INVL Private Equity Fund II completes acquisition of Estonia’s largest waste management group Eesti Keskkonnateenused

One of the largest private equity funds in CEE, INVL Private Equity Fund II, has completed the acquisition of a 75% stake in Eesti Keskkonnateenused (EKT), the largest waste management group in Estonia.

While this is the fund’s first investment in Estonia, the acquisition builds on its team’s strong experience in the sector. Back in 2020, the predecessor fund, INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund, acquired a controlling stake in Eco Baltia, which during the investment period was developed into the largest environmental resource management and recycling group in the Baltics.

“With this transaction, we are backing a strong Estonian market leader with consistent performance. Drawing on our experience with Eco Baltia, we aim to assist EKT in growing and thriving in Estonia’s circular economy. Having more than EUR 400 million to invest, we plan to further support the expansion of EKT and seek other investment opportunities in Estonia and abroad,” said Vytautas Plunksnis, Partner at INVL Private Equity Fund II and INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund.

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Originally published on 12 Nov

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Three new hydrogen plants planned for Oulu

By Business Oulu 9 April 2025

The City of Oulu has been preparing to reserve land for three new hydrogen production and processing plants. The City’s aim is to actively promote green transition investments in its area. Advancing the planning of three new hydrogen plants will support the growth of hydrogen economy and the development of Oulu’s local hydrogen infrastructure.

The planning reservations for the Pyyryväinen site will be discussed by the City of Oulu Urban Environment Committee at its meeting on 8 April 2025. The site is a virtually undeveloped, large-scale industrial area of up to 800 hectares less than 10 kilometres from the centre of Oulu, next to the Välikylä industrial district. The area required by businesses ranges from 15 hectares to 41 hectares.

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Originally published on 3 Apr

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New materials could lead to safer and more sustainable batteries

By Luleå Teknsika Universitet 8 April 2025

Solid-state lithium batteries have the potential to transform energy storage by offering higher energy density and improved safety compared to today’s lithium-ion batteries. However, their limited lifespan remains a major challenge. To address this, researchers at Luleå University of Technology have developed new materials that can significantly extend battery life.

“Our new materials can be used in cathode and electrolyte to extend battery lifespan and support the development of more environmentally friendly energy storage,” says Jiajia Li, who recently completed her PhD in Energy Engineering at Luleå University of Technology.

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Originally published on 8 Apr

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EIB Group opens office in Estonia to bolster strategic investments

By European Investment Bank 8 April 2025

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group opened an office in Estonia today to drive strategic investments and sustainable growth in the country. The new office, located in the capital Tallinn, will focus on priority projects in areas including climate action, digitalisation, security and defence.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), will use its presence in Tallinn to deepen cooperation with Estonian partners in the public and private sectors including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

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Originally published on 8 Apr

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The first Ship-to-Shore (STS) crane has arrived in Copenhagen

By Copenhagen Malmö Port 7 April 2025

Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) has received its first STS crane, which will be installed at the new container terminal in Ydre Nordhavn, Copenhagen, from Konecranes in Finland.

The voyage took four days, and it is a significant milestone that the crane has now safely reached its final destination. The arrival of the crane marks an important step for CMP. This advanced STS crane symbolises CMP’s ambitions, together with By & Havn, the developer of the new container terminal, to create one of the most efficient and modern container terminals in Northern Europe.

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Originally published on 7 Apr

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EIB Group opens office in Latvia to support strategic investments

By European Investment Bank 7 April 2025

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group opened an office in Latvia today to propel strategic investments and sustainable growth in the country. This office, located in the capital Riga, will focus on priority projects in areas including climate action, digitalisation, housing, security and defence.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), will use its presence in Riga to deepen cooperation with Latvian partners in the public and private sectors including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

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Originally published on 7 Apr

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Important investment in the Szczecin port completed

By Port of Szczecin-Świnoujście 4 April 2025

The adaptation of the Grain Quay to a depth of 12.5 m in the port of Szczecin has become a fact. The investment by the Szczecin and Sea Port Authority significantly increased the transshipment capacity of the Grain Quay by being ready to handle larger ships than before – with a draft of up to 11.0 m (i.e. the same ones that can enter Szczecin via the deepened waterway).

Before the investment, the depth at the quay was 10 m. This means that we could handle ships with a maximum draft of up to 8.5-9 m. Now it is two meters more.

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Originally published on 3 Apr

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Sweden: EIB supports plant protein factory, reducing the need for imports entering Europe

By European Investment Bank 4 April 2025

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a €50 million loan to Lantmännen to co-finance the construction of a new pea protein isolate factory in Lidköping. The loan will cover approximately half of the project investment cost.

The first of its kind in Sweden, the factory will have an annual processing capacity of over 40 000 tonnes of peas grown by Lantmännen cooperative members. It is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027 and to create around 30 jobs in the region.

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Originally published on 3 Apr

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Eesti Energia opens the largest battery storage in Estonia

By Trade with Estonia 4 April 2025

Estonian energy company Eesti Energia opened the Baltic’s largest battery storage at the Auvere industrial complex. This state-of-the-art storage system is already enhancing the stability of the regional electricity grid and mitigating high peak electricity prices for consumers.

According to Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi, who attended the inauguration event, the Auvere battery reservoir represents a pivotal advancement in Estonia’s energy transition. “For a democratic nation, having renewable energy storage capacity is crucial for enhancing energy independence. It’s also heartening that this investment incorporates technology from the free world,” Ligi stated.

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Originally published on 3 Apr

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Payhawk unveils “AI Office of the CFO,” bringing enterprise-ready AI to finance operations

By Unicorns Lithuania 3 April 2025

Payhawk, the leading spend management platform, announced the launch of “AI Office of the CFO,” a suite of specialised AI agents that solve finance’s biggest AI challenge: drastically increasing finance teams’ productivity while maintaining complete control over their operations.

With its platform already managing companies’ transactions, policies, workflows, and master data, Payhawk is uniquely positioned to build AI Agents that deliver practical value alongside the necessary controls. These new AI agents autonomously handle operational tasks with the same careful permissions as employees, enabling organisations to implement AI with confidence. While building its in-house agentic infrastructure, Payhawk has been leveraging early-access OpenAI models to refine its AI agent technology.

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Originally published on 2 Apr

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AMPlify – Accelerated US Market Entry for Finnish Healthcare Companies

By OuluHealth 3 April 2025

AMPlify is an established platform designed to advance Finnish healthcare companies’ US market readiness and entry. Expanding upon the successful Nordic AMPlify and Gazelle programs, AMPlify is a complete ecosystem that brings Finnish companies and Mayo Clinic together.

With the US accounting for 40% of the global healthcare market and over 30% of new technologies emerging from collaborations with international partners, American health systems are evolving their innovation hubs into global co-development initiatives. AMPlify is leading this transition, and Mayo Clinic has picked Finland as a strategy focus area.

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Originally published on 2 Apr

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