09.01.2025
Blue Economy Centre to be established in Astra campus building
Press release: Åbo Akademi University Foundation
The Astra campus building, currently under construction by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation in Turku, will house the new Blue Economy Centre, which will focus on advancing the development of the blue economy. The Turku-based investment company Aboa Advest will bring together various actors from the blue economy sector within the centre’s premises.
The Astra campus building will be completed in 2025, with Åbo Akademi University, the Åbo Akademi University Foundation, and several companies and startups moving in. Åbo Akademi University Foundation will occupy three of the building’s five floors, the top floor is reserved for the Åbo Akademi University, and the fourth floor will house other tenants.
“The foundation’s goal is for Astra to become a hub for various parties, providing opportunities for new collaborations to emerge. We are delighted to see that an actor with close ties to Åbo Akademi will be operating in Astra. We at the foundation also look forward to being part of the Astra community,” says Lasse Svens.
Blue Economy Centre combines business and research
One of the future tenants in Astra is the investment company Aboa Advest Oy, specializing in impact investing, which seeks measurable societal or environmental benefits alongside financial returns. Aboa Advest is leasing a 450-square-meter space in Astra for the Blue Economy Centre, designed to bring together companies and startups operating in the blue economy. The blue economy refers to business activities that regenerate ocean ecosystems in coastal areas, with the goal of fostering economic growth and creating jobs.
UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, estimates the value of the blue economy to be around $3–6 trillion, employing approximately three billion people. In Europe alone, the blue economy market is worth over €620 billion.
A’Pelago, a company dedicated to promoting the blue economy, will also move to Astra. Aboa Advest is one of its founding partners.
“We focus on sustainable, ocean-related business activities, which often require the construction of new value chains. That is why we are especially pleased to develop and strengthen A’Pelago’s ecosystem with the launch of the Blue Economy Centre. The centre will serve as a critical hub for our operations. The proximity to other actors in Astra enables quick and creative solutions that combine entrepreneurial, scientific, and financial aspects,” says Patrik Anckar, co-founder and shareholder of A’Pelago.
A key part of A’Pelago’s operations is its annual business accelerator program, Accelerator, aimed at supporting the creation of profitable businesses within the blue economy.
“The goal of A’Pelago’s business accelerator is to establish 30 new blue economy companies within the next five years. We aim to lease space in Astra to these companies and other blue economy actors,” says Timo Ketonen, owner of Aboa Advest and co-founder of A’Pelago. “For us, it has been important that the planning and construction of Astra take environmental impacts into account. Most importantly, however, the central location near our partners and university research units has been crucial,” Ketonen continues.
The Blue Economy Centre will also offer companies flexible workspaces in collaboration with the rental platform Spacent.
In Astra, a total of 550 square meters of leasable space remains available. The layout allows for various uses, including coworking activities.
For further information about the Blue Economy Centre:
Timo Ketonen, Founder, Aboa Advest and A’Pelago
+358 400 831 205, timo.ketonen@aboa-advest.fi
For further information about Astra:
Mika Soinio, Property Manager, Åbo Akademi University Foundation
+358 40 775 8545, mika.soinio@stiftelsenabo.fi
09.01.2025
Blue Economy Centre to be established in Astra campus building
Press release
The Astra campus building, currently under construction by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation in Turku, will house the new Blue Economy Centre, which will focus on advancing the development of the blue economy. The Turku-based investment company Aboa Advest will bring together various actors from the blue economy sector within the centre’s premises.
The Astra campus building will be completed in 2025, with Åbo Akademi University, the Åbo Akademi University Foundation, and several companies and startups moving in. Åbo Akademi University Foundation will occupy three of the building’s five floors, the top floor is reserved for the Åbo Akademi University, and the fourth floor will house other tenants.
“The foundation’s goal is for Astra to become a hub for various parties, providing opportunities for new collaborations to emerge. We are delighted to see that an actor with close ties to Åbo Akademi will be operating in Astra. We at the foundation also look forward to being part of the Astra community,” says Lasse Svens.
Blue Economy Centre combines business and research
One of the future tenants in Astra is the investment company Aboa Advest Oy, specializing in impact investing, which seeks measurable societal or environmental benefits alongside financial returns. Aboa Advest is leasing a 450-square-meter space in Astra for the Blue Economy Centre, designed to bring together companies and startups operating in the blue economy. The blue economy refers to business activities that regenerate ocean ecosystems in coastal areas, with the goal of fostering economic growth and creating jobs.
UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, estimates the value of the blue economy to be around $3–6 trillion, employing approximately three billion people. In Europe alone, the blue economy market is worth over €620 billion.
A’Pelago, a company dedicated to promoting the blue economy, will also move to Astra. Aboa Advest is one of its founding partners.
“We focus on sustainable, ocean-related business activities, which often require the construction of new value chains. That is why we are especially pleased to develop and strengthen A’Pelago’s ecosystem with the launch of the Blue Economy Centre. The centre will serve as a critical hub for our operations. The proximity to other actors in Astra enables quick and creative solutions that combine entrepreneurial, scientific, and financial aspects,” says Patrik Anckar, co-founder and shareholder of A’Pelago.
A key part of A’Pelago’s operations is its annual business accelerator program, Accelerator, aimed at supporting the creation of profitable businesses within the blue economy.
“The goal of A’Pelago’s business accelerator is to establish 30 new blue economy companies within the next five years. We aim to lease space in Astra to these companies and other blue economy actors,” says Timo Ketonen, owner of Aboa Advest and co-founder of A’Pelago. “For us, it has been important that the planning and construction of Astra take environmental impacts into account. Most importantly, however, the central location near our partners and university research units has been crucial,” Ketonen continues.
The Blue Economy Centre will also offer companies flexible workspaces in collaboration with the rental platform Spacent.
In Astra, a total of 550 square meters of leasable space remains available. The layout allows for various uses, including coworking activities.
For further information about the Blue Economy Centre:
Timo Ketonen, Founder, Aboa Advest and A’Pelago
+358 400 831 205, timo.ketonen@aboa-advest.fi
For further information about Astra:
Mika Soinio, Property Manager, Åbo Akademi University Foundation
+358 40 775 8545, mika.soinio@stiftelsenabo.fi
06.11.2024
Innovations that solve problems in sea regions are the focus of A’Pelago and Business Turku
Press Release: For immediate release on November 6, 2024, 8:00 EEST
ABOA ADVEST IS A SHAREHOLDER IN A’PELAGO EXPERIENCE
A’Pelago and Business Turku are starting a collaboration around the business accelerator Blue Accelerator, which will start up in January 2025. The Accelerator’s target group are actors who work to promote the sustainable development of marine nature or to use its resources in a regenerative way. Within the framework of the programme, running over 5 months, support is offered to create growth, access to international and domestic networks and sparring about business ideas in the regenerative Blue economy.
A’Pelago’s Blue Accelerator focuses on innovations in sustainable development and solutions to sea region problems. The Accelerator is primarily intended for universities, start-up and spin-off companies and companies operating in the Blue economy. During the programme, one will, among other things, validate business ideas, build brand, find suitable sources of financing, learn service design and productisation.
The second season of the Accelerarator programme is a continuation of the successful pilot year. In 2025, Business Turku, whose strategic focus includes the Blue economy, is also involved as a partner. Other strategic partners from 2024 are LokalTapiola Sydkusten, the City of Pargas and Åbo Akademi University.
“We are all aware of the sad state of the Archipelago Sea and the Baltic Sea. To improve their condition, quick measures and innovative solutions are needed, which at the same time can also constitute profitable business operations. The collaboration with A’Pelago supports Business Turku’s core task, to speed up the growth of sustainable business operations and offer new contacts to both partners and investors. For our part, we will identify and guide potential companies to A’Pelago’s programme, whose strong international network also forms a good springboard from the Baltic Sea into the world. It is worth pointing out that the market for the Blue economy in Europe alone amounts to more than 620 billion euros”, notes Tom Palenius, CEO of Business Turku.
“Blue economy is a very interesting and growing industry, which together with the region’s other marine industry can create a unique combination. The archipelago and the Archipelago Sea are a unique whole and at the same time a laboratory for the world’s oceans, because it is so shallow that it is also the most polluted. It supports the emergence of innovations with the potential to be scaled up elsewhere. It’s nice that Business Turku can help stimulate this”, says Minna Arve, Mayor of the City of Turku.
A’Pelago Blue Accelerator is a unique programme, also internationally
“We focus entirely on Blue economy, we are science-based and we are part of the international Ocean Community network. In other words, our A’Pelago Accelerator opens the doors to the world and international investors. We are looking for business ideas that can be scaled up to the international market. In the Accelerator’s first season, representatives of the Blue economy participated in everything from fish farming and technology for seabed research to regenerative marine biomass and processed products”, says Patrik Anckar, A’Pelago’s co-founder and partner.
The Blue Accelerator program culminates in August in the A’Pelago Initiative event, when, among other things, the participants’ ideas are presented to Finnish and international investors, venture capital funds and other actors in the industry.
A’Pelago, which began operations in 2022, aims to support the creation of profitable business operations in the blue economy. Blue economy is defined as business activity that can be directly or indirectly linked to the oceans, and which takes into account the use of marine natural resources and at the same time promotes sustainable development in the ocean regions. A’Pelago Accelerator collaborates with the top research profiles Biodiful at Turku University and Centre of Sustainable Ocean Science at Åbo Akademi University.
Business Turku Oy is the joint non-profit development company based in Turku, which offers support services in growth, development and internationalization to companies in the Turku economic region. We collaborate closely regionally, nationally and internationally with all vital actors. Our operations are guided by the vision of a Turku and a Turku region as the best place for companies to be founded, grow and develop.
For further information please contact:
Timo Ketonen
Partner & Co-founder, A’Pelago
+358 400 831 205
Patrik Anckar
Partner & Co-founder, A’Pelago
+358 50 408 7730
Tom Palenius
CEO, Business Turku
+358 40 550 1126
Minna Arve
Mayor, City of Turku
Minna.arve@turku.fi
