Regional news

Six regions across Northern and Eastern Europe are joining forces through VIVA to help promising innovations move towards implementation and scale, while opening new pathways for knowledge, expertise and opportunities to travel across regional borders. The four-year Horizon Europe initiative has officially launched, bringing its consortium together in Halden, Norway, on 15–16 September 2026 to […]

On Friday, 10 April, Merinova welcomed Andreas Lundell, Associate Professor in Information Technology, and Stefan Backlund, Project Manager from Åbo Akademi, to its morning coffee session. The discussion provided insights into Åbo Akademi’s education and research in information technology, as well as the role of AI, data, and energy technology within the Vaasa energy cluster. […]

A carbon-neutral future requires comprehensive development of the energy system and new forms of collaboration. The partners of the EnergySampo innovation ecosystem—ABB, Danfoss, Hitachi Energy, Wärtsilä, Vaasan Sähkö, VEO and VNT Management—will organize the EnergySampo Forum during Vaasa EnergyWeek on 18 March 2026. The event will examine the development of the energy system, with a […]

When EnergyVaasa received its first Gold Label for Cluster Management Excellence in March 2022 and became Finland’s first cluster to ever reach this level, it marked a milestone built on decades of collaboration, strategic focus, and shared commitment in the Vaasa region. The certification, renewed again in 2025, is more than a badge of honour. […]

On Friday, 30 January, Merinova welcomed Paula Törnroos as its Morning Coffee Guest. Her company, Paulalaa Consulting, provides practical support for organisational development. Over morning coffee, the discussion explored themes of leadership, wellbeing at work, international business, and the practical applications of AI – with a strong focus on the human perspective and the smooth […]

Merinova’s Morning Coffee Guest series once again offered timely morning discussion on Friday, 16 January, as Martti Taimisto from ABB Smart Power visited Merinova. With a long career at ABB, Taimisto guided the conversation into the world of low-voltage products, the challenges of product development and standardisation, and current issues in global business. ABB Smart […]

Merinova’s Morning Coffee Guest series continued after the turn of the year as we welcomed Timo Kesti, Owner and CEO of TK Engineering Oy, to our morning coffee table. With the first Morning Coffee Guest of the year, the discussion focused on opportunities for SMEs, dual-use technologies, and the interfaces between the defence industry and […]

Merinova’s Morning Coffee Guest series continued on Friday, 28 November, as we welcomed Ross Bailey and Tony Glader from Fortum to our morning coffee table. As before, the discussion offered an opportunity to hear our guests’ perspectives on current topics in the energy sector, this time with a particular focus on cybersecurity and AI safety. […]

On Friday, 21 November 2025, Merinova welcomed its second Morning Coffee Guest, Mats Warg (Director, Automation) from VEO. The concept aims to highlight the expertise of local companies and professionals in a relaxed morning coffee setting, and this time our table was joined by a long-standing influencer in the energy sector. Mats has been with […]

On Friday, 14 November 2025, Merinova launched its new Morning Coffee Guest concept, designed to highlight local actors, companies, and experts through relaxed, insightful conversation. Merinova invites professionals to its breakfast table whose perspectives, experiences, and everyday insights offer valuable understanding of the region’s vitality and the development of its industries. Our first guest was […]