board to set up a company that started developing rapid testing. He worked for 10 years with the company. In August 2021 Markku ended up in his role at the Innovation Centre. 

Highlights of Markku's work and opportunities for new learning:  

x Markku says that he enjoys being in the heart of new technologies when it comes to building new companies and gaining current information on inventions and innovations. “It is inspiring that the work can also combine different disciplines, such as medicine and measurement technology,” says Markku.  

x According to Markku, this new position has helped him to understand even more deeply the startup world and its various actors developing him as a professional.

On what issues can you contact Markku?   

x When you have issues specifically related to the commercialisation of project funding and research results from a researcher perspective, you can connect with Markku.  

x “An experienced team with many networks from the business world has been assembled at the Innovation Centre. There is a significant amount of competence and contacts here,” said Markku at the end of the interview.   

Markku’s favorite innovation:  

x After a long reflection, Markku looks at the picture on his phone and says: “This was great!” The picture presents the Nokia's N900 model phone. He particularly liked the design that included the keyboard and the user experience it provided.   

Markku’s summer 2022: 

X Summer was full of relaxation! 

Petri Leukkunen - Customer Manager

petri.leukkunen@oulu.fi

Petri’s role at the Innovation Centre:

x Petri promotes cooperation between companies and the University of Oulu. He studies the research needs of companies and finds the right researchers to join the university to prepare research collaborations and implement projects. At the same time Petri also spars researchers for Business Finland funding searches. In connection with Business Finland, Petri is also a contact person for ABB and Neste's Leading companies. 

x Starting from spring 2022, Petri has also carried out IP licensing in connection with the university's patent families, namely looking for potential companies interested in university patents. 

Petri’s own background: 

x Petri graduated from electrical engineering faculty, with an orientation in measurement technology, e.g. medical measurements. Financial studies were included as well. 

x Past experience in innovation activities Petri has on the side of the industrial telecommunications operator, in various roles and since 2008 through commercialization of university research, as a top analyst preparing business planning and financial decisions. Petri has been active since 2011 related to innovation activities. 

Highlights of Petri’s work and opportunities for new learning:  

x “My curious character traits get to work when different cases and technologies come in front of me. Own expertise develops when you get to know people and at the same time learn to have conversations in a new way by adapting to the situations of researchers and companies”, sums Petri as highlights of his work.  

x According to Petri, when working at university, you see new all the time. In the context of background work, you get a view of what is happening in the world now and possibly in the future. 

On what issues can you contact Petri?   

x When a researcher thinks about who would be suitable partners for the research or what problems the company has in its own operations, Petri helps in dialogue between researchers and companies. Already when drawing up a research plan, it is worth contacting Petri to make your own research “sensitive” to the needs of companies, in Petri's words. Often with small changes or specifications, the research topic can arouse interest on the corporate side. 

Petri’s favorite innovation:  

x Transistor, a semiconductor that enables us to have computers. The fact that the transistor has significantly accelerated other innovations that would have gone undone without transistor-based computers, is particularly wonderful about the invention, among other things. 

Petri’s summer 2022: 

X Most of the summer was filled with outdoor activities in the context of the trip to Norway. Walking trips to the mountains on Lofoten and kayaking in clear mountain water.