OREANDA-NEWS. November 17, 2010. At an international Quality Day gala evening in which Finnish President Tarja Halonen took part the Estonian Tervisliku Piima Biotehnoloogiate Arenduskeskus OU (Healthy Milk Biotechnologies Development Center, TPBA) and Feanor OU won Quality Innovation prizes while AS Vahiuuringute Tehnoloogia Arenduskeskus (Cancer Studies Technology Development Cetner, VUTAK) deserved special recognition.

A press spokesman reported Estonian Economic Affairs and Communications Minister Juhan Parts as saying that the companies' achievement was praiseworthy in several senses.

"First it provides proof that cooperation between enterprises and science bears fruit. At the same time you are an example for others because you achieved recognition in an international competition and international status of Estonian enterprise must become a daily affair," he said. "You were noticed by international specialists of their fields, who have said by this prize that tomorrow the whole world can be you domestic market."

TPBA won the prize by a novel clinically tested TENSIA microbe stem that brings down blood pressure and Feanor by milling cutters that can achieve considerable economy of time and resources, the ministery said.

VUTAK deserved special recognition by its oncogenetic testing and advisory service aimed at early assession and/or diagnosis of cancer risk.

"If the president of the Republic of Finland hands over such high awards to two Estonian biotechnology development centers it is of very high importance, " VUTAK CEO Riin Ehin said and added that for recipients of the prizes this could mean a significant breakthrough to the Nordic countries' market. "It is clear that the program of technology development centers has been successful in Estonia."

Tonu Hein from HeiVal Consulting said that the biggest value of participation in the prize process was comparison of their ideas with neighbors and finding new contacts with the most innovational people in both the countries. Besides, it is possible to find additional markets to their products and services," he added.

From Estonia Ahti Kuningas, deputy secretary general of the ministery, attended the ceremony of handing over the prizes.

The quality innovation prizes are issued by Estonian and Finnish quality associations. In Finland the prize has been awarded since 2007. This year it was possible for Estonian organizations to apply for it on an equal basis with Finnish companies.

From Estonia the Estonian Quality Association in cooperation with HeiVal Consulting and Enterprise Estonia are taking part in awarding the quality innovation prizes.