During the years 2022 and 2023, Savonia University of Applied Sciences' Bio and circular economy strength area has invested in new bio laboratory facilities in the Sytyt building of the Savilahti campus in Neulaniemi. BioBoost - investment application - through the investments made for the development of R&D services and the measures of the parallel Bioboost - Pohjois-Savo bioeconomy boostia development project that supports the project, a strong bioeconomy concentration and network will be created in the Pohjois-Savo region, which includes the necessary know-how resources and physical facilities. In the future, the biolaboratorio will provide centralized research and product development services for biorefining technology to utilize biomass and produce energy, as well as nutrient and trace element analysis for the development of soil improvers and recycled fertilizers. In the circular economy, gases, liquids and solids are produced from underutilized side streams, on the one hand as peat substitutes, and on the other hand to ease the energy crisis. The pair of projects will strengthen the operating conditions of the North Savonia ecosystem and its ability to promote the research and product development activities of companies related to the bioeconomy, as well as the formation of new businesses in the North Savonia region, relying on the know-how and equipment base of the ecosystem coordinated by Savonia and UEF. The goal of all hardware acquisitions is to diversify and complement the already existing equipment base, so that new types of research and product development assignments are possible. The measures of the project, such as the consolidation of the expert community, the renewal of the research infrastructure, the development of recycled fertilizers and soil improvers, and the provision of nutrient and trace element analysis services for bioeconomy products will increase the national visibility and effectiveness of the bioeconomy in Pohjois Savo. The project will significantly strengthen the operating conditions of the bio- and circular economy ecosystem in Pohjois Savo and the ability to help bioeconomy research and product development activities as well as the formation of new businesses in the North Savo region, relying on the know-how of the ecosystem. The central actors of the North-Savo bio- and circular economy cluster are: Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Savonia), University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Natural Resources Center (Luke) and Savo vocational college (Sakky). Savonia University of Applied Sciences' bio and circular economy area of strength acts as the coordinator of the pair of projects presented here, and the investment implements the project. In this investment part of the project pair, the focus is on developing the biolaboratory into a comprehensive service-producing entity. The project promotes and speeds up the companies' research-based product development work.
