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Funding commercialisation

Where can you find the funds for commercialising your work? Register for the preparatory process for Business Finland’s Research to Business (previous TUTL) spring 2021 funding call latest 18.12.2020.  Please, register here.

The most important ideas often arise in the course of long-term basic research. Because the commercial value of such ideas depends on how well they meet market demand, interaction with companies and other partners is vital. However, you do not have to do everything yourself; this is where we can help you.

10 research groups participated in the preparatory process for the Research to Business application round in spring 2020. Based on experiences from previous years, the results of those groups that have participated in the preparation have been excellent in comparison with those applicants who have not.

Funding requires preperation for commercialisation
Requirements for funding
Register for the preparation process
Application deadlines

Funding requires preperation for commercialisation

When preparing to commercialise an invention, additional research and testing are often needed to achieve commercial objectives. Business Finland's Research to Business funding instrument, which is open for applications twice a year, offers preparatory funding for commercialising the results of academic research.

The objectives of the Business Finland Research to Business funding process include identifying the target market for the idea or invention and verifying its commercial viability with, for example, a prototype or pilot. Compared to many other forms of funding, Research to Business funding enables testing the applicability of, and interest in, the invention or idea within the corporate context in a comparatively risk-free manner before the product or service takes on its final form.

Requirements for funding

Business Finland provides Research to Business funding typically for one or two years, which is usually enough to complete the support measures aimed at commercialisation and to prepare the action plan that follows.

One of the requirements for funding is that at least 40% of the funding goes to prepare for the commercialisation of the research. Business Finland provides 70% of the funding, while the remaining 30% comes from the University of Helsinki unit that represents the research field in question.

Register for the preparation process

In the application process for funding under the Research to Business scheme, we cooperate with Business Finland and receive the University of Helsinki registrations. Application for the funding takes place through a preparatory process that we organise, known as the NABC training, which aims to increase the likelihood of obtaining funding through collaborative editing of the applications in order to comply with Business Finland requirements. We also offer assistance in preparing the project and presenting the invention or idea to Business Finland.

In addition to receiving personal assistance, you will attend two sessions to help prepare you to deliver your sales pitch. A Business Finland representative will also comment on the presentations at the second session, thereby helping participants put the finishing touches on their application. The preparatory process significantly improves opportunities to obtain funding.