The VSC is a pioneering initiative designed to unify interdisciplinary work, development activities, and entrepreneurial exploration across the university.
The event brought together a diverse and energetic audience. More than 40 students from multiple study fields participated, joined by teachers, heads of research centers, senior staff members, and the Head of Teaching, showcasing broad support for SAMK’s innovation-driven direction.
Participants were introduced to the center as an incubation environment where students and staff can safely explore new ideas and push beyond their comfort zones. The goal is to lower barriers, spark curiosity, and cultivate confidence that ambitious ideas can turn into real outcomes.
They were reminded: “We aim high, shoot rockets to the stars, and believe that innovation, success, and growth are within our reach.”
The VSC has been established as a cross-cutting innovation and collaboration hub that encourages students, educators, researchers, and external partners to connect beyond traditional departmental boundaries.
Its mission is to foster a vibrant ecosystem where ideas can be freely exchanged, creative experimentation is encouraged, and interdisciplinary practices become part of everyday academic culture.
A key link to the DIVERSE University Alliance
A central strategic purpose of the Venture Science Center is to strengthen SAMK’s participation in the DIVERSE University Alliance, a European network dedicated to promoting mobility, integrated education, cross-border innovation, and student-centered development.
The VSC will act as a collaborative hub and operational bridge between SAMK and Alliance partner universities, supporting:
- Joint innovation and entrepreneurship programs
- Shared student projects, challenges, and hackathons
- Cross-institutional research pilots and development experiments
- International co-teaching and mobility opportunities
- Collaborative startup and pre-incubation pathways
By providing a dedicated space for collaboration, the VSC enhances SAMK’s capacity to contribute to, and benefit from, the Alliance’s vision of a connected, inclusive, and innovation-oriented European higher education area.
Faculty, research leaders, and students engage together
Teachers from multiple departments, research leaders, and heads of research centers actively contributed to the session, sharing their views on how the VSC can elevate teaching and applied research. They emphasized how interdisciplinary collaboration can enhance problem-solving skills, foster teamwork, promote research-integrated learning, strengthen the pathway from idea to innovation, and support student-led initiatives and startups. The combination of faculty expertise and student creativity highlighted SAMK’s strong collaborative spirit.
The presence of many international students highlighted the VSC’s role in fostering an inclusive innovation environment. The center provides space for cross-cultural ideation and entrepreneurship, supporting international students in building professional networks, understanding Finnish working life, and finding pathways into startup ecosystems and community integration.
Speakers at the event included Mikko Lehtonen (Head of Research, Resource Wisdom), Marcel van Geffen (Head of Teaching, Intelligence Industry), Mikko Pakkasela (Head of Research, Business Intelligence Center), Kimmo Viitala (Lecturer, Intelligence Industry), Ali Tavakoli (Project Manager, Resource Wisdom – Lecturer, Intelligence Industry) and Jauke Buijs (Researcher, Resource Wisdom).
A promising start with more to come
Although this event marked the informal opening of the Venture Science Center, it is only the beginning. A larger, official launch will take place on March 26, 2026, with details shared well in advance. The future celebration will highlight the center’s strategic importance, partnerships, and long-term vision within the DIVERSE Alliance.
The strong turnout, lively discussions, and shared enthusiasm at this first session demonstrate the momentum behind the initiative. The VSC is poised to become a cornerstone of SAMK’s innovation environment—a place where ideas grow, collaboration flourishes, and students and staff boldly pursue new opportunities.
Venture Science Center is a part of GT4T (Greentech for Transformation) project funded by EIT HEI (Climate KIC) supported by EU.
More information about Venture Science Center: GT4T project manager: ali.2.tavakoli@samk.fi
