Developing solutions to the world’s most critical challenges, such as climate change, is at the core of VTT's sustainability. For example, hydrogen solutions developed by VTT already provide us with opportunities to promote the clean transition in concrete ways. Sustainability is still a part of company agendas despite the fact that rhetoric around the topic varies. That’s why now is the time for sustainable actions.
Read the summary
- The market needs stability in climate and sustainability commitments to foster innovation, with examples like wind and solar energy demonstrating how subsidies and market mechanisms can support emerging technologies.
- European and American companies differ in their approach to green technologies, with European firms focusing more on dialogue with stakeholders and American firms prioritising shareholder profits, affecting their sustainability strategies.
- VTT plays a crucial role in accelerating market readiness for innovations, offering interdisciplinary services, piloting environments, and facilitating international cooperation, as seen in the Steady Energy spin-off and significant clean transition investments in Finland.
This summary is written by AI and checked by a human.
I recently represented VTT at two climate-related events, Climate Week NYC and the UNGA High Level Week, both of which focused on sustainability and climate-related discussions. Held on 21–28 September, Climate Week NYC is the world’s leading climate event – bringing together leaders from business, technology, politics, research and civil society. At the same time, the High Level Week was held in conjunction with the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. One of its themes was climate.
Although discussion of this topic can be very colourful in the current global political atmosphere, a study performed by Ecovadis indicates that 87% of the leaders of American companies still regards sustainability important. There has also been a recent increase in climate technology investments, which means the market is more positive. However, we need to move from dialogue to actions. There is a real possibility for this if we have the desire and courage to make choices that promote growth and sustainability.
We can make excellent use of existing technologies in the short term, in other words, by the rapidly approaching 2030. For example, various hydrogen solutions, electrification or nuclear power already provide opportunities for us to promote the clean transition now. In the longer term, we need solutions that we should start researching and developing immediately.
Green technology must be cost-effective, but the market also has to do its part
The biggest difference between American and European companies became clear when I attended the events.
American companies advocate strongly for maximising shareholder profits, while European companies engage in more dialogue with different stakeholders, such as municipalities and organisations. This affects attitudes and how clean technology and responsibility are promoted.
The discussions also revealed that the “greenness” of technology is no longer a competitive advantage as such – new technology must be cost-effective. However, no market for innovations will develop if there is constant uncertainty concerning whether climate and sustainability commitments will remain consistent. For example, wind and solar energy were first made profitable by using subsidies and other market mechanisms to support the technology as it entered the market. Other revolutionary technologies should be supported in the same way.
The special operating practices of start-ups and scale-ups should also be taken into account. For them, it's important to shorten the time required to move a product or technology from laboratory to market, minimise technological risk and consider how to make the technology more affordable. This is one area where VTT can offer its expertise.
VTT helps companies get innovations to market faster
Steady Energy is a VTT spin-off and an example of how VTT – as a large European research organisation – can offer companies a very wide and interdisciplinary range of services and exceptional piloting environments where they can test and scale new innovations.
Steady Energy is building a heating plant in Finland powered by a small nuclear reactor that produces heat efficiently in a carbon-neutral manner. The solution can contribute to decarbonisation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, since about half of the energy consumed by EU households is used for residential heating.
As stated in a recent OECD country report, the clean transition has significant commercial potential. According to the Data Dashboard published by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) in September 2025, investment plans of more than EUR 300 billion relating to the clean transition have been identified in Finland. We see potential in areas like hydrogen and nuclear energy.
However, turning a promising innovation into a market-ready solution can prove very challenging for emerging and growing companies. There’s no need to do everything alone, and VTT can serve as an accelerator on the growth company’s journey towards sustainable and scalable success. VTT also provides opportunities for companies to conclude cooperation agreements with public and private actors in different international ecosystems.
According to our annual customer impact survey, 82% of the respondent companies quickly utilise the results of a project carried out with VTT, which means that it is possible for innovations to enter the market faster.
Finland has special expertise in advanced technologies that change the world. Now, if ever, is the right time to attract companies to develop our innovations here in the North and to achieve significant climate actions – without forgetting commercial success.
