Case: Research into the sustainable use of water resources

In 2019, the Olvi Foundation funded strategic research into the aquatic environment at the University of Eastern Finland. The project received a total of 2.6 million euros in funding from the Olvi Foundation, the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and the Saastamoinen Foundation. The project – ‘The aquatic sector as an accelerator of prosperity and well-being in Eastern Finland’ – will run from 2019 to 2021.

“Joint funding from three foundations is a unique resource for us. It provides better opportunities to create a consistent programme for research, development and training in the aquatic sector in Eastern Finland,” says Jukka Jurvelin, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Forestry at the University of Eastern Finland.

Developing Well-Being and Business

The goal is to bring together the expertise of the University of Eastern Finland and its public and private partners to develop an innovation ecosystem for the aquatic sector. The project strengthens a multidisciplinary approach and the value chain of aquatic research, from the natural sciences to human behaviour and commercialisation.

The project focuses on identifying negative factors that affect natural waterways, and coordinating operations and the use of aquatic environments.

“These measures enable the development of well-being and business based on sustainability in Eastern Finland,” says Mervi Toivainen, Chief Executive of the Olvi Foundation.

Published 24 April, 2020