Innocity3 UEF

The Innocity3 UEF project directly contributes to the goal of the ecosystem agreement of the city of Joensuu “Strengthening centers of expertise and innovation environments”:

1. The project “supports the development of attractive centers of expertise and innovation environments” by connecting UEF’s forestry and photonics expertise more and more strongly to the operations of Innovation Joensuu by consolidating and systematizing UEF’s operating models proven in previous innocity projects. These operating models are related to the themes Talents, Training, Test environments and facilities, Financing, RDI programs and projects, Kv networks, Cluster cooperation (b2b and r2b), Corporate services, Brand marketing and Events.
UEF’s competence resources play a key role in attracting new companies to the region and strengthening the competence base of existing companies. On the other hand, UEF’s potential in start-up activities in the Joensuu area is not being fully utilized so far.

2. The Innocity3 UEF project “promotes the connection of Finnish operators to international research, development and innovation networks” by bringing into the operation of Innovation Joensuu a very strongly internationally networked community of experts in R&D activities. The share of international researchers and students is large at UEF. For example, in forestry, more than half of the students – taking into account all degree levels – come from outside Finland.

The Innocity3 UEF project also significantly supports other goals of the ecosystem agreement of the city of Joensuu through the cooperation in the innovation ecosystem. These goals are pioneering and utilizing the city’s strengths, supporting local and international economic growth, supporting the city’s growth and competitiveness, and long-term development work in certain strategic focus areas.

The immediate target groups of the activities of the Inno3 UEF project are companies connected to the forest sector and photonics, researchers and students of UEF’s Forest Sciences and Photonics, delegations and partners familiar with UEF’s forest sciences and photonics, and other RDI organizations in the region through Innovation Joensuu activities. Innovation Joensuu is internationally among the forerunners when it comes to connecting forestry and photonics research and education as part of regional innovation activities. Innovation ecosystems of the fields benefit from cooperation with Innovation Joensuu, and on the other hand, Innovation Joensuu also benefits from cooperation with other innovation ecosystems and networks. The benefit manifests itself as an international R&D activity, e.g. internationalization of research to business projects.

The financiers and the provincial administration will also benefit from the project. Organizations that fund forestry and photonics R&D activities will benefit from the project when making funding decisions; The possible connection of R&D projects to the activities of Innovation Joensuu indicates the effectiveness of project ideas and a wider connection to value networks. The active cooperation between Innovation Joensuu and the provincial administration enables clearly stronger overall management of regional development than before.

In the Inno 3 UEF project, business cooperation is raised and established in a clearly more significant role than before in the direction of teaching and research in forest bioeconomy and photonics – as part of the Innovation Joensuu entity and with its support. In particular, cooperation with small and medium-sized companies is increased and strengthened, which strengthens the knowledge base and innovation networks of companies operating in the region. For example, in forestry, the vast majority of business cooperation – which is very active and valuable in itself – has been done with large forest industry companies and nationally operating public forest organizations. This in itself has not promoted the regional economy of North Karelia and Eastern Finland in the best way. This paradigm shift can be measured with the metrics described above; the most important are the number of university-oriented start-up companies and the number of theses completed for companies.