VISION4FOOD partners gathered in Vantaa, Finland for their biannual check-in meeting to review the project’s progress and plan for the upcoming period.  

As part of the project management structure, partners meet in person twice a year to discuss achieved milestones and update each other on recent activities. Each work package also presents a forecast of planned actions and outlines the next steps for the upcoming project phase. 

This full day event was organized by Finnish partner Rural Women´s Advisory Centre (RWAC), and was kicked off by the project’s coordination team White Research. 

Each work package shared an overview of their activities and progress made since the kick-off meeting: 

WP1 – Mapping the food system transformation landscape through an open innovation and RRI perspective: Partner Copenhagen Business School shared an overview on the following tasks: 

• T1.1 Analysis of the regional R&I agendas, smart specialization strategies and policy priorities related to food systems 

• T1.2 Business focused analysis of enablers and barriers of regional food system transformation 

• T1.3 Value chain and quadruple helix stakeholder mapping and needs analysis towards fostering a food systems approach 

• T1.4 Aligning VISION4FOOD’s scope and aims with the RRI principles under the food system transformation approach 

WP2 – Development of VISION4FOOD’s governance model, tools, and inventories for food systems transformation: Q-PLAN shared an overview of their ongoing activities for each task: 

• T2.1 Development of VISION4FOOD’s governance model framework 

• T2.2 Setting the framework for the acceleration agendas 

• T2.3 Repository of success cases towards food system transformation 

• T2.4 VISION4FOOD toolkit for the development of food systems transformation innovation ecosystems 

WP3 – Regional stakeholder engagement and empowerment through multi actor hubs for food innovation: VU presented an update on their task: 

• T3.1 Setting up and operating OI platforms/hubs based on a quadruple helix model 

WP6 – Dissemination, exploitation and synergies: EFFoST shared an update on the current communication and dissemination activities and each of the WP6 tasks: 

• T6.1 Dissemination and communication activities 

• T6.2 Exploitation and innovation management 

• T6.3 Development of the knowledge exchange platform and digital support tools 

• T6.4 Networking, establishment of synergies with other projects and establishing the Network of Interest 

The meeting concluded with a team dinner in a great Finnish setting in Sipoonkorpi National Park, where partners were able to network and engage while tasting Nordic dishes.  

These meetings offer a valuable opportunity for the consortium to address potential challenges, coordinate joint activities, share progress across work packages, and have face-to-face interactions to strengthen communication and collaboration.