Duration: 1.1.2026–31.12.2027
Project partners: Business Turku Ltd and The University of Turku
Funding: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) | Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council
Project Description
Southwest Finland is the most significant food production region in Finland and a national frontrunner in both cultivation volume and the advancement of the food value chain. There is great potential for innovation across the entire food sector, from utilizing production side streams and refining raw materials to product development. However, the region’s full RDI potential has not yet been fully leveraged. Most companies in the sector are small, domestically focused, and produce low-value-added products. These small businesses have limited resources for RDI activities, and the fragmented network of actors makes increasing RDI investments challenging. Enhancing innovation in the food sector requires low-threshold collaboration between key stakeholders. Systematic cooperation, especially between businesses and higher education institutions but also including other key ecosystem players, can support the creation and adoption of new innovations.
FoRDI – Accelerating RDI in the Food Sector Through New Operating Models project aims to strengthen the region’s food innovation ecosystem by developing three new models for collaboration, designed to meet the needs of companies, universities, and other key RDI stakeholders.
The Project Will Create:
1. A regional collaboration forum for the food sector in Southwest Finland, enabling ecosystem-wide participation in co-creating and supporting new innovations. The forum will have a Nordic dimension, strengthening ties with the Stockholm food innovation ecosystem.
2. An innovation model based on co-creation workshops, accelerating the development of new food innovations through collaboration between companies and researchers.
3. A consumer insight-driven commercialization model, developed in cooperation with the retail sector, ensuring that new innovations align with market demands and consumer expectations.
The project will increase RDI investments in the food sector, in line with the strategic goals of Southwest Finland. It will also enhance innovation capacity, boost the number of companies engaged in RDI, strengthen business growth and export potential in the food sector, and deepen collaboration between companies and universities.
Objectives
- Lower the threshold for SMEs to participate in innovation activities
- Strengthen RDI operations and innovation capabilities across the entire food value chain
- Enable growth in the volume of food sector RDI activities in Southwest Finland
- Promote the creation and commercialization of new innovations
- Increase opportunities and the extent of co-creation
- Support the development of higher value-added food products
- Enhance the export readiness of the food sector
Results
Will be updated as the project progresses.
The Responsibilities of Business Turku
Business Turku is the main coordinator of the project and is responsible for engaging companies, fostering business-driven innovation, and improving market readiness.
Contact Person in Business Turku
Lauri Seppälä
Senior Advisor
+358 40 415 1675
