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Kuopio Water Cluster

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General Information
The date when the cluster organisation was established: 
Monday, 20 May, 2019
Number of staff in the management team of the cluster organisation : 
1-5
Legal form of the cluster organisation: 
No Legal Form
Regions: 
Itä-Pohjois -Suomi
Membership to other networks/partnerships: 
NameWebsite
S3 Platform - Water Smart Territories
https://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu
Cluster Management Team: 
NameSurnamePositionTelephoneEmailGender
Patryk
Wójtowicz
Internationalisation Responsible
+358 44 785 5564
patryk.wojtowicz@savonia.fi
Male
Eero
Antikainen
Cluster Manager
‭+358 44 785 6325‬
eero.antikainen@savonia.fi
Male
Link to team description on the cluster's website: 
https://kuopiowatercluster.com/contact/
Languages spoken: 
English
Finnish
Swedish
Sectoral and Industrial Focus
Sectoral Industries: 
Education and Knowledge Creation
Environmental Services
Technology fields: 
Environmental Engineering / Technology
Industrial Water Treatment
S3 EU priority areas: 
Sewerage
Waste collection, treatment&disposal activities, materials recovery & remediation activities
Emerging industries: 
Digital Industries
Environmental Industries
Areas of specialisation of the cluster not covered above: 
Water technology, microbiology, water safety, risk assessment, industrial water management
Composition of the cluster
Total number of members: 
22
Number of SME members: 
20
Number of start-ups among SME members: 
5
Number of larger company members: 
5
Number of research organisations/universities/technology centres: 
5
Number of other ecosystem actors : 
2
Link to the cluster members’ list: 
www.kuopiowatercluster.com
Entrepreneurship and scale-up support facilities in the cluster's ecosystem (see "Organisation type"): 
Organisation/Facility NameOrganisation/Facility TypeWebsite
Business Center
Incubator
https://www.bcpohjois-savo.fi
DigiCenterNS
Technology center
https://www.digicenterns.fi
Name and link of major players: 
NameWebsiteType
Savonia University of Applied Sciences
www.savonia.fi
Research Organisation
University of Eastern Finland
www.uef.fi
University
Geological Survey of Finland
www.gtk.fi
Research Organisation
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
www.thl.fi
Research Organisation
Natural Resources Institute Finland
www.luke.fi
Research Organisation
Finnish Food Safety Authority
www.ruokavirasto.fi
Research Organisation
Cluster Strategy
Mission/Objectives: 

Kuopio Water Cluster (KWC) – concentrates the research, development and innovation in water-sector in Pohjois-Savo region of Finland. The Cluster offers one-stop solution for rapid product development, testing and commercialisation services for companies operating in the water technology sector.

  • Municipal water and wastewater treatment

  • Mining industry

  • Pulp&paper

  • Agriculture

Kuopio Water Cluster provides access to specialised laboratories, experts, and assisting personnel from all partnering organisations. Laboratory scale tests are combined with custom-made, containerised pilot-scale test-rigs allowing for rapid on-site demonstrations.

  • Water expertise

  • Results orientated

  • Business and entrepreneurship

Do you have a formalised strategy?: 
Yes
Do you have a specific strategy focus that addresses internationalisation ?: 
Yes
Services
Support services provided: 
Access to the European Internal market
Internationalisation support (= Access to third countries markets)
Access to technology services
Enabling Facilities sharing
Innovation Management / Support of innovation processes (internal, external)
Details of support services: 

Kuopio Water Cluster forms a collaboration platform between members. Kuopio Water Cluster focuses on following key activities areas:

  • Innovation: to facilitate access to funding instruments, as well as to encourage new cooperative R&D projects to improve the competitiveness of the companies and research centres. A concrete example for boosting innovation is by organising Co-Innovation and Co-Creation projects with Business Finland.
  • Business development: to increase the international presence of the Kuopio Water Cluster companies and diversify their markets. Kuopio Water Cluster also promotes cooperative cross-sectoral projects between KWC companies and companies of other clusters to increase their competitiveness (e.g. cooperation with ELMO - East and North Finland in Industrial Transition).
  • Internationalisation and networking: KWC and its key members facilitate the knowledge exchange and the relationships between companies with the objective of increase the business added value for cluster companies. We participate in national (e.g. Finish Water Forum) and international networks (S3P Water Smart Territories).
  • Training and knowledge: Members of KWC take advantage of access to the leading knowledge and competence centres of Pohjois-Savo. Key cluster members include the University of Eastern Finland and Savonia University of Applied Sciences providing expertise and talent base. Members can participate in working teams and strategic access to critical sectoral information for the companies.
  • Positioning and visibility: KWC provides positioning for its members on a global map water cluster map.
Cooperation Activities
International Cooperation
The main countries targeted by the cluster organisation: 
China
Our cluster organisation undertook the following international activities to support our members: 
Support to collaborative activities/etc.
Trans-national Cooperation
The main countries targeted by the cluster organisation: 
France
Netherlands
Poland
Spain
Sweden
Our cluster organisation undertook the following trans-national activities to support our members: 
Promotional Activities
Which clusters do you collaborate with?: 
AIF WaterEcosystem
WaterCampus
The Water Council
Support Programmes
Participation in Funded Support Programmes: 
European ProgrammesProject NameName & Description (Regional/National)
H2020
INTERREG
EIT KICs

EIT RawMaterials Morecovery Project (2019-2021)

Kuopio Water Cluster - investment project (regional project EURA 2014/7212/09 02 01 01/2018/PSL, 2018-2022) 

In Kuopio Water Cluster investment project, aim of the project is to make strategic investments for the Kuopio Water Cluster R&D Factory. Kuopio Water Cluster R & D Factory will then have the capability and ability to test and develop new innovations for water purification, recycling, monitoring and modeling, and water management . The cluster is formed of one compact functional entity that is capable of responding to a one-stop-shop principle for the product development and testing service needs of water companies. The cluster operates with targeted, product development and new innovations in a direct and efficient implementation model. Implementation of the strategic investments is supported by the Kuopio Water Cluster development project and The key players in the Kuopio water cluster are: Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Savonia), University of Eastern Finland (UEF), National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), Finnish Food Authority, and Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), all related to their own competence profile to this whole.

Kuopio Water Cluster - development project (regional project EURA 2014/7213/09 02 01 01/2018/PSL, 2018-2022)

In Kuopio Water Cluster development project, a large-scale wholeness environment (Kuopio Water Cluster R & D Factory) concentrated on water industry will be established in the Northern Savo region with the capability and ability to test and develop new innovations for water purification, recycling, monitoring and modeling, and water management.

The cluster is formed of one compact functional entity that is capable of responding to a one-stop-shop principle for the product development and testing service needs of water companies. The cluster operates with targeted, product development and new innovations in a direct and efficient implementation model. The implementation of this development project is supported by the Kuopio Water Cluster investment project and the strategic equipment investments made under it.
Promotion
Why should partners choose you for cooperation?: 

Members benefits are:

  • Preferential pricing for R&D services: laboratory testing and piloting services, laboratory space and analytical services

  • Visibility on the KWC website and access to your own member profile pages

  • Invitation and free admission to Kuopio Water Cluster events. Events include: seminars, trainings and networking events

  • Receive free publicity during events organized by the Kuopio Water Cluster (e.g. showroom, poster or presentation)

  • Matching funding opportunities and coordination preparations for national and international funding programs

  • Access to Kuopio Water Cluster members’ newsletter

  • Access to first-hand information on trends in the water sector and recommendation for contacts with relevant actors

  • Networking opportunity and access to cooperation platform

  • One-door access to a network of specialised laboratories and research partners within KWC networks

  • Easy access to prospective talented employees: students, interns and yound professionals within KWC networks