Stories
Torrec Technology
We are extremely grateful for the grant awarded by your foundation. Thanks to it, we were able to secure our intellectual property rights by filing two patent applications and advancing the processing of these applications.
The grant also allowed us to follow the international developments related to Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) by attending an international conference in Helsingborg, Sweden. There, we met industry professionals and established new connections for global markets.
Additionally, the grant made it possible for us to participate in a research project at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio.
Currently, we have a torrefaction project in the planning stage in India. This project will help a large local cotton processing company phase out the use of fossil coal for heat production and replace it with briquettes made from torrefied cotton stalks.
iBiochar-based CDR technology is finally receiving approval and certification from the EU, which means the markets are finally beginning to take off. We now have two biochar CDR projects in the preliminary study phase, and we strongly believe that they will be realized in the near future.
Mitigating climate change requires every possible method to reduce emissions and remove carbon from the atmosphere. Biochar-based CDR is the fastest and simplest CDR technology, and we see enormous potential in this business moving forward.
FINNCURE Oy
Diagram 1. Illustration of the customized lipid nanoparticle (LNP) production for various applications, such as preventing infections with VLP particles by blocking pathogen entry, while simultaneously delivering immunogenic epitopes and/or different compounds for targeted drug delivery to specific diseases or conditions.
From Impossible to Possible – The Journey
Supported by the Runar Bäckström Foundation
Our invention emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing the targeting capability of viruses by creating synthetic virus-like particles for disease prevention. This invention led to the formation of the Finnish biotechnology company FINNCURE Oy in 2021, supported by private investors and the Runar Bäckström Foundation – the only entity that believed in our vision at the time. To date, we have raised nearly one million euros in funding and several hundred thousand euros in research and development support from various sources.
Our technology enables the scalable production of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that mimic the desired pathogen and can be used as carriers in targeted treatments. These include the prevention and treatment of infectious and non-communicable diseases, immunotherapy, targeted drug delivery, and vaccine solutions. Our microfluidic manufacturing technology allows for precise control of the particles with a very narrow size distribution compared to traditional production methods (Zhang & Niemelä et al., 2024).
We have multiple patent applications and granted patents in the field of VLP (Virus-Like Particles) and synthetic particle production. Our platform technology utilizes biocompatible solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) functionalized with targeting extensions, mimicking the structure of selected pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. The effectiveness of the particles is based on their ability to bind efficiently to host receptors, allowing them to be used to prevent pathogen spread or as carriers for the targeted delivery of various compounds or drugs (as shown in Diagram 1).
Our technology enables rapid responses to future pandemics and epidemics to prevent infections, and it opens the door to customized and targeted medical treatments.
Gentleash
Our story of Gentleash began in 2018 when our invention was born. In 2020, we received an important grant from you, which allowed us to properly start product development. Our first prototype was completed in 2021, but it did not yet meet our expectations.
The following years were challenging: a lack of funding slowed down our development efforts, but we didn’t stand still. We focused on refining the business plan, registering the product, and filing patent applications. As a result, we obtained a worldwide patent for our product – including in the United States.
In 2023, we secured our first investors, which was a turning point for us. Now, in May 2025, we are proud to say that we have a finished and tested product. We have just received a bank loan and additional investor support, so production can begin.
The product has been tested both by users and in a test bench, and the feedback has been enthusiastic. The best comments have been along the lines of: “How has this not been invented before!” Our slogan sums it up: We reinvented the leash. Testers have been pleasantly surprised that an automatically braking leash is finally here, and dog owners are already asking when the product will be available for purchase. We will begin production in Finland, and all major Finnish retail chains have shown interest in our product. According to the current plan, the product will be available for sale both in stores and in our online shop in September.
Regarding the team, one of the company owners is now transitioning to work full-time at Gentleash, while the other owners will assist during the initial phase alongside their regular work. We will hire additional staff as soon as possible to meet the growing demand.
Once our operations in Finland are up and running, the next natural step will be to expand into international markets.
We would especially like to thank the Runar Bäckström Foundation for your early support – without it, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Thanks to your support, we were able to develop a product that is now market-ready after several prototypes. We are truly grateful to you!
Our journey has been long – the length of one dog year, or seven years – but now we are ready to grow Gentleash into a significant company. And when we are able, we want to give back to your foundation so that someone else can receive the same kind of support that we did in 2020.
We want to make the world a little gentler – Gentleash.
Faculty of Science and Engineering at Åbo Akademi University.
In 2022, the Runar Bäckström Foundation granted funding for Åbo Akademi’s project “Passive Cooling Roof Window Prototype.” The goal of the project is to develop Prototype II, which functions effectively during the day as well. The first proof-of-concept prototype (Prototype I) demonstrated passive cooling powers of 100-150 W/m² during the night. Gopala Gangisetty’s doctoral work (2021-2025) aims to achieve similar cooling powers during the day, when solar radiation of several hundred W/m² makes passive cooling significantly more challenging.
To address this, the use of nanoparticles (NP, nanoparticles) is being investigated – specifically, SiO₂/TiO₂ combinations – which selectively block (by reflecting, absorbing, or re-emitting) part of the solar radiation. The roof window is designed to let natural light in during the day while also cooling the building.
After testing several different nanoparticle formulations, along with miniature model experiments conducted in laboratory conditions, outdoor testing has now begun. Prototype II, measuring 90 cm x 30 cm x 10 cm, has been placed outside the Åbo Akademi (ÅA) Aurum building, and the tests will continue until August. Of particular interest is the performance during sunset and sunrise, when short-wave (SW) radiation is emphasized.
The tests are being conducted using round (see image, nanoparticles have not yet been added) or square-shaped special glass panels, which allow long-wave (LW) thermal radiation to pass through. These glasses are embedded into standard window panes that do not allow long-wave radiation to pass through. Additionally, different gases, such as air, carbon dioxide, or an air-ammonia mixture, are used inside the roof window. The temperature of the sky – to which the heat is radiated for passive cooling – is measured using a pyrgeometer that covers the long-wave range.
AmmoniQ Solutions AB
The parent company, AmmoniQ Solutions AB, which handles the business side, was launched in 2024.
We currently have two team members and are seeking additional talent to join us, including an industrial electrochemist and a machine construction engineer, among others.
We facilitate decentralized production of green ammonia, helping farmers, greenhouses, and industries save costs and become less vulnerable.
