What we've built, and where we're heading
Mirka has always had a passion for innovation and a mission to give people the opportunity to perform better. Great products come from the willingness to challenge how things have been done in the past. That passion and belief have now grown beyond our core business, into a platform to find, test, and support ideas that could shape where our company, and the wider industry, is heading.
Where it started
Mirka's collaboration with research and innovation isn't new, for years, our technology managers have worked closely with universities, research institutions, and industry partners to push surface finishing and materials development forward. What has been missing is a structured, dedicated home base, and the scouting activities to discover ideas that wouldn't directly fit in the classic R&D track – external startups, intrapreneurs and the earliest innovations needing a different kind of support to grow.
One example currently is our early collaboration with Under Ytan, a Finnish start-up specializing in regenerative, marine-based raw materials cultivated from algae in the Baltic Sea. Together, we're exploring whether these materials could become viable alternatives to more traditional, wood-based resources. The company and our collaboration are in early days, but it's a good example of the kind of forward-looking partnership M.INC is willing to explore.
At Mirka, we've already shown true commitment to the green transition, from our €25M investment in a first-of-its-kind circular grain manufacturing plant, bringing the first circular abrasive products to market, to acting as the key orchestrator of the SHAPE Ecosystem, pushing our industry's green transition forward together, with more than 200 partners.
What we've built
Over the past few years, M.INC has evolved from an idea into a platform with real momentum. We've built structured pathways for turning ideas into action, launched Innovation Challenges, supported venture clienting projects, and initiated new research and development collaborations. M.INC has welcomed both external startups and internal ventures, while a dedicated Growth Board provides strategic direction and funding decisions. At the same time, we've established a growing network across the Northern European startup ecosystem, creating valuable connections that help bring new ideas, technologies, and opportunities to Mirka.
What we've learned
None of this happened overnight. Along the way, we've learned that innovation requires different approaches at different stages. Early ideas need space to explore and test assumptions, while more mature opportunities require stronger validation and business cases.
We've also seen how even a small proof of concept can make a significant difference for a startup, providing the validation needed to secure funding and gain traction. At the same time, some of the most promising opportunities have come from unexpected places, reminding us that innovation often starts with ideas that don't immediately fit into traditional categories.
Perhaps one of our biggest realizations is that Mirka's expertise extends far beyond surface finishing. Through our daily work with a wide range of materials and technologies, we've discovered opportunities for collaboration in areas we had not initially considered, opening new doors for innovation and growth.
What's next
M.INC is still early in its journey, and we intend to keep building carefully rather than rushing for its own sake.
Looking ahead, we want to explore more future-oriented opportunities, from novel materials and circular solutions to emerging business models that could shape our industry in the years to come. We also see great potential in deepening our role within the SHAPE Ecosystem by helping bring new innovations closer to commercialization. At the same time, we'll continue acting as a bridge between startups, new technologies, and Mirka's R&D and business units, ensuring that promising ideas find the right path forward.
If you're an entrepreneur, an early-stage startup, or an established company working on circularity, resource efficiency, remanufacturing, bio-based materials, novel technologies, or data-driven intelligence for industry, we'd like to hear from you. Reach out via our contact page or connect directly with Viktor Sundholm and Henna Keränen.