Name: VIA 2026 Collaborative Playground with Crazy Town
Start: 2026-10-26T08:30:00.000+02:00
End: 2026-10-26T11:30:00.000+02:00
Location: Clarion Hotel Helsinki Airport

Vantaa Industry Activator is a permanent innovation infrastructure initiative developed by G-Gravity in partnership with the City of Vantaa.

VIA Vantaa Industry Activator

VIA Vantaa Industrial & Innovation Activator and Crazy Town present:

What could your company achieve with access to capabilities, technologies and knowledge beyond its own team and by leveraging on the Ecosystem?

Collaborative Playground · Vantaa Industry Activator × Crazy Town · Business Vantaa Week

What makes collaboration between established companies, young B2B solution providers and research worth the time?

Finnish companies have strong capabilities. Collaboration can help turn them into growth. Yet only one in four SMEs undertakes R&D, just 3% of the others plan to start, and 13% collaborate with research institutions (Finnish SME Barometer, autumn 2026).

 explores what makes a first collaboration worth testing, for established companies seeking solutions, young B2B providers seeking customers, and researchers seeking business partners.

Through concrete cases and open discussion, participants share how collaborations began, what helped them progress and what they learned. Together, we explore when R&D pays back and what makes a pilot succeed.

 Leaders of SMEs and mid-size Companies, early-stage B2B Founders, and Academic and Research teams working with industry.

Opening · Innovation and Growth through Collaboration

How can science connect more effectively with the market and help companies innovate? Explore the Research-to-Business journey through the experience of 

 Anu Meerwaldt, Business Developer, Veripalvelu,  Finnish Red Cross Blood Service

 Jussi Oivukkamaki, VIA Ecosystem Director, and Laura Gatti, Partner, G-Gravity

Session 2 · Venture Clienting and Open Innovation through Ecosystems

How can companies work with startups to advance innovation and growth? Practical perspectives on venture clienting and ecosystem collaboration, drawing on 

 Oona Sulkunen, EriCa Ecosystem Lead, and Sunil Singh, Wellmatix

Reflect on the discussion, connect with participants and explore opportunities for further conversations.

VIA 2026 Collaborative Playground with Crazy Town

G-Gravity Innovation Hub

Crazy Town

Supporters enjoy priority access to VIA sessions, first notice on new dates, and preferential rates on activities and affiliation options ahead.