Press release: Finnish startup Aisti secures €20 million EIB loan to advance sustainable acoustic tiles for buildings
The European Investment Bank is lending Aisti €20 million under the InvestEU programme to expand production of its bio-based suspended ceiling tiles. The financing will support Aisti’s factory expansion in Kitee, Finland. The loan will also fund research and development to improve the product further.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending Aisti, a Finnish manufacturer of bio-based suspended ceiling acoustic tiles, €20 million to increase its production capacity. The tiles are made from wood fibres. The material is patented and offers a sustainable alternative to traditional mineral wool tiles. In addition, the tiles contain no mineral wool fibres, meaning they do not release mineral fibres into indoor air. Aisti’s tiles are designed for use in commercial buildings and in the public sector, such as schools and offices.
Aisti is building a large-scale production facility in the city of Kitee, Eastern Finland. The factory is scheduled to start manufacturing the noise-absorbing tiles in the second half of 2026. The agreement marks a milestone for Aisti and enables the company to double its planned production capacity of 2.5 million square metres. The EIB loan will also enable Aisti to deepen research and development work aimed at enhancing the tiles’ acoustic and fire-resistant properties. That in turn will help drive market expansion in Europe, including the Nordic region.
The financing is under the InvestEU programme and involves venture debt – a long‑term loan designed for innovative companies. The financing agreement advances European Union efforts to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and to create a “circular economy” by promoting goods that can be recycled and reused.
Offering flexible conditions without diluting ownership, venture debt helps bridge the gap between early equity rounds and traditional bank financing, enabling companies to scale more rapidly and with greater financial stability.
“Europe’s green transition depends on the emergence of innovative companies like Aisti,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “By backing this project, we are promoting the circular economy, supporting rural development, and reinforcing Europe’s capacity to produce sustainable construction materials at scale.”
“With EIB’s support, we can move faster and further than our initial business plan,” said Aisti Chief Executive Officer Mikko Paananen. “Doubling our capacity strengthens our ability to offer a natural, recyclable alternative to traditional acoustic tiles – at the scale the market now demands. This partnership brings us closer to our vision of changing construction for good by making healthier, lower-carbon materials the new industry standard.”
Background
About Aisti
Aisti is a Finnish material technology company manufacturing natural suspended ceiling acoustic tiles from renewable wood fibre. We use foam-forming technology to transform fibres into high-performing acoustic tiles that are safe, sustainable, recyclable and competitively priced. Designed to meet the needs of architects, contractors and developers, Aisti’s products deliver acoustic excellence without compromise. All while helping the construction industry transition towards healthier, lower-carbon, and more circular building solutions.
InvestEU
The InvestEU programme provides the EU with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments available to support investment in the EU, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that invest in projects, leveraging on the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increasing their risk-bearing capacity and mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.
The EIB Group
The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the long-term financing institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. In 2024, the EIB Group signed nearly €89 billion of new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. All projects financed by the EIB Group are aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.
Press contact:
Aisti: Suvi Sell, Chief Financial Officer | suvi@aisti.com
EIB Group: Thomas Eriksson, Media Officer | t.eriksson@ext.eib.org
