Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation recognizes high-level AI applications in Oulu

Marianna Jokila, Development Manager at the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation, visited the University of Oulu to thank scholarship-funded thesis students for their excellent work and to encourage researchers to pursue new, ambitious initiatives. Representatives from several companies that have collaborated on the research were also present.

The foundation currently has an open call for scholarships for theses focusing on artificial intelligence. During the previous funding period (April 24, 2024 – January 31, 2026), the foundation awarded 150 scholarships of up to €20,000 for master’s-level theses carried out as part of broader AI-related research, development, or deployment projects in member companies of Technology Industries of Finland. Nearly one quarter of these scholarships (34 in total) were awarded to the University of Oulu. As a result, further applications from Oulu are now being encouraged to support society with new innovations.

At the same time, the foundation is running its Future Makers program, which seeks ambitious, large-scale initiatives with strong international potential.

“This funding for larger projects is primarily aimed at strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the technology sector. A single funding decision can be as large as one million euros, although most applications and decisions are expected to fall between one hundred thousand and five hundred thousand euros,” Marianna Jokila explains.

During the previous call two years ago, the University of Oulu’s Research Group for Applied Chemistry received €500,000 in funding for a project developing new electrode materials for sodium-ion battery technology, for example using carbon precursors derived from biomass. The research, conducted in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland, has been led by Professor of Sustainable Chemistry Ulla Lassi, who shared her insights on the application process during the visit.

“The €500,000 funding we received was important because it targeted precisely the area where we lacked research resources. With this support, we can develop new types of sodium-ion batteries that are suitable, for example, for energy storage in buildings. The application process had two phases. First, a proposal had to be submitted that was competitive, timely, scientifically high-quality, and impactful. Applicants were then invited for interviews based on their proposals, where the quality and significance of the research, as well as its societal impact, were particularly emphasized,” Ulla Lassi says.

Created 15.5.2026 | Updated 20.5.2026