The EBRF conference (Research Forum to Understand Business in Knowledge Society) is an academic business conference for researchers, students, practitioners and entrepreneurs. The Chair of the EBRF Board is Prof. Marko Seppä, Director of GVL Finland. The conference is organized by Global Venture Lab Finland (GVL Finland), a consortium founded by University Alliance Finland, i.e., Tampere University of Technology (TUT), University of Jyväskylä (JYU) and University of Tampere (UTA), in 2008, and joined by Aalto University, Abo Akademi University, Lappeenranta University of Technology and University of Oulu, in 2010. Since its launch in 2001, EBRF has attracted some 200 participants every year, produced a total of more than 460 reviewed research papers, and established itself as a leading business conference in Finland. This year, EBRF 2011 calls for players in the Global Business Creation Games aimed at co-creation of enterprise for Problems Worth Solving.

The call for higher impact of business research and education is underscored by the Big Problems. Climate change and related concerns for energy, food and water, topped with inequality and poverty, all constitute for Problems Worth Solving. Co-creation of global enterprises dedicated to such problems requires a new breed of entrepreneurs, academicians, and policy makers. Enabling all this is a new demanding, exciting, and worthwhile, global game.

ABSTRACTS ARE DUE SEPTEMBER 30, 2011.

At EBRF 2011, accepted abstract contributors will be teamed up for ecosystem level impact. Utilizing GVL Finland's rewarded Runway-to-Growth (R2G) method, the "knowledge teams" will each meet one of six real life "ecosystem teams", comprising entrepreneurs, executives and policy makers – in a Live Case exercise aimed at co-creation of enabling research, ventures, and policies. With inspiration from the accepted abstracts, the "ecosystem teams" will be composed around the grand titles of Capital, Climate, Education, Energy, Health, and ICT.

CAPITAL: "Innovative Growth Resourcing". Business creation and VC require spicing up. In CAPITAL, we work to turn knowledge (capability, capacity, competence, compassion and contacts) of individuals and slack resources of institutions into investable capital.

ENERGY: "The Treasure in Waste". Co-creation of research, ventures and policies is required around the smartest energy solutions. In ENERGY, we discuss scaling of waste to energy related technologies, production and delivery models as an ecosystem level exercise.

EDUCATION: "Energizing Environment". Education of global business creation requires a globally scalable platform, but also inspiring environments, locally. In EDUCATION, we design the ideal space around Aalto’s new Otaniemi Campus where anything is possible.

HEALTH: "For the Bottom of the Pyramid". Health delivery models differ from society to society and segment to segment. In HEALTH, we focus on ecosystem level modeling of processes and organizations in the context of the Rural India Health Kiosk venture.

ICT: "Enabling Solutions". Business creation across all borders and barriers is possible thanks to ICT enabled solutions, such as Social Media. In ICT, a virtual Great Enabler mechanism of global business creation, connecting stakeholders into action, is addressed.

WELLBEING: "Maximizing Happiness". There is a huge potential in healthy, sporty and happy people to co-creation of Great Global Enterprises. In WELLBEING, transformation of communities (from families to professional organizations) into Enabling Ones is pursued.

More information at the conference website www.ebrf.fi.