ALGOA PROGRESS is a “New Business from Research Ideas” (TUTLI) project funded by Business Finland and the European Regional Development Fund. The project aims to explore the commercial potential of an algorithm that can predict the progression of osteoarthritis. The project seeks to lay both technological and commercial foundations for a novel technology that allows individualized treatment planning for people with, e.g. osteoarthritis. The objective of this type of treatment planning would be to prevent osteoarthritis or to slow down its progression.
The project is based on long-term basic and applied research carried out by the Biophysics of Bone and Cartilage research group (http://luotain.uef.fi/) at the Department of Applied Physics, UEF, as well as on utilising these research findings in computational modelling.
Research project: FORK- Fraud-Free Food and Regulatory Know-How, funded by the Academy of Finland and UEF 2019-2023
How can consumers be sure that they eat what they think they eat? The FORK project responds to the trends of power consumerism, personalized nutrition services and digitalization of food commerce by developing better regulation for a modified food chain.
International partner: Fighting Food Frauds regarding Foods with Intentionally Added Pharmaceutical Products, funded by the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation, 2019-2022. The FFF-project aims to identify patterns of food fraud and seek solutions by examining experiences of other jurisdictions. Economically motivated food adulteration adding pharmaceuticals in foods as Chinese traditional medicine is a growing issue in food manufacturing largely contributing to food safety problems in China.
Book project: K Lindroos, L Montagnani and K Klafkowska Wasniowska: Freedom and Responsibility of Online Platforms, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019-2021.European values include upholding free movement in the single market, while ensuring responsibility and accountability in the digital single market. All regulators face the same dilemma: how to strike a balance between these values structuring the role of platforms in preserving fundamental values.
Book project: K Lindroos, L Tammenlehto: Moderni immateriaalioikeus ja alustatalouden innovaatiot, Talentum Publishing 2019-2020.
– Receipt, processing and evaluation of further utilization of invention disclosures
– Proof of Concept funding application and project implementation support services
– Draft funding application support services
– Spark Finland program support services
– Technology transfer and advocacy related to the commercialization of research results
– Administration related to university patent applications and other industrial property rights
– General support and advice related to innovation activities and research impact planning
The larger question I am involved in solving through my research is: how to enable a less resource-dependent sustainable economy by means of digitalisation and sustainable circular economy and to, hereby, renew the operations of companies as well as create new and new kind of jobs. First, my focus within the question is on organisational renewal and digital transformation i.e. how to manage work and innovation in a digital world. Secondly, my research focuses on sustainable entrepreneurship based on (digital) business models i.e. how entrepreneurs come up with and commercialise sustainable innovations to achieve sustainability goals. Thirdly, my research focuses on organisational development i.e. how to manage innovation in organisations with special focus on enhancing knowledge sharing and encouraging innovation behaviour in organisations.
My research focuses on emerging markets and the evolving regulatory framework for commerce. I concentrate on the role of law and trade in shaping the global economy, which directly impacts national and regional economies. My research targets regulation that may enable growth and remove barriers to trade and commercial development. Global transactions impact the regulator’s ability to control actors and digital content as well as reducing risks and preventing harm to consumers. Hybrid governance models and institutions are necessary to govern international distribution chains to detect fraudulent activity and promote innovative entrepreneurship.
Technological development surpasses regulation that is mainly geared towards real world commerce. Digitalization does not replace, but transforms international chains of commerce and creates opportunities for new business innovations. Trade in physical goods remains relevant, yet now trade revolves around digital content and the service economy. My research focuses on grey areas or gaps in commercial regulation. Thematically I focus on the areas of internet, IPRs and food law.
The focus on IPRs relates to policing criminal activity and utilizing protection schemes to further entrepreneurship, especially protecting innovative SMEs in global markets and developing countries and capitalizing on the potential in food innovation to enhance food security and sustainable business models in food development.
Laura Tammenlehto (LL.D.) works as commercial law senior lecturer and project researcher at UEF Law School. Tammenlehto’s research focuses on intellectual property rights and criminal law, especially copyright and trademark infringements and food fraud.
Onerva-Aulikki Suhonen (LL.M., M.Sc.) works as a lecturer in civil law at the UEF Law School. Her teaching focuses on transnational commercial law and supervision of commercial law theses.
In her Ph.D. research, Suhonen studies the regulatory framework applicable to cross-border commercial contracts and analyses the development of transnational commercial contract law doctrine. The study systemizes the intertwining of legal norms applicable to transnational commercial contracts and examines the interaction of publicly and privately created normativity in the governance of cross-border business relationships.
Suhonen is a Finnish national rapporteur at IACL’s comparative law study “The effectiveness of international legal harmonization through soft law.”
Rahma Hersi is a legal scholar whose research interests lie in equal access to education & labour opportunities, religion and culture and feminist theory and questions of integration of immigrants in Finland.
Rahma Hersi is an Islamic finance lawyer and advocate for economic justice in Africa. She has over 15 years of experience across several markets in North America, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe. Rahma works closely with regulators, multi-lateral organizations,development agencies, and companies in the public and private sector.
Rahma is currently a doctoral student and an early stage researcher in the faculty of law and business studies at the University of Eastern Finland. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in law with a focus on religion and culture, international and human rights, labor law, feminism, and public
policy.
Rahma graduated in 2008 with her Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the Indiana University RobertMcKinney School of Law, with a focus on international comparative law. She also received herLL.B. in Shari’a and Law and Bachelor of Islamic Studies from the Islamic University ofIslamabad in Pakistan. Additionally, Rahma has a Diploma in Islamic finance & arbitration from the Global International Center for Islamic Finance (INCEIF) in Malaysia and a Diploma in Arabic from the Islamic University of Africa in Sudan.Of note, she participated in the 5th Inter-Graduate Conference at Cornell University and presenteda paper titled, “A Value Oriented Legal Theory for Muslim Countries in the 21st Century: AComparative Study of Both Islamic Law and Common Law Systems.” Ms. Hersi has been instrumental in pushing the agenda of Women in Business and Financial Inclusion for marginalized communities in not only Kenya but other African countries. She currently sits as a board member at a leading microfinance institution in Somalia and is the 1st woman appointed to this position in Somalia. Rahma also sits as the only advisor on Islamic finance in the Financial Review Panel appointed by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA). This was set up to ensure financial inclusion, access of financial products and opportunities are open to all and to reduce poverty and create a more productive society. Rahma is fluent in 4 languages including Arabic, Somali, English, and Swahili.
Publications:
She authored the first comprehensive report on Islamic finance and its growth inKenya published by John Wiley Islamic Finance Series entitled, “The Islamic Finance Handbook: A Practioner’s Guide to the Global Markets.” Rahma was featured in the 1st Women in Islamic Finance Report 2016 that was launched at the World Islamic Banking Conference, where shediscussed “breaking the cultural barriers in the industry.” Most recently, the 2018 Islamic Commercial Law Report published her article on Islamic microfinance in Kenya. Rahma has alsocontributed the 1st groundbreaking research on the Prospects and Challenges of Microfinance inthe IGAD Region published in May 2018. In 2020 Rahma advised and worked on a DFID Somalia project and authored the report ” From Economic Darkness To Hope : A Rapid Review Assessment of Somalia’s Individual Debt & Credit.
Adjunct professor Sami Myllymaa received his Ph.D. degree in 2010 and the title of docent in the field of Medical Physics, especially biomaterials and bioelectrode technology in 2014 from the University of Eastern Finland. He is currently acting as a Senior Researcher and Co-head of the Sleep Technology and Analytics Group (STAG) at the Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland. His current research is focused on development of novel wearable sensors and machine learning solutions for personalized diagnostics and prognostics of sleep disorders (obstructive sleep apnoea, sleep bruxism). Furthermore, he has been very active in the field of salivary metabolomics and development of new coatings and electrochemical biosensors for point-of-care diagnostics. In addition to scientific publications, his work has led to commercialization of the scientific innovations. He involved to the development of an EEG electrode set for emergency medicine. This BrainStatus EEG-electrode set (Bittium Corp.) is patented, CE-approved and currently marketed globally (https://www.bittium.com/products_services/medical/bittium_brainstatus).
I work in Business Center North Savo -activities as a representative of UEF dealing with various services related to entrepreneurship and commercialization of innovation. In a nutshell, I help students and researchers in commercialization of their business ideas. I also aim to develop the local startup culture. Activities include e.g., running idea accelerator programme called “Havuja Bootcamp”, promoting our commercialization services among students of the University, and miscellaneous cooperation with companies and other stakeholders. In addition, I am involved in YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe) -activities in workpackages related to entrepreneurship.
