Finland makes biomaterial investment a core component of economic future

3 March 2022


Finland’s Technical Research Centre (VTT) says the country’s cutting edge bioeconomy innovations are proving a central component of the country’s transition to a circular economy.

Arte Virtanen, the VTT’s vice president, biomaterials processing and products, points to the central role industry partnerships and investment are playing in helping deliver revolutionary biomaterials with global ramifications for a sustainable future.

Natural resources, including extensive forestlands, as well as a strong education system and world-class research capabilities have combined to make Finland a world leader in biomaterial development. Forests make up 86% of Finland’s land area and provide the mainstay of its bioeconomy industry.

“Our national bioeconomy and energy and climate strategies, as well as the world’s first circular economy road map, facilitate continuous growth and renewal of the forestry industry,” explained Juha Peltomäki, head of bio & circular industry at Invest in Finland. 

“Finland’s 2025 vision is that sustainable bioeconomy solutions will form the basis of welfare and competitiveness.”

At the centre of many of these efforts is the VTT, a not-for-profit enterprise where 2,100 scientists spend their days conducting groundbreaking experimental research into everything from plant biotechnology to smart packaging solutions.

Focused on reducing the environmental footprint of bio-based materials and generating higher value from Finland’s natural bounty, VTT’s biotechnology arm is doing its part to deliver Finland’s transition to a circular economy. 

All the biomaterial innovations developed for its domestic and international partners are either recyclable, biodegradable, reusable, or a combination of the three.

For more information and to download a white paper by Invest in Finland, visit Hub for Radical Innovations from Wood.