Questions and answers about development projects

What is the role of development projects in the Food Data Finland program?

The purpose of the Growth Engine program is to bring concreteness to data collaboration in the food chain, and concreteness is created through development projects. As parts of the program, they form a complementary whole – a greater benefit than the sum of the parts of separate projects. Development projects create scalable competitiveness for the industry. On the other hand, program members are among the first to apply a competitive advantage from the results of the projects.

What kind of development projects are carried out in the program?

The main focus of program development projects should be on data. In the program, joint development themes have been identified, and by focusing on them, the competitiveness of the entire Finnish food chain is believed to be strengthened. The purpose is that in the Food Data Finland program, joint development projects will be created according to the themes, and any actor in the member network can promote them.

Also, other joint projects aimed at developing the food chain that utilizes Finnish data can be implemented under the Food Data Finland program, even if they are outside of the program themes. The condition is that the goals of the projects are in line with the regulations and goals of the program.

What is required of the development project?

The development project must support the goal of the Growth Engine program to increase the international competitiveness of the Finnish food chain with the help of data, based on open, compatible and global standards. Improving the transparency of the chain, the ease of sharing data and promoting the combinability of data should also be taken into account.

The projects must be implemented in cooperation between different actors, i.e. the company cannot implement the development project of the Growth Engine program alone. For example, the prerequisite for Business Finland's co-innovation funding is that the project involves a research organization and several companies. If Business Finland funding is applied for the project, the companies' self-financing share is also required.

Is it required that the development project receives funding from Business Finland?

Food Data Finland is Business Finland's Growth Engine program, which enables funding for joint development projects. On the other hand, development projects can arise in the program even without Business Finland's funding, in which case the companies will cover entirely the costs arising from the project.

How can I get involved in development projects?

An actor belonging to the program member network can himself make a project proposal and gather a project group consisting of other companies, research institutes and organizations. On the other hand, actors can join a project started by others, if the project group so decides.

How does the idea become a Food Data Finland development project?

First, a preliminary project plan must be drawn up and discussed with the project coordinator, GS1. The finished plan is presented to the project's management team, which decides whether it recommends a project to be included as part of the Food Data Finland program. The probability of a positive recommendation from the management team increases when elements that promote the shared goals of the food chain can be identified in the project plan, such as increasing cooperation, improving the transparency of the chain, ease of sharing data and promoting the combinability of data. Finally, the project plan is finalized and, if necessary, funding is sought from Business Finland.

Read more about the process on the Development projects page.

How is the development project financed?

A development project can apply for Business Finland's research, development and innovation funding. Business Finland's funding share for project ideas is typically 40–70% (grant 40–50%, loan 50–70%). In addition, the organizations must have their own internal decision on reserving self-financing shares for the implementation of the project.

See also the question: Is it required that the development project receives funding from Business Finland?

How is the development project organized?

The proponent of the development project idea can act as the project leader himself, or the leader can be selected from another organization. GS1 Finland, the coordinator of the Growth Engine program, can act as an assembling party, but does not participate in decisions on forming the project organization.

What is the role of Food Data Finland's coordinator, GS1, in the development project?

GS1 Finland works in the Food Data Finland program as an enabler of cooperation and produces added value, among other things, as a collector and distributor of current information. In development projects, GS1 Finland plays a role as an expert in supply chain data standards. GS1 can also support the communication of the development project if there is a need to communicate more widely about the project.

What is the role of Food Data Finland's management team in the development project?

The management team of the Food Data Finland project acts in the evaluation role of development project ideas. The group evaluates whether the proposed project fits the themes and goals of the program. When the management team can support the project proposal, it has a greater chance of getting a positive Business Finland funding decision. The management team does not make the funding decision itself.

If desired, the development project organization can regularly report on the progress of the project to the management team.

To what extent must the development project and its results be public?

Publicity of the results of the development project is agreed separately between the project organization and its financing parties (e.g. Business Finland). Typically, public funders require some degree of publication of results, but the details are always agreed on a case-by-case basis.