VTT LaunchPad
The science-based deep-tech incubator VTT LaunchPad lives VTT’s purpose to solve the world’s biggest challenges by spinning off companies built on VTT’s technologies.
We bring VTT’s researchers and IPR together with the best business minds and investors out there.
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Committed to develop fundable spin-off companies with great impact
VTT is a powerhouse of technology development and scientific research. Many of the most significant Finnish technology startups were brought to life at VTT.
VTT LaunchPad supports incubation teams to develop VTT-owned IPR into fundable startups geared for an international growth path. The focus is on creating global impact through bold ambition and international funding.
Celebrating success
In 2019-2023, 28 VTT spin-offs raised 480 M€ in investments = 8.5% of the equity capital funding raised by all Finnish startups.
In 2024, Financial Times chose VTT LaunchPad to its list of leading startup hubs in Europe.
Since VTT LaunchPad started its incubation operations in 2019, 10 companies have spun off from it (see our list of alumni). The focus is on quality rather than quantity.
Entry criteria
Teams who wish to develop a spin-off company based on VTT's research and inventions can apply for the program all year round.
To enter VTT LaunchPad, the business idea must first and foremost be aiming for global impact.
Additionally, it must:
- be built on VTT IPR that can be spun off
- show market potential and be scalable
- have a positive impact and benefit for society and the customer
- be built on demonstrated technology
- be run by a team that can develop into a fundable team.
Also, no legal entity of a company can have been founded yet.
Operating principles
The VTT LaunchPad incubator program is tailored to cultivate high-quality fundable spin-offs with global impact. The incubation path lays to foundation to aim high and dream big:
- What is the bold global impact that could be achieved in 10 years based on the technology that has been developed?
- How to achieve the long-term impact?
- Who has the most burning need?
- Where should the project be in 3 years to be on the desired development path?
- Who should be involved in building the dream and who are the ones who could help?
Our incubator program offers
- Project funding for spin-off development
- IPR support and development
- Active team development
- Business development support
- Coaching and training in entrepreneurship.
- Facilitated contacts with investors, partners and mentors.
Our spin-off projects are developed with either the Business Finland's R2B (Research to Business) funding or our own funding. VTT LaunchPad facilitates and spars R2B funding applications across VTT and helps with complementing the research teams with external commercialization expertise.
The incubator’s own funding is faster by nature and can offer an accelerated path out. In our own funding, we apply the evidence-based Lean Startup principles of reducing uncertainty one step at the time. We emphasize getting the incubation teams close to customers as early as possible to create startups that serve a real customer need.
Incubation team development is of high importance to us as that is the root cause of failure for most failed startups. In addition to the current sparring and training on it, we are constantly trying to improve and take our offering to the next level.
VTT LaunchPad incubation teams are VTT projects exploring the opportunity of setting up a fundable company, meaning that the legal entity of a company has not yet been founded. When the spinoff team is convinced that they will secure the required funding from capable investors, they will incorporate the company. VTT’s technology is transferred as an in-kind investment in exchange of preferred shares. The IPR investments are most commonly carried out in venture capital investment rounds where VTT Holding Ltd participates as a co-investor. The IPR to be transferred is valued neutrally by external experts.
Get involved
Our incubation teams are looking for investors and corporate partners.
We are also searching for individuals with a proven track record of developing startups with international commercial success and interest in founding a science-based startup, joining a team as an entrepreneur or mentoring.
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Benefits for an investor
- early opportunities for interaction and investment
- early visibility into venture teams and tech trends
- science-based new ventures with solid IPR
- exceptional customer-centric teams, proven customer need, problem-solution fit and customer commitment.
As a corporate partner you may
- be able to help with the productization
- be the early stage customer
- take part as an advisor of a Research to Business -project.
Lotta is the founder of VTT LaunchPad and head of Incubation and Acceleration at VTT. She has career-long experience in strategic innovation in multiple new business creation environments in large international corporations. Lotta is firm believer of the lean methodology, culture of trial and error and customer centeredness. Her vision is to accelerate the growth of the Finnish economy and the renewal of industry with high-quality well-funded VTT spinoffs hungry for global impact.
Rasmus is primarily involved with running VTT’s part of the dual-use accelerator NATO DIANA. He also supports LaunchPad’s activities related to creating spin-offs of high-potential VTT technology and teams. Rasmus’ specialty is in finding a clear path to commercialization, using category design to reframe the way a new technological innovation is seen, and coach teams to move forward in a lean way.
Mio works as a business analyst at VTT LaunchPad. His task is to support VTT LaunchPad teams with business development. He helps the teams to create feasible and viable business plans, including business modeling, market & competitor analysis, and financial modeling. He monitors and analyses startup field, especially startup and deep tech funding. He is also active in the daily VTT LaunchPad operations.
Laura’s main responsibility in VTT LaunchPad is to leverage omnichannel communication in the ecosystem thanks to her professional experience in communications and educational background in innovation. In addition, she coordinates event planning and production and ensures the daily activities of VTT LaunchPad run smoothly. Laura is the primary contact person in case of general inquiries.
Suvi's role is to coordinate and develop the training program of VTT LaunchPad. With her previous experiences in the startup ecosystem, incubation and innovation she supports VTT LaunchPad teams. She also assists with event production and marketing as well as the initiation of the NATO DIANA accelerator.
Eelis joins VTT LaunchPad for the autumn to help during the busy season. He is working with marketing materials and event coordination. Making innovation and technology appealing and easy to understand is what motivates him. Alongside his traineeship, Eelis is also working on his Master's degree at Aalto University School of Business.
Tiia-Maria's main roles are communication and collaboration with stakeholders and the startup ecosystem as well as development of the mentoring program. She also supports Lotta in developing systematic practices for incubating research-based spin-offs. Thanks to her previous career as a biomaterial researcher at VTT she understands the mindset of a scientist and is interested in supporting their mental shift to entrepreneurs.
VTT LaunchPad Alumni
Happy Plant Protein (2024)
Happy Plant Protein changes the way plant proteins are made. Using a unique process with extrusion technology, their approach allows food manufacturers to create superior plant protein in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way that fits seamlessly into their existing production lines.
Flow Computing (2024)
Flow Computing has developed technology that boosts CPU performance by 100x by creating a new type of parallel computing IP with full backwards compatibility to existing CPUs and applications.
Steady Energy (2023)
Steady Energy will build a heating plant powered by a small nuclear reactor, designed to produce heat efficiently, safely and carbon-neutrally, at considerably lower temperature and pressure than traditional nuclear reactors.
SemiQon (2022)
SemiQon intends to build Quantum processors from semiconductors and target the million qubit era, with SCALABILITY promise.
Carbonaide (2022)
Carbonaide’s proprietary technology enables manufacturing of novel CO2 neutral (or even CO2 negative) and highly sustainable concrete, thus helping to harness and immensely lower the global CO2 footprint & balance.
The Warming Surfaces Company (2022)
Digitalizing heating for the age of sustainability. Real-time warmth from intelligent surfaces is set to improve energy efficiency in buildings by over 20%, while at the same time increasing comfort of living and work efficiency.
Onego Bio (2022)
Rethinking the food system - Creating egg white without chickens. Onego Bio’s animal-free egg white production is based on a safe, cost-efficient and environmentally sound technology called precision fermentation.
Dobbelgänger (2022)
Dobbelgänger is developing and manufacturing advanced decoy technologies for the defence sector. Their solution has authentic spectral fingerprint at all threat wavelengths, excellent operational usability, and very low logistical requirements.
HTM Solutions (2021)
HTM Solutions is a cutting-edge technology company that specializes in non-invasive human thermal status monitoring through software solutions.
CooliBlade (2021)
Extremely efficient cooling solution for high power electronics. Applicable to a large variety of product segments, where heat limits the performance.
Volare (2021)
Volare aims to provide a sustainable solution for protein production through valorisation of food industry side streams. With over 100 billion target market it wants to save the world from waste.
Enifer (2020)
Enifer is transforming circular economy by-products into planet friendly protein. Their PEKILO® -product is a highly nutritious, fungi-based protein with natural taste and color. As a versatile and sustainable source of nutrients, PEKILO® makes an ideal drop-in ingredient for aquafeed, pet food, and food production.