Food and related activities make significant contributions to the economy of Southern Ostrobothnia. The aim of this project is to strengthen this ecosystem by building resilience through enabling business-to-business cooperation, networks, digitalisation and sustainability. The project focuses on short food chains and local food companies, in particular, to promote the co-operation and digitalisation and thereby increase their resilience in crisis situations. The project will develop collaborative models and digital solutions to help companies build resilience, while enabling them to incorporate sustainable practices and increase their innovation potential.
The project is implemented jointly by the University of Vaasa, the Ruralia Institute (University of Helsinki) and Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK). The University of Vaasa brings expertise in cooperation and the development and management of networks between companies, in addition to digitalisation and sustainable development of SMEs. The Ruralia Institute’s expertise in business models, business development and sustainability is important for the project, and SeAMK has extensive experience and knowledge of the food industry and food companies in Southern Ostrobothnia. Each partner has a slightly different experience of projects, which reinforces the deeper and broader expertise to implement this project. They have their own partners and networks in Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland and abroad, which strengthens implementation and the interest of stakeholders (companies, organizations and other parties) in the project. Their participation will facilitate a wider dissemination of information on the results of the project.