Bio-based foams are replacing plastic foams in protective packaging. The final of the competition was held at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre on Wednesday 15.4 April.
The Pulp & Beyond Award is given to a Finnish company that has developed a significant innovation related to the bioeconomy. The winner is awarded the Pulp & Beyond Award of 5,000 euros, funded by the Finnish Fairs Foundation. The start-up competition was organized for the fifth time.
The competition jury praised Woamy CEO Susanna Partanen's pitch, highlighting its clear storytelling and easy-to-follow structure. Woamy's innovation was particularly praised by the judges for its precisely targeted business model, transparent solution, and consistent presentation of key performance indicators, which create a strong foundation for future growth.
The finalists of the 2026 start-up competition were Green Factory AI, LignEasy and Woamy. LignEasy has developed a membrane filtration process for separating lignin directly from black liquor in the kraft process. Green Factory AI, on the other hand, provides artificial intelligence-based production intelligence software for the process industry.
The competition was organized by Messukeskus in cooperation with the Finnish Association of Forest Industry Engineers. The jury consisted of Atte Virtanen (Vice President, Biomaterial Processing and Products, VTT), Jenny Müller-Wahlman (Director, Group R&D, Stora Enso), Reetta Strengell (Director, Global Product & Technology Development, Kemira), Antti Lindqvist (Managing Director, Finnish Association of Forest Industry Engineers) and Anssi Rajala (Business Manager, Messukeskus).
