Tallinn University’s Centre for Innovation and Business Relations (EXU) welcomed its partners to the Kadriorg Orangery for a summer gathering to reflect on the first half of the year and explore new opportunities for collaboration. Representatives from companies, public-sector organisations, and other partners shared their experiences, presented ongoing projects, and discussed how collaboration between academia and industry can foster innovation and support business development.
The event provided an opportunity to look back on achievements while also introducing initiatives currently in preparation. The gathering opened with welcoming remarks from Tallinn University Rector Priit Reiska, who shared the university’s perspective on collaboration with industry. Ingrid Hindrikson, Head of EXU, followed with an overview of the centre’s recent developments, highlighting projects that have recently entered a new phase as well as new initiatives that are now getting underway.
Three companies shared their perspectives on what collaboration with a university means from a business standpoint. Hanna-Stiina Haar, CEO of Claricy OÜ, spoke about how working with researchers at Tallinn University has supported the company’s product development activities. Ardi Lippur, Head of Product Development at Saunum Saunas OÜ, explained why the company considers it essential that claims about its products are supported by scientific evidence, and why it sees Tallinn University as a natural research partner.
Although Berit Joosep, founder of the natural cosmetics company Berrichi, was unable to attend the event, her experience of collaborating with Tallinn University was shared through a written message. The message was presented by Maria Martšenko, who described the product development partnership from the university’s perspective and reflected on how the collaboration between researchers and the company has evolved.
While the experiences of Claricy, Saunum, and Berrichi differed, they all demonstrated the important role researchers can play – as product development partners, providers of scientific expertise, or independent evaluators. Collaborations of this kind are also supported by Adapter.ee, Estonia’s national research-business cooperation platform, of which Tallinn University is a partner.
Following the formal programme, participants continued their conversations in a more informal setting, creating new contacts, picking up discussions that had begun earlier in the day, and exchanging ideas beyond the usual pace of everyday work.
