4Q TP1: Digitalisoituva työympäristö ja tietojohtaminen
Financing
Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö (sis. sivukulut)
Project manager
Lippojoki Miika
4Q TP2: Opintopolut ja koulutusyhteistyö
Financing
Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö (sis. sivukulut)
Project manager
Saari Mikko
4Q TP3: Kansainvälisyyden edistäminen
Financing
Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö (sis. sivukulut)
Project manager
Silvén Pekka
4Q TP4: Vaikuttavat korkeakoulut
Financing
Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö (sis. sivukulut)
Project manager
Keränen Mikko
Accelerating investments of Vuokatti ski resort
Project Shorthand
VII-hanke
Financing
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Project manager
Korhonen Pasi
Project description
The project’s aim is to enhance tourism in Vuokatti by attracting investments to the area. This will be achieved by showcasing the investment potential and opportunities to both domestic and international investors and operators. While the primary focus will be on the Eastern Ski Slopes, the broader Vuokatti ski resort area will also be considered, as comprehensive information on other developments and activities is crucial for investors.The project will implement measures to attract investments specifically to the Eastern Slopes of Vuokatti. These measures include preparing a concept plan for the Vuokatti slopes, which will consolidate the perspectives of various stakeholders on the long-term development of the area. In addition to customer-oriented business development, the plan will emphasize landscape considerations, sustainability from both environmental and local resident perspectives, and the impact of new smart technologies on the area’s activities and usage. The ski slopes and their surroundings feature summer and winter trails, hiking paths, cross-country ski trails, and other routes. As part of the overall area plan, guidelines will be established for creating attractive, functional, and safe routes.The project will also produce a detailed plan for developing coastal activities and year-round tourism in the Eastern Slopes area. This will include visual modeling to aid in presenting the area to investors. The visual modeling and other materials will serve as practical tools for showcasing Vuokatti to potential investors. The development of the Vuokatti ski slopes area is a significant advancement for tourism in the entire Kainuu region. Kajaani University of Applied Sciences is the main project partner, with the municipality of Sotkamo and VMK also participating. Funding for the project is being sought from the Kainuu Regional Council ERDF, with a total budget of €450,000. The project duration is 1.5 years, starting in April 2024.
Active Carbon Fibers
Financing
Just Transition Fund (JTF)
Project manager
Loshin Aleksei
Project description
The collection of textile waste in Finland commenced in 2023; however, only a small portion of the collected material is currently being recycled. Furthermore, the predominant recycling method employed in the country is mechanical recycling, which requires preliminary sorting and transportation of these materials to the site near Helsinki. This increases overall costs and diminishes the profitability of collection and recycling. The ACF project conducts experimental research aimed at producing activated carbon from textile waste through pyrolysis—a cost-effective method that is easy to implement and does not require preliminary sorting of textile materials.
AIKA 2 – Advancing the digital innovation hub ecosystem in Kainuu
Project Shorthand
CEMIS AIKA2
Financing
EAKR-rahoitus 2021-2027 (tuntitaksa)
Project description
The main objective of the AIKA 2 project is to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) inKainuu and the broader business network in Northern and Eastern Finland in their transition tothe digital era. The sub-objectives of the project include:• Continuing the development of the AIKA service portfolio to meet the needs of localbusinesses, with a focus on data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other currentdigitalization technologies.• Improving the adoption of technology and competitiveness in local SMEs through a “test beforeinvestment” service focused on digitalization.• Strengthening regional development by identifying similar areas and innovation clusters andbuilding international collaborations with them. Through benchmarking regional economicimpact, the project aims to share best practices and increase international networking in theKainuu region.• Implementing the AIKA Training Academy, providing regular and diverse training to theproject’s target groups on the possibilities, tools, and impacts of digitalization, along withsuccess stories and examples.• Disseminating the project’s results widely to the target groups, utilizing the project’s trainingand events, AIKA website and social media, communication channels of the implementers,traditional media, and newsletters. The AIKA 2 project aims to comprehensively address the goals of digital transition, increased business productivity and strengthening workforce skills. The collaboration between Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and CSC will evolve, offering new opportunities for businesses, and the expertise of the implementers in data and digitalization will further strengthen. The project’s work packages will pilot artificial intelligence and data analytics to enhance business productivity, seek new knowledge from abroad, and organize easily accessible training in the Kainuu region. Thus, the content of the project aligns with the diverse requirements of supporting digital transition, with a focus on the use of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and other current digitalization methods in business. Kajaani University of Applied Sciences implements the project with CSC. The project will be carried out from 2024 to 2027.
Arctic Water Excellence
Financing
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Project manager
Laatikainen Outi
Project description
Water expertise has been recognized as one of the common strengths of Eastern and Northern Finland. This project aims to strengthen the coordinated regional specialization and profiled collaboration in the water sector. The project implements the choices of the joint smart specialization strategy of Eastern and Northern Finland (clean technologies and low-carbon solutions, ICT and digitalization, innovative technologies and production processes), which have been identified to have diverse expertise in the IP region. The choices of the common strategy provide the basis for new inter-regional cooperation, which the project proposal concretely implements. Through coordinated cooperation, a comprehensive development community/cluster will be formed, which:A.) is capable of assisting in solving challenges in the water sector and problems caused by climate change, using means such as digitalization and the circular economy in a sustainable way for both environmental and economic development,B.) is capable of creating conditions for the formation of new innovations and new business based on water expertise,C.) supports the access of industry players to international markets as part of EU-level cluster cooperation.The Kainuu subproject focuses on water management in the mining industry. The project is part of the CEMIS program. It is an inter-regional project led by North Savo. South Savo and Northern Ostrobothnia are participating along with Kainuu. Participants from Kainuu include KAMK, Oy Mity, and VTT.