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 (VFDF) at the faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, in the University of Helsinki, is an innovation ecosystem orchestrator for sustainable, science-based food system innovations, with a network of over 130 agrifood related actors (companies, startups, researchers, institutes, investors, innovation ecosystems, regional actors), both in Finland and abroad.  

We facilitate co-creation, co-design and co-teaching of food system innovations among the different stakeholders developing and commercializing innovations delivering strong sustainability for food systems.  

Benefits for different food system stakeholders:

  • New openings, collaborators, and co-creation of RDI consortiums and applications for researchers  
  • Identification, development and testing of science-based food system solution ideas and commercialization opportunities for established companies
  • Innovation related learning opportunities for University of Helsinki students  
  • Validation, piloting, networking and pitching opportunities for startups (in year 2025: EIT FAN accelerator programme) 
Why Viikki Food Design Factory?

Food and agri sectors - more specifically the whole food system - are at a significant turning point regarding sustainability.  

In the next 20 years, there is an urgent need for various types of innovations capable of delivering desired food systems outcomes:  

  • 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) 
From the design of food products and services to the design of sustainable food systems through new food products, service innovations and business models.
The How of Viikki Food Design Factory

The combination of increasing food production up to +62% by 2050 (see publication) and doing that with a strong sustainability approach, respecting system boundaries, requires radically innovative solutions.  Such innovations are developed and managed in a decentralized manner within emerging value and innovation ecosystems. 

Viikki Food Design Factory facilitates innovation co-creation through:  

  1. Facilitating strong ecosystem collaboration and shared value creation among the diverse agrifood system stakeholders  
  2. Providing in-depth understanding of the agrifood system and its interdependencies as the context of innovation  
  3. Offering knowhow on technologies, data, and business models enabling systemic sustainability and food security  
  4. Doing innovation ecosystem orchestration, including co-creation of RDI and educational concepts, and joint funding application development.