Exploring Food Innovation and Bio-Based Business Development with Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences

The eRural Resilience project has brought together expertise from across the Baltic Sea Region to support rural businesses. As the leader of the project’s Bio Hub, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SEAMK) has contributed its expertise in food and bioeconomy.

But what can SEAMK offer in practice to SMEs, business support organisations and project partners looking for expertise, testing opportunities or a partner for new development activities?

From food innovations to testing and piloting

One of SEAMK’s key assets is SEAMK Food Labs, which combines laboratory facilities with expertise spanning the entire food chain. Companies can work with SEAMK on activities ranging from raw material analysis and preparation to product development, processing and testing.

Picture: SEAMK Food Labs

The available services include, for example, product idea development and conceptualisation, preparation of raw materials and formulation of recipes, piloting of manufacturing processes, preservation testing and food safety, sensory analysis and product life cycle assessment. Small-scale piloting with industry-equivalent equipment can also help companies develop new ideas without making major investments in their own equipment at an early stage.

▶ Explore SEAMK Food Labs
▶ Watch: SEAMK Food Labs – A platform for food chain innovations

Supporting resilient agriculture and rural communities

SEAMK’s expertise extends beyond food product development. Research and practical development activities also address agriculture, local resources, nutrient recycling and sustainable energy solutions.

The eRural Resilience video “Healthy soils – Turning research into practise” shows how SEAMK works with farms and businesses through field experiments and practice-oriented research. Solutions can be developed and tested under local growing conditions, combining research-based knowledge with the expertise of practitioners.

Another eRural Resilience video, “Local resources – resilient rural communities”, highlights local energy solutions, nutrient recycling and regional value chains. It also illustrates how research-based knowledge can support businesses when evaluating investments and making informed decisions.

▶ Watch: Healthy soils – Turning research into practise (in Finnish, subtitles in English) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=044vDYvasT8
▶ Watch: Local resources – resilient rural communities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9bsDvfdU30

A partner for research, development and innovation

For companies and business support organisations, access to expertise is often most valuable when knowledge can be translated into practical development activities. This is the role SEAMK actively plays: bringing research, development environments and practical cooperation together.

The video SEAMK: Your partner in research, development and innovation presents this broader approach, showing how SEAMK applies research-based knowledge to practical solutions in close cooperation with companies, farms and RDI actors across regional, national and international levels.

▶ Watch: SEAMK – Your partner in research, development and innovation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b1KKD-7_4g

Cooperation continues beyond the project

The eRural Resilience project has provided an opportunity to connect SEAMK’s expertise with an international network of business support organisations, universities and other regional actors. As Bio Hub leader, SEAMK has coordinated the network’s bioeconomy expertise to support SME development.

The end of the project does not mean the end of this cooperation. Through the eRural Knowledge HUB Network, expertise available at SEAMK can continue to complement the knowledge and capabilities of partner organisations across the Baltic Sea Region.

For SMEs, business developers and project actors, the message is simple: if you are developing a bio-based product, food innovation, agricultural solution or more sustainable use of local resources, you do not necessarily need to have all the expertise or testing facilities in-house. SEAMK can be a partner in turning an idea or development need into practical experimentation, knowledge and solutions.

Karita Luokkanen-Rabetino, Senior RDI specialist

Soila Huhtaluhta, Senior Project Manager

Elina Iivari, RDI Expert

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