Project
GrowthCF – Renewing Business through Student Collaboration
Project sponsors
Abbreviation
Project type
Focus area
Implementation time
1.1.2025
-
31.8.2026
Unit
Financing program
Just Transition Fund (JTF)
UN Sustainable development goals
Project description
The objective of the KasvuKS project was to strengthen the growth, renewal, and RDI (Research, Development, and Innovation) capabilities of micro and SMEs in Central Finland by enhancing collaboration between businesses and higher education institutions. The project was part of a broader initiative that included parallel KasvuKS projects implemented by the Federation of Finnish Enterprises in Central Finland and Gradia. Within the project, companies participated in KasvuKS growth discussions, which were used to identify growth opportunities, development needs, and suitable RDI services for businesses. At the same time, the Future Factory operations of JAMK University of Applied Sciences were further developed to become more business-oriented and easier for companies to utilize.
During the project, a total of 136 KasvuKS discussions were conducted with companies in Central Finland across the parallel projects. In JAMK's project, 39 companies participated, of which 27 progressed to student collaboration through Future Factory assignments. The project provided companies with new perspectives, development ideas, and opportunities for collaboration, while also increasing their awareness of the benefits of RDI activities. In addition, the project generated new models for student-business collaboration, company guides, videos, articles, and descriptions of good practices. The project achieved its objectives largely successfully, and most of its quantitative targets were exceeded. Co-funded by the European Union.
More information:
Jyrki Vihriälä
Project Manager
+358 50 564 6644
jyrki.vihriala@jamk.fi
Jamk University of Applied Sciences
School of Business
Rajakatu 35
40200 Jyväskylä
Project results
As a conrete outcome of the project, 27 companies in Central Finland utilized the student collaboration innovation platform to support the renewal and development of their businesses. Depending on the assignment, they received innovative concepts related to areas such as more sustainable business practices, renewable energy solutions, service development, and entirely new business opportunities. The project also resulted in new and strengthened collaboration between companies. By enhancing collaboration between educational institutions and businesses, the project sought to provide longer-term support for companies' development efforts.
The majority of the quantitative targets were achieved or exceeded. Targets were surpassed, for example, in the number of companies collaborating with research organizations (27 compared to a target of 15), the number of SMEs engaged in innovation activities (27/25), the number of innovations generated (78/75), and the number of companies planning to launch new business activities (13/11). The only indicator that fell clearly short of its target was the number of companies planning to launch new business activities based on energy efficiency or renewable energy (0/6). During the project, no such new business initiatives emerged, although several companies improved their energy efficiency as part of their existing operations.