Responsibility for coordinating Helsinki Hub is being transferred from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to the University of Helsinki. It is one of six hubs in the Food Accelerator Network (FAN) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
Helsinki Hub will be coordinated by the Viikki Food Design Factory (VFDF) innovation ecosystem focusing on a sustainable food system. VFDF promotes the creation of food system innovations by supporting collaboration in research, teaching and business activity.
“FAN connects top European startups in the field and the most daring major companies in the food and agricultural sectors. We’re excited about this chance to collaborate with our European colleagues. We hope to see both new and old VFDF participants in these new operations,” says Laura Forsman, who manages VFDF.
The Europe-wide network now being coordinated is the first business accelerator headed by the University of Helsinki. For three years, VFDF has led pre-incubators for Finnish teams developing food solutions.
With its six hubs, FAN enables startups to access a global partner network of over 40 companies.
The theme of the University of Helsinki–coordinated Helsinki Hub is ‘Circular solutions for food systems’. This theme encompasses the valorisation of by-products and waste streams, upcycling food raw materials and ingredients, optimisation of upstream processes and feedstocks; and creation of closed-loop farming solutions.
“These operations will significantly expand the University of Helsinki’s innovation and business collaboration, built through sustained efforts,” says Vice-Rector Jouni Hirvonen, who oversees the University’s innovation activities.
“Solving the challenges of the food system is key to the University of Helsinki’s operations. Coordinating Helsinki Hub will expand and strengthen the University’s role as EIT Food’s strategic partner,” notes Mari Sandell, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and the University’s EIT Food academic contact.