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  5. Imran Asghar

Imran Asghar

Co-Founder of Smart+Ions Oy

Professor (Associate) at Tampere University

About the Speaker

 Professor (Associate) Muhammad Imran Asghar is the head of the Renewable Energy Technologies Group at Tampere University and a co-founder of Smart+Ions Oy. He leads several hydrogen and fuel cell projects funded by the EU Horizon, the Research Council of Finland, and Business Finland. Recently, he won a competitive EU Horizon project (2026-2030), “Boosting efficiency and lifetime in solid oxide planar electrolysers through BoP integration,” as the lead project coordinator. He also holds the title of Docent (Adjunct Professor) at Aalto University’s School of Science, awarded in 2017, and received the Academy of Finland Fellowship (2019–2024). In recent years, he has been leading the commercialization of a breakthrough technology for smart manufacturing of reversible fuel cells for green hydrogen production, supported by a Research to Business project (2023–2025) funded by Business Finland. As a result, he co-founded the spin-off SMART+IONS Oy, which has been selected to the Aalto University Business Accelerator program. Imran earned his Doctor of Science degree from Aalto University in 2012, and a Master’s in Micro and Nanotechnology from Helsinki University of Technology in 2008. He serves as an Associate Editor and Promoter for leading journals, including WIREs Energy and Environment and Frontiers of Chemical Science & Engineering. With more than 99 publications in reputable scientific journals, he has supervised numerous Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral students. His contributions to emerging energy technologies have been recognized with several awards.

Attending

Research to Business: The Founding Story of Smart+Ions Oy
Hydrogen Summit

Research to Business: The Founding Story of Smart+Ions Oy

Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026
10:10 AM - 10:25 AM
H2 Horizons Stage
Innovation at the Core: Building Finland’s €30 Billion Hydrogen Economy
Hydrogen Summit

Innovation at the Core: Building Finland’s €30 Billion Hydrogen Economy

Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026
10:30 AM - 11:20 AM
H2 Horizons Stage

Speaker's Sessions (2)

Date

​
Session
Hydrogen Summit
Research to Business: The Founding Story of Smart+Ions Oy
Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026
10:10 AM - 10:25 AM
Speech
H2 Horizons Stage
English

Research to Business: The Founding Story of Smart+Ions Oy

This talk presents the Research-to-Business journey behind the founding of Smart+Ions Oy, highlighting how academic research in solid oxide cell technologies was translated into a commercial venture. It will cover key technical, strategic, and funding milestones from lab-scale validation to spin-off creation. The presentation will also share practical lessons on bridging research excellence with market needs in the hydrogen sector.
Research to Business
Speaker (1)
Imran Asghar
Co-Founder of Smart+Ions Oy, Professor (Associate) at Tampere University
Session
Hydrogen Summit
Innovation at the Core: Building Finland’s €30 Billion Hydrogen Economy
Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026
10:30 AM - 11:20 AM
Panel Discussion
H2 Horizons Stage
English

Innovation at the Core: Building Finland’s €30 Billion Hydrogen Economy

Finland’s hydrogen strategy sets a bold ambition: by 2035, technological products and services should generate 90% of the €30 billion added value. Achieving this requires more than vision—it demands cutting-edge innovation, strong R&D ecosystems, and deep collaboration across industry, academia, and start-ups.
This panel brings together leaders from companies, research institutions, and universities to explore how Finland can accelerate breakthroughs, scale technologies, and create global competitiveness in hydrogen solutions.

Key note: Rasmus Teir / Hydrogen Cluster / Wärtsilä

Moderator: Riitta Silvennoinen / Hydrogen Cluster

Panelist:

Simo Säynevirta /ABB
Rainer Küngas /Stargate Hydrogen
Rami Jokela / Solar Foods
Imran Asghar / Tampere University
Suvi Karirinne / Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences

Vision
Speakers (6)
Imran Asghar
Co-Founder of Smart+Ions Oy, Professor (Associate) at Tampere University
Rami Jokela
CEO, Solar Foods
Moderator (1)
Riitta Silvennoinen
Managing Director, Hydrogen Cluster Finland