Programme manager and owner
Tekes - The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation and Technology

Programmes
BioRefine
Climbus
Small-scale Wood Energy

Tekes - The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation and Technology

Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation is the main government financing and expert organisation for research and technological development in Finland. Tekes is a governmental body reporting to the Ministry of Employment and Industries. Tekes' primary objective is to promote the development of Finnish industry and the service sector by technological means and through innovation. This will renew the economy and increase added-value, productivity and exports, thereby creating employment and enhancing well-being. Tekes’ main functions are: 

• Activation of innovation: Tekes encourages companies to improve their capabilities to develop and apply new technologies. Activities are targeted at new technology based firms and SMEs in particular, as well as new businesses and international cooperation. Large companies are encouraged to participate in long term research projects, which address major technological challenges and involve significant networking with research institutes or SMEs. Activation also promotes regional development.
• Technology programmes: The purpose is to create nationally significant innovation action lines that are based on cooperation between a large group of actors and deal with issues that are strategically important to Finland. These activities consist of national technology programmes, strategic centres for science, technology and innovation and international cooperation initiatives.
• Selective project funding: On the basis of customers’ applications, Tekes mainly funds projects creating new competence which bear high technological and commercial risks and where Tekes’ funding has a substantial impact. Funding focuses on R&D projects that involve risks, on the creation of capacities required for them or on the utilisation of results.

The objectives of all Tekes actions are:

• R&D activities strengthen the knowledge base
• Innovative growth companies are successful
• Regional vitality increases
• Innovation activities are increasingly international
• Industries renew and increase their productivity
• Innovation activities boost well-being

Main branches of Tekes
Tekes’ eight main branches are Telecommunications and Electronics Industries, Software and Digital Media Industries, Forest and Chemical Industries, Mechanical Engineering Industry, Real Estate and Construction Industries, Energy and Environment Industries, Services and Well-being Industries and Life Science Industries.

Funds
The funds for financing are awarded from state budget. Tekes offers channels for co-operation with Finnish companies, universities and research institutes through a network of contacts with the best technology sources all over Finland. Tekes is composed of dispersed network of some 300 people. The technology units of the TE Centres (the Employment and Economic Development Centre) place the services of Tekes within reach of enterprises all over the country. Tekes has also five international offices, two in the USA, and one office in Brussels, Tokyo and Beijing. Tekes co-ordinates and finances participation in international technology initiatives, including EU Framework Programmes, EUREKA, IEA, COST, ESA and Nordic co-operation. Tekes also co-ordinates the National Contact Point System of the Seventh Framework

Contact Point
Pia Salokoski
Tekes
P.O.Box 69
FIN-00101 Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 10 521 5672
Fax. +358 10 521 5905
E-mail: pia.salokoski@tekes.fi

For general information: http://www.tekes.fi/eng.

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