The added value of the food sector can grow significantly, if things are done right

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We are publishing articles on our website from the “Vision 2040 – When Things in Finland Were Done Boldly and Without Prejudice” essay collection. Solar Foods’ Pasi Vainikka envisions that the value of food technology will grow in the future.

By 2040, the energy system will have just barely completed its part in the green transition, with carbon dioxide emissions on the decline, particularly in China. In the 2030s, food production and the restoration of ecosystems’ natural state became the central focus of global environmental policy, replacing fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions as the primary concerns.

During the 2020s, Finland became a major player in cellular agriculture relative to its size. Toward the end of the decade, the entire industry suffered globally due to the slowing industrialization of cellular agriculture. However, in Finland, industrialization succeeded through a few key projects, enabling the formation of a new industrial cluster. Finland also benefited from a stroke of luck, as it temporarily moved against the prevailing industrialization trend, allowing it to gain competitive advantages. Investments by Finnish foodtech companies—both relatively and absolutely significant—in Finland and the U.S. proved to be a key success factor. Another factor was that the existing global food industry did not take an adversarial stance toward new companies, unlike in the software sector. As a result, the development of Finland’s cluster was not hindered by the complete absence of domestic industrial private capital, nor were emerging leading companies acquired too early. The leading cluster also managed to attract skilled labor to Finland, which, in addition to top-tier expertise, provided a sufficiently large, well-targeted critical mass.

Another key competitive advantage was Finland’s lack of rigid societal hierarchy and historical traditions. The value of agricultural exports in Finland was among the lowest compared to reference countries, meaning there was little to lose. The absence of hierarchy enabled interdisciplinary R&D programs that gained ministerial-level commitment. Collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM), the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MMM), and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (TEM) led Business Finland to reintroduce industry-specific programs that brought together research, development, scaling, and business growth efforts. This system was further strengthened by merging Business Finland’s venture capital operations with TESI, the Climate Fund, and Solidium, creating a structure capable of supporting emerging companies at all stages and preventing premature foreign acquisitions.

Pasi Vainikka, Solar Foods