From Lab to Market vol. 2

How to create impact out of research? How to turn your research into action? Could I, should I, commercialize my research? Do I have to leave academia, can I ever return? What does science-based entrepreneurship or academic entrepreneurship mean?

These questions among many others related to the area of science to impact are being pondered by many researchers and academics.

Join us at the second From Lab to Market event to discover three different stories from scientists turned entrepreneurs themselves: Reetta Kivelä, Aki Soudunsaari and Maija Leino! Exchange thoughts over a cup of coffee on how to create impact from research and network across disciplines and organizations.

Meet our speakers:

Maija Leino 
Co-Founder and CEO, Useless Company 
 
Before UseLess Maija worked in LUT University designing, managing and securing funding for a number of environment-related research projects. Life cycle assessment has been the common theme in all of her research and now Maija and the rest of the UseLess team helps other companies in understanding and reducing the climate impact of their operations. The process is science-based and guiding principles are transparency and repeatability. UseLess has the agility of a startup combined with the expertise of a research group. 

Reetta Kivelä 
Co-founder, Gold&Green Foods 

Reetta Kivelä is a food innovator and entrepreneur. She is a founder of Gold and Green Foods that created Pulled Oats, a national phenomenon that is now globallly distributed. 

Currently, in addition to being an entrepreneur, Kivelä works as a professor of practice of food innovations at University of Helsinki and continues developing new sustainable concepts for the global markets. 

Aki Soudunsaari 
Co-founder, Naava 

Aki Soudunsaari is a health-related serial entrepreneur, behavioral scientist, MSc in Sports & Health and PhD Candidate in Entrepreneurship. He has been shortlisted as Entrepreneur of the Year (by PWC & EY) and Young Academic Entrepreneur - and he’s also been crowned as the Finnish Champion in Startup Pitching.  

Aki is on a mission to improve people’s and the planet’s health, happiness and performance. He is passionate about human behavior, biohacking, teams, learning, leadership, and company culture. 

At From Lab to Market, Aki shares his and Naava's story from a dull marketing lecture in 2011 to doing impactful business and offering 'nature as a service' in three continents in 2020.

Program

13.00-13.05 Welcome 
13.05 -13.20 Reetta Kivelä, Gold & Green 
13.20-13.35 Aki Soudunsaari, Naava 
13.35-13.50 Maija Leino, Useless Company 
13.50-14.15 Q&A with all speakers
14.15-14.20 Opportunities in the ecosystem 
14.20-15.00 Possibility for networking

The From Lab to Market event series is organized by Aalto Ventures Program, VTT Launchpad, Aalto Startup Center and Aalto Innovation Services together with other ecosystem organizations.