Mission: To support growth in RD&I and industrial collaboration in forest bioeconomy and green & clean transition. To enhance region-to-region collaboration between the partners of North Karelia, Nagano and Hokkaido Prefectures. Collaborating, co-creating and co-innovating new, smart forestry and unique food solutions together.

The end-results are thriving regional economy and residents’ wellbeing.

Aims and targets:

1. Enhancing the Forestbioeconomy and Food Ecosystem cooperation Accelerating joint initiatives for research-development-innovations
2. Piloting novel climate friendly, sustainable solutions for forest bioeconomy value chain
3. Exploring the well-being and health effects of wood and habitat in housing and service environments
4. Increasing the internationalization potential of North Karelia’s unique food products
5. Increasing business cooperation between regions and prefectures
6. Supporting the Finnish smart forestry offering to connect with Japan
7. Providing cutting-edge training programs for Japanese skilled labor development
8. Working as a contact point for Japanese networks and companies in bioeconomy (in close collaboration with FKII network Japan and MAFF, EU-Japan Centre, Nagano and Hokkaido prefectures and Ina city)

BIOSYS was added into Finland-Japan Science and Technology dialogue in Forest Bioeconomy, Tokyo (Embassy, Academy of Finland and TEM)

History: Successful North Karelia – Nagano and Hokkaido Forest Bioeconomy Cooperation 2020 – March 2023

2020-2023 was successful despite challenges like the pandemic and the Russian war of aggression towards Ukraine:

• Laid a solid foundation but also identified needs for the 2024-25 phase to build more concrete pubic/policy, commerce and RDI collaborations.
• Visits both ways North Karelia to/from Nagano and Hokkaido.
• Finland Week in Sapporo, Hokkaido: May 2022.
• Businesses successfully began operations in Nagano and continue to expand its operations: e.g. Arbonaut, Kesla, John Deere.
• Numerous workshops, webinars, networking events, training: e.g. Hokkaido Prefectural Kitamori Forestry Training School and RIVERIA.

Event Calendar 2024-2025: In Japan

• Completed: June 23 to July 1 Preparation Visits to Tokyo, Nagano, Hokkaido, Japan, and Seoul, Korea
• November 12 “Finland-Japan Collaborative Symposium: Advancing Forest Bioeconomy and Climate-Intelligent Digital Solutions for a Green Transition – Enhancing Global Wellbeing” at the Embassy of Finland Tokyo: MMM, MAFF, regional government forestry divisions, companies and R&D operators
• November 12 Renewals of MoUs with Nagano Prefecture and Ina City
• November 13-15 North Karelia – Nagano and Hokkaido Forest Bioeconomy Day in Japan
• Regional-Prefectural, City diplomacy meetings and sharing ideas on mutual targets and concrete activities – building a common goal space, model areas and demonstrations
• November 18 Visit to Gangwon-do Province, South Korea
• On-going research-development-innovation-collaboration workshops – in cooperation with Prefecture partners and the Japanese FKII network (including more than 4,200 partners)
• Direct business cooperation meetings and trading room cooperation (in cooperation with the Embassy and Business Finland)　

Event Calendar 2024-2025: In Finland

• On-going Foresty associations, prefectural, academia/research organizagtion and business delegation visits to Norht Karelia
  • June: Japan Woody Bioenergy Association
  • June: Marubeni Corp
  • August: Akita International University and Akita Prefecture University
  • August: Hokkaido Prefectural Government Forestry Department, local forestry associations and business owners to FinnMETKO and North Karelia
• August 31: Hokkaido Sakura seedling transplanting ceremony in Joensuu
  • Hokkaido Finland Association’s gift to the BIOSYS North Karelia International Growth Ecosystem
  • H.E. Mr. Takashi Okada, the Japanese ambassador to Finland participated in the transplanting ceremony.
• On-going Joint seminars, meetings and regional dialogues
  • Collaboration events
  • SILVA Forest Fair 2025 or similar event
• Marketing & Press: e-newsletters, social media visibility and impact stories, shared success stories

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Contacts

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