The Researcher Entrepreneur of the Year Award is a €5,000 recognition granted annually by the KAUTE Foundation to a researcher who has created a business based on academic research. We are now seeking nominations for the 2026 award.
“Finland and the entire world need bold individuals who want to be part of the solution! With this award, we want to encourage and recognize people who bring innovations born in research environments into practice through entrepreneurship”, says Tuomas Olkku, Executive Director of the KAUTE Foundation.
The Research Entrepreneur of the Year Award may be granted to a person who:
- Is a full-time entrepreneur
- Has a new business idea based on research, and
- Whose business is in its early stages (less than five years in operation and less than €10 million in revenue)
Last year’s award was given to Laura Koivusalo, whose company StemSight conducts stem cell research aimed at treating corneal blindness.
This year’s winner will be nominated by the foundation to Falling Walls Science Summit Science Breakthrough of the Year contest in Science Start-Up category.
How to nominate a candidate?
The nominee must be a full-time entrepreneur who has previously worked as a researcher at a university or research institute. It is considered especially meritorious if the entrepreneur has demonstrated the ability to see and utilize research results in a new way within their business.
Nominations can be submitted by any interested individuals or organizations. The nomination period begins on Monday, 16 February, and continues until 13 March. The winner will be announced in spring 2026.
Explore previous winners and finalists:
- 2024 winner: Laura Koivusalo, StemSight
- 2023 winner: Ashish Mohite, Hyperion Robotics
- 2022 winners: Mikko Hänninen and Elmeri Lahtinen, Weeefiner
- 2021 winners: Kai Saksela, NL Acoustics, and Windi Muziasari, Resistomap