Market first.
Connecting biomass innovation with markets
Biomass, and particularly forest biomass, is becoming an increasingly valuable and competitive resource. Creating value from both the primary products and side streams is essential for long-term competitiveness.
Bringing biomass-based products to market is challenging. How do we enter? Who are the customers? At what price and volumes? What are the risks?
Kymenvaara AB supports companies, investors and technology developers across the biomass value chain with the commercialization of biomass-based products.
Markets
Technology
Feedstock
M. Kymenvaara provides the following services for biochar & biocoal development and biomass valorization:
Market assessments
Techno-economic analysis
Feedstock strategy & supply chains
Technology scouting & analysis
Go-to-market strategy
Commercialization & industrial customer engagement
Biomass, and particularly forest biomass, is becoming an increasingly valuable and competitive resource. Creating value from both the primary products and side streams is essential for long-term competitiveness.
Bringing biomass-based products to market is challenging. How do we enter? Who are the customers? At what price and volumes? What are the risks?
Kymenvaara AB supports companies, investors and technology developers across the biomass value chain with the commercialization of biomass-based products.
Markets
Technology
Feedstock
M. Kymenvaara provides the following services for biochar & biocoal development and biomass valorization:
Market assessments
Techno-economic analysis
Feedstock strategy & supply chains
Technology scouting & analysis
Go-to-market strategy
Commercialization & industrial customer engagement
Profile
|Profile
Matti Kymenvaara (M.Sc. Forestry, University of Helsinki) has nearly 20 years of experience in forest industry value chains and the commercialization of biomass-based products. He has operated as an independent consultant since 2020 and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
MARKETS & INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS
Matti has a wide-ranging experience of business development processes within biomass processing. During the past three years, his work has focused on the commercialization of biocoal and biochar. Assignments have included market assessments, industrial customer engagement, off-take negotiations, sales development and the market introduction of novel biomass-based products.
M. KYMENVAARA AB
FEEDSTOCK & TECHNOLOGY
| Kymenvaara AB 10/2020 — Founder (10/20-present) |  |
| Taaleri Biocoal Canada Development Co. – Interim Sales Manager (10/25-04/26) |  |
| Polar Biochar Co. Oy – Founding Partner & Head of Sales (08/25-12/25) |  |
| Joensuu Biocoal Oy — Interim Sales Manager (09/24-09/25) |  |
| Skogsnyckeln AB — Interim CEO (06/23-06/24) |  |
| Sunshine Kaidi (Finland) New Energy Co. Oy — Sourcing manager, executive board member (02/17-11/20) |  |
| Spinverse Ltd. — Project manager (10/14-01/17) |  |
| Tapio Ltd. — Bioenergy expert (08/11-10/14) |  |
| Forest management association Kanta-Häme — Project manager (05/08-07/11) |  |
Matti Kymenvaara (M.Sc. Forestry, University of Helsinki) has nearly 20 years of experience in forest industry value chains and the commercialization of biomass-based products. He has operated as an independent consultant since 2020 and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
MARKETS & INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS
M. KYMENVAARA AB
FEEDSTOCK & TECHNOLOGY
Matti has a wide-ranging experience of business development processes within biomass processing. During the past three years, his work has focused on the commercialization of biocoal and biochar. Assignments have included market assessments, industrial customer engagement, off-take negotiations, sales development and the market introduction of novel biomass-based products.
| Kymenvaara AB 10/2020 — Founder (10/20-present) | |
| Taaleri Biocoal Canada Development Co. – Interim Sales Manager (10/25-04/26) | |
| Polar Biochar Co. Oy – Founding Partner & Head of Sales (08/25-12/25) | |
| Joensuu Biocoal Oy — Interim Sales Manager (09/24-09/25) | |
| Skogsnyckeln AB — Interim CEO (06/23-06/24) | |
| Sunshine Kaidi (Finland) New Energy Co. Oy — Sourcing manager, executive board member (02/17-11/20) | |
| Spinverse Ltd. — Project manager (10/14-01/17) | |
| Tapio Ltd. — Bioenergy expert (08/11-10/14) | |
| Forest management association Kanta-Häme — Project manager (05/08-07/11) | |
|Background
Matti Kymenvaara (M.Sc. Forestry, University of Helsinki) has nearly 20 years of experience in forest industry value chains and the commercialization of biomass-based products. He has operated as an independent consultant since 2020 and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
|Expertise
MARKETS & INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS
M. KYMENVAARA AB
FEEDSTOCK & TECHNOLOGY
Matti has a wide-ranging experience of business development processes within biomass processing. During the past three years, his work has focused on the commercialization of biocoal and biochar. Assignments have included market assessments, industrial customer engagement, off-take negotiations, sales development and the market introduction of novel biomass-based products.
|Positions
| M. Kymenvaara AB – Founder (10/2020-present)
|
| Taaleri Biocoal Canada Development Co. – Interim Sales Manager (10/25-04/26)
|
Polar Biochar Co. Oy – Founding Partner & Head of Sales (08/25-12/25)
 |
| Joensuu Biocoal – Interim Sales Manager (09/2024-09/25)
|
| Skogsnyckeln AB – Interim CEO (06/23-06/24)
|
| Sunshine Kaidi (Finland) New Energy Co. Oy – Sourcing Manager, executive board member (02/17-11/20)
|
| Spinverse Ltd. – Project Manager (10/14-01/17)
|
| Tapio Ltd. – Bioenergy expert (08/11-10/14)
|
| Forest management association Kanta-Häme – Project manager (05/08-07/11)
|
Track record
Biocoal Go-to-market strategy (2026)
- Customer segments, applications and customer-specific char requirements
- Pricing principles and price range estimations
- Customer prioritization – short and mid term
Biocoal Canada development (2025 – 2026)
- Sales development
- Off-take negotiations in Canada and Europe for > 120,000 t/a
- Representative in the IBTC IMO working group
Biocoal sales 60,000 t/a (2024 – 2025)
- Sales negotiations in Nordics and western Europe
- Test trial arrangements
Biochar for steel and metal industries (2025)
- Sales negotiations Europe
- Test trial arrangements
5 000 tbd/a pyrolysis plant (2023, 2026)
- Techno-economic assessment
- Investment analysis
- Technical Due Diligence of two plants in North America (2024)
1MWe pyrolysis plant (2023)
- Techno-economic assessment
- Investment analysis
Wood shavings baling plant – paper & plastic bales (2021-2023)
- Technology scouting and tendering process: Wood shavings to animal bedding bales plant
- Baling in paper
- Investment analysis
- Facilitation of the contract negotiations
- FAT supervision
- Interim commission manager: plant commissioning
Wood insulation plant 5-10 tbd/h (2023)
- Technology scouting and benchmark study
- Scenario analysis for air injected insulation, flex-board and rigid board production combinations
- Investment analysis
Automated wood impregnation plant – 60,000 – 100,000 m3/a (2022)
- Technology scouting and tendering process
- Investment analysis
1,4 t/h briquetting plant (2023)
- Investment analysis and profitability calculations
Sourcing manager in Kaidi Finland (2017-2020)
- Created wood sourcing strategy for 2,5 Mm3/a
- Signed supply LOIs for 2 Mm3/a
Sustainability and regulation
- Renewable Energy Directive II (REDII) evaluation and lobbying to the final outcome (2016-2017)
Interim CEO, Skogsnyckeln AB (2023 – 2024)
- Recruitment of 4 employees, contract management, responsible for operations in Sweden
Senior advisor for the Board
- Establishing a Swedish subsidiary for a Finnish company (2023)
Conceptualization and business strategy, Shop in Box Oy (2021-2022)
- Business plan, supply chain design, key technology scouting
- Winning pitch of Linna Business Tournament, idea serie (2021)
- Biocoal off-take potential in Finland and Baltic Sea region (2026)
- Biochar market potential Globally, main focus in Europe (2023)
- Pyrolysis liquid market potential Globally, main focus in Europe (2023)
- Wood shavings – animal bedding in Finland, Sweden, UK and Central Europe and the Gulf region (2021)
- Wood pellets & briquettes market prospect in Finland and Baltic Sea region (2021)
- Mechanical forest industry side stream valorization, opportunity study (2020)
- Metal free and environmentally friendly impregnation solutions (2022)
- Wood-based insulation market potential in the Nordics and Central Europe (2021)
- Wood shavings bale – marketing arguments and product description (2023)
- A marketing strategy for a forestry expert company 2024)
- Company brand development and brand launch (2024)
Biannual Nordic Forest Product Market Monitoring Report (2015-), covering topical issues concerning the forest sector in the Nordics and Brussels
Funding application preparation: Business Finland development loan (€4M 2016), BBI innovation action flagship project (€20M 2015)
Concept design and prototyping Biomass Atlas (2013) – a map-based application for evaluating biomass potential (biomassa-atlas, Natural Resources Institute Finland)
Markets
Technology
Feedstock
Market First.
Connecting biomass innovation with markets