Risutec grows and fights climate change by accelerating tree planting and growth
A Finnish forest technology company Risutec develops technology for accelerating tree seedling planting and growth, with potential for developing markets. Founded in its founders’ workshop, the company receives both funding support and versatile guidance from Business Finland on its journey towards global forest industry markets.
As part of its global expansion plans from Nakkila, Risutec has developed a solution that integrates multiple phases of forestation, including soil preparation, planting, watering, and fertilization. This solution enhances the efficiency and sustainability of the forestation process.
“Simply put, we develop machines and software that bring more trees into the world. Our solutions help trees grow better and faster while using fewer resources and reducing costs," explains Risutec's Deputy CEO Markus Vihottula.
"Many people haven't thought about it much and assume that planting a tree is easy: you put a seedling or seed into the ground and wait for it to grow. However, there are many different stages at the beginning, starting from soil preparation to fertilizers, watering, and possible pesticides," Vihottula continues.
Risutec was founded in the early 2000s when the company's founder Jussi Aikala, a self-taught forest machine builder, developed machines for thinning young stands for his own needs. Soon, Aikala's inventions began to be of interest to other forest owners, and when word spread, it was time to start a company.
Today, Risutec's key product, Forest Maker, has been under development for several years, also supported by EU funding. The company's near-term plans focus on commercializing Forest Maker and so scaling up the business.
Business Finland has provided Risutec with funding for product development and support for internationalization and sales strategy development. Additionally, the company has received help with sales groundwork and opening doors to new markets.
Targeting developing markets
Risutec does not want to stay in Finnish forests but aims to become a significant international player. The company's machines are well-suited for new developing markets where tree and biomass growth is significantly faster than in Finland.
"Our first exports went to Brazil, South Africa, China, and Chile. We have been operating in developing markets for about ten years already," Vihottula says.
"Business Finland has given us valuable support and advice. Operating in developing markets has its challenges, such as the level of local know-how, availability of spare parts, and the availability of financing," Vihottula notes.
Developing Markets Platform paves the way to developing markets
Risutec has received help for achieving its goals also from Business Finland's Developing Markets Platform that is well-suited to the company's needs. Top-up funding to a Business Finland funded R&D project provided in the framework of Developing Markets Platform seeks to enable co-development of sustainable innovations with local partners in developing markets.
"In Brazil, Risutec has collaborated with a Ponsse dealer. Risutec's new solutions seem to be well-suited to the Brazilian conditions. There, trees are grown almost like crops, on plantations around pulp mills," says Business Finland's Account Manager Markku Jokela.
In Brazil, Risutec conducts research with a local research institute on the suitability of its planting machines for the local operating environment. Brazil is a major forestry economy, but also a developing market, making it an excellent fit for Risutec's needs. The solutions researched and developed in Brazil can also be scaled to other tropical and subtropical areas.
Brazil is a major forestry country but also a developing market, making it an excellent fit for Risutec's needs.
Developing Markets Platform helps Finnish companies advance innovative and competitive business in developing markets in line with sustainable development. It is a joint endeavor of Business Finland and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA), and the top-up funding provided has derived from the official development assistance by the MFA.
"Innovative solutions developed with the top-up funding in collaboration with local partners can bring about positive development impacts, for example, in terms of environment, social development, quality, costs, or equality – and, in this way, contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals", says Kiira Kärkkäinen, responsible for Developing Markets Platform at Business Finland.
Sustainable development at the core of business
Planting trees is perhaps the simplest and most cost-effective way to capture carbon. The more trees planted, the better the carbon sequestration.
Performing many work phases in one pass brings direct environmental benefits, as fuel consumption and emissions are significantly reduced.
"From a sustainability perspective, carbon sequestration is the biggest benefit of Risutec's solution. Planting trees also binds soil and its moisture. Additionally, trees provide shade, which improves living conditions for people and animals as well as benefits agriculture," Vihottula says.
Performing many work phases in one pass brings direct environmental benefits, as fuel consumption and emissions are significantly reduced. An additional environmental benefit comes from Risutec's method, which requires less soil preparation.
"In traditional methods, logging residues are usually removed, but with our machines, they can be left in place. This helps retain moisture and nutrients in the soil. In our method, only the spot for the seedling is prepared, keeping the nutrient-rich top layer available for the seedlings," Vihottula says.
Supported by Developing Markets Platform, Risutec can help create skilled jobs in developing markets. Additionally, its machines help improve cost competitiveness in international markets, creating economic well-being.
"Our devices also make work safer compared to traditional methods. In tropical forests, risks include snakes, insects, dehydration, and heatstroke. With the help of machines, forestry work is less physically demanding, making it accessible to a wider range of people—not just physically fit men,” Vihottula reflects.
Forest Maker – the future hit in the forest industry?
Risutec's new product, Forest Maker, makes the forestation process uniform, improving tree survival rates. Moreover, it plants trees faster than previous solutions and performs related tasks, such as fertilizing and watering the seedlings.
"By integrating multiple work phases, Forest Maker reduces the need for different machines and so emissions, making the entire process cheaper and faster," Vihottula says.
Forest Maker connects forestation with digital technology, giving each tree its own ID and recording its location. This enables the creation of a digital twin, a virtual forest, that corresponds as closely as possible to reality.
Risutec has collaborated with forest companies such as Metsä Group and Stora Enso. Through collaboration, new machines and technologies have been developed to meet market needs.
"The most expensive tree is the one that doesn't grow. Our solution reduces harvest waste and improves cost efficiency," Vihottula concludes.
"Forest planting is an important theme. Risutec's technology can help with large forestation projects worldwide. Forest Maker is intended for large forestation projects and has received positive feedback," Jokela says.
The top-up funding model of Developing Markets Platform was revised at the beginning of 2025. Similar top-up funding linked to R&D-funding by Business Finland and deriving from the official development assistance by the MFA can now be applied from Finnpartnership. Read more.