1,2 million € EU EIT HEI funding is awarded to a University of Helsinki led international consortium for entrepreneurial and innovation capacity building. The applicants of the two-year funded 4InnoPipe project from the University are the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and the Faculty of Pharmacy.
The main goal of the 4InnoPipe project is to strengthen innovation pipelines for the development of more impactful universities. The 4InnoPipe aims to empower partner universities at each stage of their innovation pipelines. The project focuses on foodtech, eco-innovation and sustainable medicines – technologies that promote healthy people and a healthy environment.
The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry will in turn focus on the latter stages of entrepreneurship, with resources dedicated to the development and support of start-ups.
"This will be done through providing additional funding, training and networking opportunities to the Viikki Food Design Factory program. The EIT HEI 4InnoPipe project significantly complements the versatile innovation program and it´s further development at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry", says Mari Sandell, Vice Dean responsible for innovations within the Faculty.
Activities within the Faculty of Pharmacy focus on fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship amongst students and researchers, through training and networking events.
"The new project will greatly strengthen our researchers and students capacities and innovation entrepreneurship as well as activate the innovation potential within our innovation community," says the Dean Jari Yli-Kauhaluoma from the Faculty of Pharmacy.
The impact of the 4InnoPipe within the University of Helsinki is not only limited to the applicant faculties. The project will train, mentor and support innovation and entrepreneurship at all levels of the University, from students, researchers, staff to academic spin-offs.
The EU EIT HEI funded 4InnoPipe project started in July of 2022. The project is led by the University of Helsinki, and partners include Reutlingen University, Kyiv Academic University, Zagreb School of Economics and Management and the Finnish innovation management consultancy firm Vertical. The project will reach an audience of over 13 120 researchers and non-academic staff as well as 46 400 students.