Kicking off Viikki Food Design Factory’s next phase of value creation for agrifood systems players

This March marks the 4th year of Viikki Food Design Factory (VFDF)! From the start, VFDF’s purpose has been clear: to identify science-based innovation opportunities and develop them with stakeholders for sustainable food systems transformation.

Supported by the city of Helsinki and the faculty of agriculture and forestry at University of Helsinki, our first three and a half years as an innovation ecosystem orchestrator focused on testing effective methods for this purpose. Flicking through the news section on our updated website gives a glimpse at our previous activities, and their impacts.

Innovation ecosystems are about bringing diverse actors – people – together for pursuing novel solutions. Up till now over 130 organizations have collaborated with Viikki Food Design Factory. And with collaboration, we mean actual value creation (not coffee drinking only). Big thanks to all of you researchers, fellow research and innovation institutions and organizations, companies, students, freelancers, regional and national governing bodies, NGOs in Finland and abroad, whom we consider our ecosystem partners!

A key part of our work is raising awareness about the need for and the requirements of a sustainable food systems transition for innovators. Genuine sustainability in the agrifood sector requires tackling root causes with a systems approach and systemic solutions creating value for all stakeholders (customers, companies, workers, planet, and societies).  

This involves  

  1. In-depth understanding of the current food system and the transitioning opportunities from multiple perspectives
  2. Science, research, and education on related topics
  3. Co-creation and commercialization among diverse actors.  

This is what Viikki Food Design Factory offers its partners.

Thanks to co-learning with our ecosystem partners, VFDF now has its MVP ready. Our portfolio of activities includes RDI project co-creation and execution, agrifoodtech startup support, co-teaching initiatives, and food systems innovation matchmaking and awareness raising.

Entering our 5th year, VFDF’s team has grown to four innovation professionals with even bigger muscles for creating value for the current as well as new ecosystem partners. Few of our new activities are leading the EIT Food Accelerator Network's Helsinki hub and hosting a monthly food startup co-working day in Viikki – with a few more interesting initiatives still in the making!  

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