Building Kvarken Space Economy Together

University of Vaasa, lead partner. University of Vaasa brings its expertise both in technology and business to the Kvarken Space Center team. The Univaasa group active in the center consists of professors and researchers from the schools of technology & innovation and marketing & communications, as well as directors and researchers from all the three multi-disciplinary research platforms (Digital Economy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship InnoLab and Vaasa Energy Business Innovation Center VEBIC). In the Kvarken Space Center, Univaasa is responsible for the center management, as well as its scientific activities on space-based technology and data utilization, web portal creation, telecommunications aspects, time and frequency technology, energy technology and renewable energy aspects, innovation ecosystems, branding as well as dissemination activities and leading the way in making a strong societal impact.

Key actors involved include Director Heidi Kuusniemi (coordinator of the project), Director Mari K. Niemi, Director Suvi Karirinne, Prof. Mohammed Elmusrati, Assoc. Prof Heidi Hirsto, Assoc. Prof. Ari Sivula, Project Researcher Rathan Alagirisamy, Development Manager Juha Vänskä, Research Assistants Johanna Kalliokoski and Kannan Selvan, Project Coordinator Johanna Haveri, Assoc. Profs Jani Boutellier and Petri Välisuo, Research Doctor Mikko Ranta and Project Researcher Antti Kinnunen.

Novia University of Applied Sciences, Vaasa. Novia UAS Novia University of Applied Science works to assure the center is developed so it can
provide the region long-term support. Novia provides access and analysis assistance to companies and associations requiring paths for utilizing existing ESA spatial data products.

Key actors involved include project lead Kendall Rutledge, R&D manager John Dahlbacka and Dennis Bengs.

Umeå University is responsible for mapping and orchestrating the Kvarken regional new space ecosystem of actors and their knowledge for identifying and developing new innovation and business opportunities. They bring expertise to the consortium especially about business incubation of technology-based startups and new venture creation.

Key actors involved include Prof. Tomas Blomquist, Assoc. Prof. Sujith Nair, and Project Manager Kristoffer Lindell  

Luleå University of Technology focuses on space-based technology and support the technical demonstration cases.

Key actors involved include vice-rector Olle Norberg, operations
administrator Olle Persson, project manager Johanna Roos-Bergström

VAMK University of Applied Science, Design Centre MUOVA, is a research and development unit dedicated in market-oriented design for business. MUOVA is specialised in product and service concept generation and prototyping new innovations. MUOVA operates a business incubation platform of the University of Vaasa and the VAMK University of Applied Sciences, a West Coast Startup. In this project, MUOVA is responsible of organising three events for building capacity for innovation and increasing awareness and spurring new business related to space based technologies.

Key actors involved include director Miia Lammi and project manager Jari Ratilainen

Åbo Akademi University is focused on data analysis of the space-based data and deriving information to different industry needs from the data.

Key actors involved include professor Margaretha Björklund-Sänkiaho, professor Johan Lilius, postdoctoral Researcher Bogdan Iancu (Åbo Akademi project lead), project coordinator Tiina Heinistö and research assistant Luca Zelioli.

Hanken School of Economics focuses on the business landscape, innovation structures, new services and business models.

Key actor involved include professor Peter Björk.

 The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences focuses on existing space-based data,
especially satellite images, their newest technologies and how to disseminate their wide usability.

Key actors involved include researchers Henrik Persson and Johan Fransson.

The Swedish Institute of Space Physics focuses on the innovative technologies and sensors available in the new space domain and their applicability to the demonstration cases of the Kvarken Space Center. In particular, they study the aspects related to testing of sensors and small spacecraft.

Key actors involved include research engineer Mate Kerenyi and director Stas Barabash

Aalto University is involved with the technology review and market studies of
existing sensors, systems and services and their applicability to the center goals and ecosystem creation.

Key actors involved include Assistant Prof. Jaan Praks and post-doctoral researcher Andris Slavinskis.