7signal Ltd is Business Incubator Company of 2009

7signal identifies a growing market in the field of wireless networks

Helsinki-based 7signal Oy, a technology company ensuring the constant quality of wireless networks, has been chosen as Business Incubator Company of the Year. Highly commended in the competition was Mikkeli-based A. Graveolens Ltd. This company has developed an innovative ceramer, which is a non-combustible and non-toxic alternative to traditional plastics and polymers.

The results of this year's competition were announced at Otaniemi in Espoo on 27 November 2009. The competition, which was being held for the sixth time, highlights the most interesting growth-oriented companies in technology incubators. It is organised by the Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL and TEKEL’s Business Development Team.

In the opinion of the judges, 7signal Oy has identified a growing market in the proliferation of wireless broadband networks.

“The market need for network quality monitoring is clear, and the worldwide market opportunities are considerable. 7signal Oy impressed the judges with its single-minded and systematic development, which is evident in such things as the make-up of its team and in the procurement of finance and other resources. The company has also taken great advantage of the assistance offered by the incubator, says Olli Mankonen, Chairman of the panel of judges.

7signal is a technology company that ensures the constant quality of business-critical wireless broadband networks. Unconditional performance is required of a wireless network, for example in the monitoring of operations at airports and seaports, and when a doctor is using it to monitor a patient's vital functions. 7signal’s monitoring system measures a network’s performance, service level and the operation of applications that are utilising it. A problem can be located and solved before the user even notices it.

“The business idea is based on the solution of a major, growing problem. The product has been produced in an innovative way that is worth protecting, and there is a clear global market for it. Not even the major players in the industry have an answer to this challenge,” says Mikko Kaarela, Development Advisor at Technopolis Ventures Oy.

The potential has also been noted elsewhere in the world. For example, in January 2009 the internationally-renowned Red Herring magazine selected 7signal as one of the world’s 100 most promising technology companies.

Fire safety a guiding star for A. Graveolens


Ordinary plastics and polymers burn easily and, when they do so, they produce large quantities of combustion gases and heat. Traditional solutions are being replaced by an innovative ceramer developed by A. Graveolens Ltd, which is a non-combustible, non-toxic, light and breathable solution.

According to the judges, this company, which was highly commended in the competition, has made excellent progress in the commercialisation of this innovation based on the professional skill of the company’s founder. This young but rising company has proceeded rapidly to commercial applications in major business sectors. Fire safety brings significant market possibilities, the company has licensing potential and successful commercialisation is being accomplished with the sensible use of resources. The business incubator and the area’s Centre of Expertise have made concrete contributions to the company’s start-up, business development and financing negotiations.

Additional information:

Veli-Pekka Ketonen, Managing Director, 7signal Oy
Tel. +358 (0)50 357 9700
veli-pekka.ketonen(at)7signal.com

Mikko Kaarela, Business Development Advisor, Technopolis Ventures Oy
Tel. +358 (0)400 607 277
mikko.kaarela(at)technopolis.fi

Mikko Tilli, Managing Director, A. Graveolens Oy
Tel. +358 (0)45 120 7472
mikko.tilli(at)graveolens

Marjo Niittuaho-Nastolin, Business Incubator Manager, Miktech Business Incubator
Tel. +358 (0)440 361 615
marjo.niittuaho-nastolin(at)miktech.fi

Olli Mankonen
Chairman of the panel of judges
Director, Business Development, Turku Science Park Ltd
Tel. +358 (0)400 921 937
olli.mankonen(at)turkusciencepark.com

The Business Incubator Company of the Year competition honours companies that have grown up within technology incubators. General selection criteria are innovation, a competitive edge, opportunities for growth, market potential, business development during the incubator period and the company’s financial standing. The winner is selected from a group of technology incubator candidates by a panel consisting of members of TEKEL’s Business Development Team and supported by the views of a capital investor. The Business Incubator Company of the Year was this year selected for the sixth time. The competition is organised by the Finnish Science Park Association TEKEL and the Business Development Team which is part of the TEKEL Growth-Oriented Company Team.
www.tekel.fi

7signal Oy is a Finnish technology company that assures the constant quality of business-critical wireless broadband networks. Its unique monitoring system automatically measures the performance of applications utilising wireless networks. The system, which functions separately from the network being monitored, alerts the user of any problems even before he/she has noticed them. It also helps to locate and solve these network problems, and enhances WLAN service quality with SLAs. The goal of the highly experienced network experts at 7signal is to advance indisputable efficiency benefits and business cost savings in such fields as the production and warehouse logistics and retail applications of customers, as well as in health care information systems. In addition, the system speeds up the introduction of cost-effective WLAN speech services in companies.
www.7signal.com

Keywords: wireless local area network, WLAN quality monitoring, WLAN troubleshooting, WLAN SLA, industrial WLAN

A. Graveolens Ltd offers safety on land, at sea and in the air. The completely fire-safe and unique cerameric binding agent developed by the company is suitable for components in the automotive, construction and electronics industries. In addition to fire safety, the importance of the lightness of structures and the significance of environmental impact has increased in recent times. Furthermore, our modern society is increasingly dependent on the capacity of different types of cabling and data centres to function in cases of damage or fire. In a fire, cerameric binding agents will neither burn nor produce heat or combustion gases.
www.graveolens.fi

Keywords: fire safety, building materials, cerameric binding agents, nanotechnology