On June 14-15, 2023, Helsinki will become the meeting place for cellular agriculture R&D&I professionals and other actors in the field. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland organises the first International Cellular Agriculture conference that brings all the sub-topics of cellular agriculture under one two-day event to enhance interdisciplinary co-creation processes and to facilitate the birth of new partnerships.
The conference is kickstarted by a unique opportunity to visit Solar Foods’ groundbreaking production plant, Factory 01. In addition, the EIT FAN Helsinki acceleration programme’s traditional Demo Day will be held on as part of the event in the afternoon of June 14th. Registration for the event is open now, with early bird prices until the 28th of February – register here!
What: The first International Cellular Agriculture conference – Harnessing biotechnology for food production
When: Wednesday to Thursday, June 14th at 8:30 to June 15th at 17:00, 2023 (time zone UTC+3)
Where: Scandic Park Hotel, Helsinki, Finland (address: Mannerheimintie 46, 00260 Helsinki)
To whom: 250 experts, investors, and other actors and stakeholders of the field of cellular agriculture, from industry, academia and decision-making institutions (such as the EU).
Organisers: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, contact information: CellAg2023@vtt.fi
Registration information with registration fees: see more details here
Official event page on VTTResearch.fi with detailed venue, hotels & travel information.
Confirmed keynote speakers & programme
The first conference day, June 14th focuses on business development and policy viewpoints. The day’s programme consists of
- an exceptional opportunity to visit Solar Foods’ Factory 01
- panel discussions, keynotes and fireside chats by industry representatives and decision-makers
- EIT FAN Helsinki acceleration programme Demo Day (2023 programme startups’ pitches)
- Exhibition and posters
- Networking lunch, afternoon drinks, and dinner
On the second day, June 15th, the theme is research and development in cellular agriculture, with four thematic sessions:
- precision fermentation
- microbial and algal biomass
- cultivated meat and plant cells
- sustainability and safety aspects
The keynote speakers include:
- Tim Geistlinger, Perfect Day, the opening keynote of the event
- Mark Post, Mosa Meat, the keynote of the session “Cultivated meat and plant cells as future foods”
- Ilan Samish, Amai Proteins, the keynote of the session “Precision fermentation for production of food ingredients”
- Hanna Tuomisto, University of Helsinki, the keynote of the session “Sustainability aspects of the new processes and value chains”
See details of the programme here. Register for the first International Cellular Agriculture Conference 2023 here. More information on VTTResearch.com.
EIT FAN Helsinki Acceleration programme demo day on June 14th
The EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN) acceleration programmes have been slightly renewed from previous years. The focus of the FAN programmes has been shifted from target markets to a thematic approach, and the programme has been tightened to take a total of 1,5 months.
VTT leads the Helsinki Hub, and its topic of the year 2023 is Scaling the alternative protein revolution. The Helsinki Hub invites cellular agriculture startups from all over Europe to the FAN Helsinki acceleration programme, which culminates on the programme-ending demo day kept as part of the seminar.
We offer the selected startups a unique opportunity to network and pitch to the most relevant audience possible – an international bunch of cellular agriculture professionals, investors and other key actors in the field. The applications open on January 26, 2023, so mark your calendars and apply here!
International Cellular Agriculture conference 2023 – Call for abstracts
The call for abstracts is open – submit your abstract by February 28, 2023, here.
Topics for the abstract submission:
- Precision fermentation (proteins, lipids etc.)
- Microbial and algae biomass (SCP, mycoprotein, etc.)
- Cultivated meat
- Plant cell cultures
- Sustainability aspects (environmental, economic, social aspects, etc.)
- Safety and regulatory issues
Sponsor packages
Get known among the 250 international experts and actors in cellular agriculture by selecting a Platinum, Gold, or Silver sponsor package, or join the event as an exhibitor. See more information on the sponsor and exhibitor packages.
Cellular agriculture is internationally topical right now, and Finland is a forerunner in the field
With the growing food population and accelerating climate change, we are facing a severe global food crisis if we don’t come up with alternative solutions to traditional food production – and fast.
Cellular agriculture refers to various ways of utilising cell culture and microbial fermentation techniques in food production. In other words, it moves the production of food ingredients from fields to steel tanks, utilising less land and increasing productivity. We already see bioreactor-produced proteins in the selections of supermarkets, such as Quorn, and new products are constantly introduced already to consumers.
In Finland, the biotechnology behind cellular agriculture is deep-rooted, and many Finnish startups in the field have gained significant international recognition. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a key player in speeding up the wheels of Finnish cellular agriculture, as the interdisciplinary food research within VTT has already brought the world innovative companies, such as eniferBio, Solar Foods, Volare, and Onego Bio. Read more about what’s cooking in the Finnish cellular agriculture industry.
