LAB Biofine ecosystem aims to become a platform for innovation and collaboration

LAB Biofine was established in response to the growing need for sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. The ecosystem aims to create synergy among various stakeholders and promote the growth of the bioeconomy both regionally and internationally.

Project Manager Teemu Piesanen explains that the ecosystem offers diverse collaboration opportunities for companies, research institutions, and students.  

“In the future, we will organize workshops, seminars, and events where companies, researchers, and students can meet, share knowledge, and co-develop new solutions. We also actively participate in industry events to expand our network.”

From lab scale to industrial scale

Within the ecosystem, LAB Biofine provides a pilot plant for bioeconomy startups, enabling them to test the scalability of their ideas quickly and resource-efficiently. This accelerates the commercialization of new business models with minimal risk. Construction of the LAB Biofine Pilot Plant on the university campus in Lappeenranta will begin this autumn, with operations set to launch next year.

Large corporations also benefit from the ecosystem. The upcoming pilot plant offers an agile testing platform for valorizing side streams from industrial processes. It enables innovations to be scaled from laboratory to industrial scale.

“At LAB and LUT, we train top bioeconomy professionals tailored to industry needs. Their expertise enables companies to lead the way and gain a competitive edge. Without new talent, there are no new innovations. This is how we help turn companies’ visions into reality,” says Piesanen.

LAB Biofine aims to foster international collaboration and provide a world-class research environment on the university campus that unites various bioeconomy sectors.  

“For researchers and students, we offer a unique opportunity to see their work come to life through practical applications, societal impact, and breakthrough innovations. Here, bioeconomy innovation becomes reality today.”

Towards a Europe-wide network

LAB Biofine continues its strong growth and expansion into new areas. In the future, the ecosystem aims to strengthen international cooperation and bring more sustainable solutions to market.

Opportunities for expanding the bioeconomy ecosystem were explored through a Europe-wide market study conducted in collaboration with AVARA Marketing, a cooperative formed by LAB University of Applied Sciences students.

Liisa Peri, Project Manager responsible for the internationalization of the LAB Biofine Pilot Plant, says the collaboration went smoothly:  

“Together with AVARA Marketing, we identified European companies that align with our ecosystem’s profile or are potential future clients for the LAB Biofine Pilot Plant in Lappeenranta.”

The result was a comprehensive list of several hundred bioeconomy companies and clusters, including high-quality information about each.  

“Our goal is to identify European bioeconomy hubs with which we can collaborate in the future,” Peri explains.

The LAB Biofine ecosystem roadmap includes ambitious goals for 2030:  

“We aim to attract 20 growth-oriented bioeconomy companies to South Karelia, where they can benefit from the expertise of around 300 bioeconomy professionals and graduating students from LUT University and LAB University of Applied Sciences. By 2030, the combined turnover of these companies within the LAB Biofine ecosystem is projected to reach €300 million,” Piesanen summarizes. 

LAB Biofine aims to attract 20 bioeconomy growth companies to South Karelia.   

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LAB Biofine in brief

LAB Biofine is a bold innovation and development platform for the bioeconomy.  

We help companies turn bio-based ideas into sustainable business through agile piloting, cutting-edge research, and international collaboration. Learn more at biofine.fi.