Foto: Brand Estonia
The “Food and Health” Network Connects Science and Business
- Finding the intersection between food and health
- Discovering and applying new scientific solutions
- The right partners create greater opportunities
The Food and Health network is Adapter’s thematic network that brings together researchers, companies, and development organisations with the aim of fostering more systematic and long-term collaboration in the fields of food and health, ultimately contributing to improved health and quality of life for people in Estonia.
Through the network, we aim to make research collaboration simple, fast, and practical for businesses.
Our focus areas
- Mapping the needs and opportunities within the food and health sectors
- Initiating research and development collaborations
- Preparing collaborative projects and identifying funding opportunities
- Building long-term partnerships and joint initiatives
The network is led by three leading experts representing Estonia’s universities: Mall Maasik (TalTech), Piia Pääso (Estonian University of Life Sciences), and Irina Tamme (University of Tartu).
Because food and health are closely interconnected, combining expertise from these two fields creates significant opportunities for health innovation. Areas such as functional foods, disease prevention, personalised medicine, and bioactive ingredients are just a few examples where researchers and businesses can work together to develop innovative solutions.
Who is the network for?
According to Mall Maasik, the network’s lead expert, Adapter’s Food and Health Network is designed to help companies launch research collaborations quickly and efficiently. “The network is not a conference or simply an information channel. Rather, it is a collaborative platform that brings together research institutions, companies, and experts working in the field. Whether a company reaches us through the Adapter online platform or by direct contact, we help identify the most suitable research group or scientist to discuss a product development challenge or a new idea. We also assist in finding appropriate funding opportunities where needed.”
The network is intended for companies operating in the food and health sectors that are looking to solve specific challenges, develop health-promoting technologies, products, or services, or simply have an idea but are unsure how to move forward. A scientific or applied research approach may provide the missing piece needed to transform an idea into reality.
One of Adapter’s core principles is that while individual organisations can achieve a great deal on their own, they can accomplish even more with the right partners.
How does it work in practice?
The network brings together companies and organisations from the food and health sectors, creating an environment that encourages dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. Through these interactions, valuable connections are formed, often leading to new and innovative ideas.
Every collaboration follows a clear process. First, we identify the company’s interests and challenges. Next, we work together to determine the most appropriate scientific approach and define the next steps for product or service development. Where needed, we provide guidance throughout the project and help identify suitable funding opportunities, including programmes offered by Enterprise Estonia (EIS), the Estonian Research Council (ETAG), and Horizon Europe.
What are the benefits for companies?
Keeping up with the latest scientific developments is often challenging for businesses. Companies may not be aware of all available research opportunities or know whom to approach to initiate collaboration.
This is where Adapter plays a key role. We connect companies with the right experts, help navigate funding opportunities, and support the collaboration process from the initial idea through to implementation.
We do not simply build networks – we create collaborations that bring science into business and innovation to the market.
