Would you like to help shape the future of the food system together with companies, experts, and fellow students? FIF Online 2026 offers a unique opportunity to tackle real-life company challenges related to the organic food sector – entirely online. We are looking for students from across Finland to develop innovative solutions related to food system sustainability, organic products, and the evolving needs of future consumers.
Who is the course for?
FIF Online is designed especially for:
- Higher education students from a wide range of disciplines
- Individuals interested in food, sustainability, and innovation
- Anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of the food chain
No prior experience in innovation processes is required.
Participants will work in multidisciplinary teams of 3-5 students, formed before the start of the innovation process. Course materials will be provided in English, while teamwork may take place in either Finnish or English, depending on the composition of the team.
The course is limited to 30 students, so be sure to secure your place early!
What will you learn?
Company Challenges for 2026
During the course, you will work on a real-life business challenge from one of the following companies:
Ketolan Maatila: Developing Direct Sales and Brand
Vihreä Härkä: Branding and Marketing Strategy for a New Fava Bean Product
Course Learning Outcomes
Throughout the course, you will gain insights into:
- Current trends and developments in the food system and food industry
- Organic innovations and sustainable food chains
- Solving real-world business and development challenges
- Creative problem-solving and ideation methods
- The different stages of the innovation process
- Pitching and presenting solutions effectively
The course includes videos, articles, assignments, and discussions that allow you to develop your knowledge and skills at your own pace.
Course Schedule and Registration
The course officially begins on 16 November 2026, with team formation taking place between 18-20 November. Final solutions will be presented online on Thursday, 10 December 2026.
The course is designed to be flexible and can largely be completed independently and according to your team’s schedule. However, a few online sessions are included as part of the programme:
- 25 November – Inspirational talks by a company representative and an external expert
- 30 November – Mentoring session
- 2 December – Feedback and coaching on preliminary ideas
- 10 December – Final presentations to the company representatives
Before the course officially starts, you will be able to access the online learning platform and familiarize yourself with:
- Background materials for the company challenges
- Content related to organic food and sustainability
- Course instructions and schedule
- Pre-assignments
Registration
Registration takes place through the University of Turku’s Eve system. To enable enrollment on the course, we need to collect your personal information, so please complete the registration form carefully and ensure that all details provided are accurate.
Register here
Weekly Programme
- Getting started with the assignments
- Team formation and introductions
- Teams finalized by Friday, 20 November
Working on the challenge begins.
Wednesday, 25 November
- Inspirational talk by the company partner
- Inspirational talk by an external expert
Monday, 30 November
- Mentoring session with external experts
Wednesday, 2 December
- Presentation of preliminary ideas
- Feedback and coaching session with the company partner
Thursday, 10 December
- Final online pitch presentations
- Evaluation by the companies and an expert panel
- Selection of the best solutions
Plenty of Good Reasons to Join
- Work on real-world business challenges
- Gain hands-on experience of the innovation process
- Collaborate in a multidisciplinary student team
- Receive mentoring from companies and industry experts
- Build your network with students from across Finland
- Develop your presentation and pitching skills
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Participants who successfully complete the course will earn 2 ECTS credits
🏆 The most innovative teams will be rewarded. A total of €1,000 in prizes will be awarded to the winning teams!
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the course or participation, please contact Emma:
Emma Orpana
emma.orpana@utu.fi
Project Coordinator, University of Turku
FIF Online is delivered on the Howspace learning platform. Participants can complete the course online at their own pace, agreed with the group.
The course is designed for students interested in food innovation, sustainability, and future food systems. It is open to Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral students from all disciplines.
All course materials, instructions, and assignments are provided in English.
Yes. While the course materials are in English, group work and discussions can be completed in either Finnish or English, depending on the participants’ preferences.
Participants who successfully complete the course will earn 2 ECTS credits.
The course provides insights into food innovation, sustainability, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Participants will work on practical challenges and develop solutions together with peers from different backgrounds.
Flavoria Innovation Festival 2026 is organized as part of the “FoRDI – Accelerating RDI in the Food Sector through New Operating Models” project, co-funded by the EU, and the “OrganicInnovations” project, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland. The Innovation Festival is carried out by Business Turku and the Nutrition and Food Research Center, University of Turku.
