Student, sign up for Flavoria Innovation Festival 2025
Flavoria Innovation Festival, the most exciting event and course of the autumn, comes again on November 10–14, 2025. In addition to sustainability and circular economy, this year’s focus is on fish industry innovations. Participants can expect an intensive but rewarding week working on interesting company challenges provided by five fish companies. But that’s not all – this year’s prize pool also includes a study trip to Japan, supported by the Sasakawa Foundation, as well as other recognition awards!
Innovation Festival is organized as part of the “WiseFood – resource wise food chains” project and the Fish Marketing and Quality Development Program, both co-funded by the European Union.
What is Flavoria Innovation Festival?
Flavoria Innovation Festival is a week-long innovation event, organized on November 10–14, 2025, during which multidisciplinary student teams solve real company challenges.
This year’s amazing challenges are all related to fish industry, with a focus on sustainability, circular economy, product development, marketing and export. The challenges are presented by Kalaneuvos, Hätälä, Järki Särki, Kalavapriikki and Turku Market Hall fish companies S. Wallin and Herkkunuotta.
The language of the week is English, and we warmly welcome students from different universities and schools to participate. Working hours during the week (from Mon to Fri) are approximately from 12 to 5 PM. Additionally, on October 21, 2025, we organize a compulsory orientation event (3-4 hours). There will also be a pre-assignment that has to be handed in before the week.
Why should you participate?
- Motivating company challenges
- Possibility to network with fellow students and company representatives
- Feedback and sparring from experts
- Design Sprint method
- 2–5 ECTS; read more about the course in the Study Guide
Read more about the Innovation Festival
How to enroll on the course?
When enrolling, you have the chance to place the challenges in your favorite order. We try to form the groups based on primary wishes. The enrollment period ends on October 12, 2025.
University of Turku students
University of Turku students enroll on the course in the Peppi Study System. Sign in to the Student’s Desktop and write the course name “MEDV1020” in the Search for courses field at the top of the page. Enroll on the course and answer all mandatory questions.
Please note: If you completed the course already last year but you would like to participate again, please contact us at flavoria@utu.fi.
Students from other universities or schools
Enroll on the course in Konsta and answer all questions. In order to enroll students from other universities or schools on this course, we need to collect your personal details, so please answer carefully.
If you have any questions about the course or enrolling, please contact us at flavoria@utu.fi.
How to apply for the trip to Japan?
This year, the participants of the Flavoria Innovation Festival have an amazing opportunity to apply for a sustainability and circular economy related study trip to Japan, organized and sponsored by the University of Turku, City of Turku and Sasakawa Foundation. The trip is in November-December 2025 (most likely Nov 29 – Dec 6) and the destinations are Tottori and Obuse.
The students (2 people), who get to travel to Japan, are selected right after the Innovation Festival week, and the decisions are made based on a motivation letter and personal performance during the week. Both the festival and the trip accumulate ECTS credits (2 + 2).
Additionally, we hand out three summer festival ticket packages in recognition of excellent work done during the week!
This is how you apply:
- Sign up for the Innovation Festival through the links above.
- Write a motivation letter (max one A4) where you state the following:
– Why do you want to travel to Japan?
– What is your relationship to circular economy?
– Do you commit to participate in Flavoria Innovation Festival in November?
– Are you ready to travel to Japan in Nov-Dec 2025 and commit to the program organized there?
– Your contact details and study background - Send your letter to us at flavoria@utu.fi by October 31, 2025, with subject line ”WiseFood / Japan 2025”.
Additional information about the trip
Participants of the Flavoria Innovation Festival can apply for the study trip to Japan. By sending us your application, you commit to the trip if you are chosen. If you would like to withdraw your application, please inform us by October 31, 2025 by email. If you are chosen for the trip, cancellation is possible only for health or other compelling reasons.
The University of Turku and City of Turku are responsible for organizing the trip, and more detailed program will be announced during autumn. Students themselves need to check whether they need a visa to Japan (Finnish citizens don’t need a visa if the duration of the trip is under 3 months). City of Turku can assist with visa-related questions.
Please note that the study trip is a recognition award which is taxable income for the receiver. Therefore, the university is obliged to inform the tax authorities in Finland.
