Development of Material Cycles Business Clusters

The project will support the national and regional goal of building international acknowledged, demand-driven ecosystems, where companies, research institutes, universities and other educational institutions work together to create new business and cutting-edge innovation. In addition, the project supports the establishment for effective centers of excellence formed by universities, research institutes and companies.

The aim of the project is to prepare business clusters based on forest biomass, fibers and biomass-based waste and by-product streams to support the circular economy objectives of the City of Lahti. The specific goal of the project is to bring together the business and the pilot environment and research infrastructure of universities, as well as teaching, research,and know-how.

The business cluster will be built to a by utilizing the existing know-how and infrastructure together with the flagship companies in the region into a center of excellence. This center of excellence is based on the needs of companies and the growth goals of their business. The platform will strengthen the attractiveness of the Lahti region as a destination for business investments related to the bio- and circular economy. The project supports the establishment of a Material cycles center in accordance with the Ecosystem Agreement of the City of Lahti, on the area the biomass and fibers business cluster (LUT) and the biochar cluster (LAB).

The project aims to form business clusters whose business is based on the utilization, processing or end-use of (forest) biomasses, fibre materials and biomass-based waste and by-products.