DAILY BRIEF: Whisky honey, healthtech, smart buildings, airport training, packaging and startups

Finnish medical technology company Monidor has raised one million euros in a funding round led by Voima Ventures, with participation from Innovestor. The company develops integrated smart devices for monitoring intravenous therapy given in hospitals. Infusion therapy is still often monitored manually, which means it can be inaccurate and needlessly overburden hospital staff.  Launched in February 2020, Monidor’s first product, Monidrop, is a compact and precise infusion meter with a remote monitoring solution. Image: Monidor

Finland’s Granlund Group has partnered with digital engineering consulting company Desapex in India to bring its property management and facility maintenance software to the country. Following the agreement, Desapex will manage the sales and implementation of the Granlund Manager software, which includes a digital twin feature that combines building data and displays a 3D model of the property in an easily understandable format. India has a vast real estate market, in which digital solutions are increasingly being implemented. Image: Granlund

Stora Enso has announced it will build a pilot facility for producing Cellufoam, a lightweight fibre-based foam material for protective packaging and cushioning. The renewable and sustainable bio material can be used to replace the oil-based polymer foams that are widely used today. The Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer’s pilot plant will be located at its Fors Mill in Sweden and is estimated to be ready in the fourth quarter of 2021. Image: Stora Enso / Facebook

Airport College International has partnered with ULD CARE to establish virtual reality (VR) training for staff working with preflight unit load device (ULD) inspections. According to Airport College International, there is much anecdotal evidence of failings in this area, leading to unsafe ULDs routinely ending up on flights. The partners aim to use VR to provide effective basic-level training for ground crews responsible for inspecting containers, pallets and nets for damage before use. Image: Airport College International

Kyrö, a distillery based in Isokyrö, Finland, has joined forces with another local company, Sugardaddies Honey Company, to produce Kyrö Honey. An old whisky barrel in the distillery’s backyard has been turned into a beehive, where the honey has aged and gained its taste and character during the summer. The distillery’s rye whisky, Kyrö Malt, is now finally landing in shops and has also been mixed into the honey, which contains one per cent of alcohol. Kyrö is no stranger to venturing into other product categories, having produced its own hand sanitiser during the coronavirus pandemic. Image: Kyrö Distillery

The City of Helsinki and Slush have continued their productive co-operation during the coronavirus-disrupted year, launching initiatives to support promising startups on the journey to success. Read more by clicking the headine. Image: Slush