About us

Viikki Food Design Factory responds to the demand for developing a sustainable food system.
What's Viikki Food Design Factory?

Viikki Food Design Factory is the home of a new type of food innovation activity on the Viikki Campus. It brings together food and innovation experts and facilitates the creation of new sustainable solutions related to primary production, processing, distribution, consumption, recycling and all related research and teaching.

As its name suggests, Viikki Food Design Factory is a place where new sustainable food and food system solutions are propelled into the world

  • it provides facilities, support and match-making to help innovator teams develop their solutions towards commercialisation and implementation so that people, businesses and society can use them
  • it functions as a platform of growth also for existing companies, researchers and actors in the public and third sector for the concepting and development of food system transforming R&D&I projects 
  • it produces related research and training together with Viikki Campus actors.

Food and the food system are at a significant turning point regarding sustainability.

We need food innovations that change the system so that it becomes better at producing:

  • Healthy and sustainable nutrition
  • Well-being for the environment and climate
  • Efficient utilisation of nutrients and resources through the circular economy
  • Well-being of societies through economic and social innovations

 (Source: EU FOOD2030 Agenda)

 

Innovative solutions should be developed considering the food system as a whole: from primary production to processing, distribution, consumption and recycling.
Why Viikki Food Design Factory?

Viikki Campus brings together the research and education in biosciences and food system related economics and enables the production of new innovative solutions for sustainability challenges.

The campus has 6,000 students, 3,000 researchers / staff members and state-of-the-art research labs and testing infrastructures.

That’s why Viikki Food Design Factory offers:

  • In-depth understanding of food and the food system, which is essential for the early identification of innovation opportunities
  • Refining solutions alongside innovators in the everyday life on the campus as a part of the Viikki research and teaching community
  • Access to critical infrastructures to perform experiments and test batches without major investments
  • Support for user testing for quick pivoting 
  • Sparing from "coaches-in-residence" who are experienced professionals in the food sector with the necessary understanding of the market contexts, the structure and the dynamics of the sector etc.
  • Specific help for specific needs to support each team in their journey:  
    • Professors and researchers on the Viikki Campus
    • AgriFood industry networks
What does Viikki Food Design Factory do?
Explore the Viikki Innovation Platform

Viikki Food Design Factory is the first innovation ecosystem in the Viikki Innovation Platform.

Viikki Innovation Platform, launched at the beginning of 2021, develops the innovation activities of the entire Viikki Campus. It’s responsible for identifying new thematic innovation ecosystem concepts and coordinates the innovation development and strategy of the campus area. Through the Platform, it’s possible to create joint projects that form a business basis, and develop innovation ecosystems and business cooperation operating models that promote the product development and R&D&I activities of companies. The Platform creates a structure and processes for Viikki's ecosystems, identifies company demands and proactively brings new companies into the activities.

The Platform is an internal, national and international contact point for the entire innovation activity of Viikki.