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Cleantech Finland opens doors for clean technology

​Cleantech Finland is an association of top companies and experts. It promotes the visibility of Finnish cleantech companies abroad. Finpro is responsible for marketing and communications related to Cleantech Finland. Launched in 2008, the Cleantech Finland program is intended to continue to at least 2015. Santtu Hulkkonen and Arja Vanhanen tell more about the project.

Santtu

Santtu Hulkkonen (pictured right with Arja Vanhanen) manages the Cleantech Finland program at Finpro and heads a team of eight. According to Hulkkonen, the cleantech sector has great growth potential and offers an opportunity to strengthen collaboration among various players.

Santtu Hulkkonen: “Cleantech Finland facilitates the growth of environmental business in Finland by bringing together leading cleantech companies as well as organizations supporting the cleantech business. Cleantech Finland is among the most important projects in Finpro’s history, and it has immense national significance. The network consists of 80 member companies and 20 other partners.

The project aims to establish Finland as the world leader in cleantech. We organize events that increase our member companies’ visibility. We also invest in electronic networking and serve as a marketing com-munications partner for Finnish companies abroad.

At the beginning of 2012, Cleantech will launch SOLVED, which integrates cleantech companies, customers and media as well as problems and solutions into a dynamic online expert service. The service will be used to channel experience, and it will also provide information for buyers, suppliers and investors. This one-stop shop can be used to promote Finnish water expertise internationally.

Finland has a great deal of top expertise in environmental issues, and makes considerable investments in competence development. Collaboration enhances networking, enabling partnerships with top players in developing markets. This will keep Finland at the forefront of development.

The brand of Cleantech Finland already has incredible value. It attracts international attention weekly, even daily. Finland is among the five leading cleantech countries in the world and has received considerable visibility through Cleantech Finland.

Kemira has actively contributed to Cleantech Finland’s operations and strategy. This cooperation strongly supports Kemira’s water-focused strategy.”

Arja Vanhanen, Kemira’s Director of Product Marketing, is looking for new ways for Kemira to contribute to cleantech collaboration. She is preparing for the 6th World Water Forum, which will be held in Mar-seilles, France in March 2012. Kemira will share Finland’s pavilion with Cleantech Finland at the event.

Arja Vanhanen: “For Kemira, Cleantech Finland offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to the development of Finnish expertise in the field. Collaboration also makes us more effective in making environmentally friendly options available to the rest of the world.
We seek to participate in water-related events and programs, especially in our key markets. Cleantech collaboration also brings delegations from developing markets to Finland.
Cleantech Finland maintains regular contact with its member companies, helping them find new ways to improve visibility and create contacts. There are surprisingly many ways to participate, and we try to choose the options that work best for us.
Collaboration brings us visibility in forums and media that are important to us. In some cases, we would not have the resources to take part on our own, but the network makes participation possible.
We appreciate the way in which Cleantech Finland has strengthened its organization in growth markets. Cooperation with ministries, government officials and organizations enables companies to make a dif-ference, even on a high level. Cleantech Finland creates national and international networks as well as opportunities for networking among member companies.
Finpro’s role as the administrator of Cleantech Finland comes naturally. Finpro opens doors for Finnish companies abroad and puts them in contact with local decision-makers. Finpro’s extensive expert organization helps Kemira see the future from the perspectives of different markets. In Finpro, we have a reliable partner that regularly offers us opportunities to export our expertise.”
Text: Johanna Paasikangas-Tella

Picture: Joanna Moorhouse

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