Partners
University of Oulu
The University of Oulu is an international science university which creates innovation for the future, well-being, and knowledge through multidisciplinary research and education. The University is also an expert in Northern and Arctic issues. Founded in 1958, our research and education community has 16,000 students and 3,000 employees strong, and is one of the biggest and the most multi-disciplinary universities in Finland. The ten faculties, the many departments and the specialized research units of the University of Oulu create the foundation for research, innovation and training of experts for demanding professional tasks.
The FREED project is coordinated by the Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit at the Faculty of Technology. The main competence of Energy and Environmental Engineering is sustainable energy systems, with focus on smart grids and resource efficiency especially in the North. The unit has substantial experience in international projects and EU funding, supported by a wide and long lasting co-operation network in the Northern Periphery and Arctic and Barents regions. It is conducting several basic research and applied projects in energy technologies and innovation, and is home base for PhD, master’s and bachelor students in energy and environmental engineering.
The University of Oulu is a founding member of Oulu Innovation Alliance (OIA), which is a unique co-operation of public and private actors strengthening the innovation capacity of Oulu region. Under OIA, the University is coordinating the Centre for Environment and Energy (CEE), an innovation hub whose objective is to turn innovations in the environmental, energy and clean-tech sectors into business.
South West College (SWC)
South West College currently has a five campus college spread over the counties Tyrone and Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. SWC has 20,000 student enrolments, has a staffing complement of some 900 staff, a budget of £40M and is involved in a number of European projects. In addition the College has direct links to business and academia, which ensures that it is ideally placed to assist with the development of a sustainable business community within Northern Ireland and beyond. The Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies ‘CREST’ is a purpose-built facility located at SWC to stimulate and facilitate new R&D projects in small businesses. CREST has dedicated facilities and staff to provide industry R&D, demonstration, prototyping and testing for new renewable energy products and sustainable technologies.
European Institute for Innovation (EIfI)
The European Institute for Innovation (EIfI) is an applied science organisation supporting the adaptions of regions to respond to the fast pace of development, thus making them more competitive. The EIfI through its national, regional and transnational work acts as a stimulator for economic activity with the purpose of creating new employment and business opportunities that meet the demands and desires of communities and its people. The EifI operational team manages the delivery of project work and programmes working in partnership with national/EU agencies, learning institutions, the private sector and people – the so called “Quadruple Helix” The European Institute for Innovation (EIfI) have successfully worked on numerous European funded projects, as well as with national projects. Our experienced staff include researchers, educationalists, industrialists and IT specialists. Our activities are mainly concentrated in the following directions: Energy, Education, Resource Efficiency & ICT.
Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT)– Development Unit
Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) is an institution of higher education in Limerick, funded by the Government of Ireland and set up under the IOT legislation. It is one of 13 such Institutes in Ireland. The Institute has five campuses and a learning centre across Limerick City, Tipperary and Clare. Similar to the other Institutes of Technology, LIT offers courses at Level 6 (certificate) through to Level 10 (Ph.D.) whilst also catering for craft apprentices, adult and continuing education and flexible learning. The Institute is also involved in research, development, enterprise support and is very active in regional development activity. The Institute was named as The Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the Year for 2008 and 2012 as published in The Sunday Times University Guide.
Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) has considerable experience in European projects. It was coordinator of SERVE a major sustainable energy project funded under the CONCERTO Programme. It has developed and provides specific training in the field of sustainable energy (Building Energy Rating, Renewable Energy Systems, Domestic Energy, Smart Sustainable Energy etc.) and is networked with a wide range of public and private actors in Ireland. LIT is also the coordinator of the Irish IEE BUSI Build Up Skills Project, QualiBuild, and a partner in Train to Nzeb project assisting with the setting up of Business Knowledge Hubs for training and consultations. LIT was also a partner in the Atlantic Area funded REPUTE project. LIT also works with local and regional Government on a variety of projects in the planning and sustainable energy fields. In all of these activities LIT has addressed a wide range of building types including domestic, commercial and public buildings, existing and new buildings and buildings that have specific energy characteristics.
Western Development Commission (WDC)
The Western Development Commission (WDC) is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. Its remit is to promote, foster and encourage economic and social development in Irelands’ Western Region. The WDC has the following strategic goals:
- To encourage the development of the rural economy based on the sustainable development of the Western Region’s strengths and resources.
- To provide risk capital to SMEs and social enterprises in their start-up and expansion phases through the WDC Investment Fund.
- To inform policy-making on economic and social development in the Western Region through high quality analysis.
- To promote the benefits of living, working and doing business in the Western Region.
Since 2010 the WDC has invested €13 M in regional job & enterprise growth assisting 122 enterprises, directly employing 2,200 people. The WDC has piloted with the partners sectoral development programmes that have yielded employment, enterprise and pathways for growth e.g. The Creative economy, Regional Bio-economy, Tourism, and SME’s. In Policy it has provided insight which has allowed gas to be provided to Western Towns and outlined the case for next generation Broadband use in the region.
In 2012 it supported the workings of the National Commission for Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) and in 2015 it successfully ran the international commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the birth of WB Yeats (www.yeats2015.com), engaging with 20 M people internationally and offered a 10 fold return on investment to the Irish state of approximately €10 M.
In 2015 the WDC was awarded the national public sector eGov award as the best social media offering in the Irish public sector. As a progressive state organisation the WDC has fully engaged with its EU partners in accessing transnational capabilities to correctly position and realise the potential of its citizens, businesses and resources.
Green Angel Syndicate (GAS)
The company Green Angel Syndicate (GAS) was founded in 2013 as a company limited by guarantee with two founding members, Colin Rogers and Nick Lyth. Colin’s remarkable entrepreneurial career and visionary approach prompted his interest in being Lead Investor. Nick provides the specialist combination of business experience with knowledge of European research into technology innovation at the cutting edge of energy and water. This provides the basis to achieve the purposes of GAS, and identify the right investments for the syndicate.
Green Angel Syndicate specialises in investments that will make your money make more because they are the only sectors in the modern global economy that are certain to create wealth. They are:-
- The sectors without which we cannot survive
- Water
- Energy
- Sectors we know are under threat
We know global supplies of fresh water and energy are under threat. Innovations in core technologies for both sectors will make money in the coming years, regardless of global economic performance. The question is, which will be the winners? GAS offers answers you can trust.
Narvik Science Park (NSP)
Narvik Science Park (NSP) is a non profit making body that is committed to development of new business from technological research:
- Specialist in Technological innovation
- Specialist in Business Development
- Specialist in commercialisation of research results
NSP, which was established in 2000, has competence within mergers and multi-level financing of start-ups and provides all necessary assistance and facilities for new business enterprises. Target areas:
- Arctic Technology
- Environmental Technology
- Renewable Energy
The competence and experience of NSP are aligned with the aims of FREED Project – analysing the challenges and the implications of operating conditions on technologies and business models in remote areas of the NPA region and presenting best practice solutions to address these challenges.
