The FIN Centre (Research, Innovation and Commercialization Centre)

In the municipal area plans for Horten, an area has already been set aside for a business park and a comprehensive university college-oriented business sector. The business players and the public sector will need to be able to interact in order to bring about this innovation and business park. A vital factor for this establishment will be that the public sector helps to finance the scientific equipment that the university needs to be able to exert its role, through taking responsibility for a research and innovation centre associated with the knowledge park. The business sector will, for its part, then take responsibility for the increased industrial activities.

The centre will support further business development based on micro and nanotechnology and there will be a big catalytic effect from this:

• This will mean that companies increase their business and establish comprehensive new industrial activities both on the campus and established locations.
• The opportunities for the many small businesses in the area to gain spin-offs and growth will be significantly strengthened through the shared utilisation of the total resources that are created. Incubators, accelerator activities and innovative players will be established in connection with the centre.

Separate clean rooms and laboratories are planned in the new centre for:

• Fine line lithography (nanometer scale) and nanoimprint
• Manufacture of photographic masks using laser
• Thin film technology and dry etching
• Electroplating
• Nano material technology and characterisation at nano level