Lyckan - Future Hub for Rural Innovations
Lyckan – Future Hub for Rural Innovations is a meeting point for entrepreneurs, the creative arts sector and residents of rural areas. LyckanHub supports the development of sustainable business activities and offers tools and a network to both develop the activities and test new ideas.
The project has four themes. During the project events and workshops will be organized, and the residents, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders from Lapinjärvi and nearby towns are welcome to participate. All events will be held in Finnish. If you need help in translation, contact us and we will try to find a solution (Project manager Tanja Pöyhönen: 044 753 5314 / tanja.poyhonen@lapinjarvi.fi).
Join us to create sustainable future business in Lapinjärvi!
Below you can read more about each theme in the project. If you have any general questions about the project, please feel free to contact Tanja Pöyhönen, Project manager at Lapinjärvi municipality:
044 753 5314 / tanja.poyhonen@lapinjarvi.fi
Circular bioeconomy
The aim of circular bioeconomy is to make use of and to create new business activities by using the side streams from different kinds of industrial processes. Also restoring nutrients back to the soil as well as replacing fossile materials with bio-based materials are essential in circular bioeconomy. For example, ashes from heat production can be used as fertilizer, biogas can be produced from animal manure and textiles can be produced of pulp instead of plastic materials.
Services for companies
During summer and autumn 2022 the project team has mapped out the unused bio-based side streams in the Lapinjärvi region. There has been discussions with the companies about the utilization and techno-economic analyses of the biomasses. In the autumn workshops specialist, companies and students from Häme University of Applied Sciences and Laurea University of Applied Sciences have been co-developing products and business models based on side streams.
In the spring 2023 companies plan to pilot new products and business models based on bio-based side streams.
Contact information - Circular bioeconomy
Noora Arola
Project manager at Häme University of Applied Sciences
noora.arola@hamk.fi
Tourism in rural areas
Project Lyckan aims to develop sustainable tourism by using the strengths of rural areas: for example silence, darkness, fresh air and nature enable the visitors to explore and experience the authenticity of rural areas.
During the project, we will organize several workshops for companies in tourism and restaurant field, and for those interested in entrepreneurship in tourism.
Workshops and Piloting
In 2022, we had workshops related to the development of tourism in rural areas. In the spring workshops the focus was on food tourism and producatization in tourism. In the autumn workshops tourism products were developed by means of service design.
In Spring 2023 the piloting of tourism services will begin.
Contact information - Tourism development
Elisa Laatikainen
Project manager at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
elisa.laatikainen@haaga-helia.fi
Creative Arts and Design
The third theme of the project is to advance the collaboration among the creative arts and design sector and the business sector. This is achieved by organizing different activities with local companies during the project.
Services for companies
Company artist - a new concept
Company artist is a concept which we aim to develop and test during the project. In practice this means that an artist or anyone from the creative arts and design field works at a company for one month. The content of the work is defined by the entrepreneur and the artist. The content can be anything that the artist can provide, and that is useful for the company: it can for example be art from a side stream or waste, or it could be some graphic design material for the use of the company.
During 2022, piloting of the Company Artist concept has started in the Lapinjärvi pharmacy. The pilot will run until spring 2023.
Workshops for companies
In the beginning of 2023, workshops focusing on innovation and service design will be organized for local companies. We will use tools of development, idea creation and creative problem solving. These tools can be used in any field of business.
Building a network of creative arts and design professionals
A network of professionals within the creative arts and design field will be initiated, and it will serve as a part of the LyckanHub services. Later on, companies can contact LyckanHub or the artists and designers themselves if they’re interested in collaboration.
Are you a professional in creative arts and design? Looking for new customers or opportunities to network and create new kinds of innovations with other artists?
Contact Ville Huhtanen (visual artist and lecturer at LAB University of Applied Sciences): ville.huhtanen@lab.fi
Creative arts residency
During the project we will investigate, how a residence activity could be started in Lapinjärvi. We will develop a revenue generation model, look for empty spaces and plan the activity in practice. The professionals residing in the residence will also be a part of the LyckanHub creative arts professionals’ network.
Do you own an empty space in Lapinjärvi? Would it be suitable for the residency? Contact us and we would be happy to discuss more with you.
Contact information - Creative arts and design
Ville Huhtanen
Visual artist and lecturer at LAB University of Applied Sciences
ville.huhtanen@lab.fi
Living Lab
Lyckan aims at creating a model for rural areas which can be used to develop new kinds of services that respond to the future needs of rural areas.
Futurology and living experiments
Lyckan advances the proactiveness of companies and other stakeholders in responding to future needs. This is done by creating a future work model and by identifying those factors of livelihood that enhance future sustainable business in rural areas.
Lyckan business and community network
Lyckan network is at the core of Living Labs operations in Lapinjärvi. Lyckan brings together entrepreneurs and other actors in Lapinjärvi and the surrounding areas. You’ll meet regularly face to face and you can join the network at any time. Specialist will help you to create innovations across industry boundaries. Let’s experiment, learn and make future business together!
Lyckan meetings are held approximately once a month in the premises of local companies. At meetings there will be networking, discussion and workshops in different themes. The events are in Finnish (If needed, we will try to arrange a translation).
For further information, contact: Project manager Tanja Pöyhönen: 044 753 5314 / tanja.poyhonen@lapinjarvi.fi
Foresight workshops in Spring 2022
In Spring 2022, Laurea University of Applied Sciences arranged a series of foresight workshops together with local stakeholders. In the workshops we familiarized ourselves with existing material of futurology as well as with tools of foresight.
Living Lab
The living lab model means procedures that the municipality, entrepreneurs, creative arts professionals, residents and visitors can use in order to create functioning and practical services and experiences in a real environment.
The goal of the living lab model is to create new types of business, products and services to further enhance the growth and development of the region’s companies.
Contact information - Living lab
Emilia Risu
Project manager at Laurea University of Applied Sciences
emilia.risu@laurea.fi
Lyckan – Future Hub for Rural Innovations is a joint collaboration of the municipality of Lapinjärvi, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Häme University of Applied Sciences, LAB University of Applied Sciences and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences.
The project is funded by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council from the European Regional Development Fund, and it the execution period of the project is 1.9.2021-31.8.2023.
