The joint project I3-INSHAPE, short for INnovation ecoSystem for Healthy Active People in Europe, brought together a group of experts from five European countries in Lahti, Finland, amid the sunny spring days of April 2024. The event combined intense work towards shared goals as well as networking and experience-sharing in more informal, uplifting gatherings.
From healthcare to care for health
INSHAPE (LAB 2024) aims to increase cooperation between different European countries and the sports and well-being entrepreneurs operating within them, enabling even small companies to internationalize and access European markets with their products and services. The project is working towards creating a value network and a centre of expertise, a so-called hub, among various operators that will remain active beyond the project’s end. In this way, the project strives to prevent the harm caused by inactivity throughout Europe. The project’s motto, From healthcare to care for health, encapsulates this idea concisely. (EPSI 2024.)
The project involves LAB University of Applied Sciences, Kajaani and Lapland Universities of Applied Sciences, the University of Jyväskylä, and Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd from Finland. In addition to Finland, the other participating European countries are the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Hungary. The project is funded by the European Union’s I3 funding programme.
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Clarity of thought from the sauna
The goal of the April gathering in Lahti was to refine the shared objectives and clarify the upcoming steps towards achieving those goals. First and foremost, our international guests had to experience the sauna and swimming in a frozen lake so that their minds would remain sharp throughout their visit. The joint work took place at the inspiring Malski factory, where interested parties could also tour the brewery operations of Ant Brew, currently located on the premises.
One theme was networking, first as a tool for the project itself and later as an outcome when the hubs for cooperation and shared knowledge open to the public. The business developers from Crazy Town accelerated this work. Through participatory small group sessions, the project’s strategic goals became clearer and more unified. Based on this foundation, discussions covered suitable technological solutions and platforms that could best support the resulting networks. While no final choices were made, project actors now better understand the available options.
Commercialization of sports innovations
The next day, the Commercializing Sports Innovations seminar was held at the Sibelius Hall. It was an open event on the commercialization of sports and exercise innovations, attended by nearly 100 participants. Regional developers, representatives from the City of Lahti, experts from universities and universities of applied sciences, and numerous sports and health entrepreneurs were present.
In the seminar presentations, we heard about the operations of the Lahti Sports Hub, the development of sports and exercise technology, investing, the importance of user experience, the synergy benefits of RDI and education activities, and the significance of health-promoting activities for national health and economies.
The final leg was a visit to the Ski Museum and up to the observation deck of the ski jumping tower. Although the view didn’t quite extend all the way to the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, or Hungary, the vista stretching far into the distance reminded the whole group of our shared goal: promoting well-being across a united Europe.
This article was originally published in Finnish at LAB Focus blog and you can read it here. (Link 1)
Author
Hanna Laine works as a lecturer in physiotherapy at LAB University of Applied Sciences and as an expert in the INSHAPE project.
References
EPSI. 2024. €9.5 Million for SME Innovations Promoting Healthy Lifestyles. The European Platform for Sport Innovation. Cited 18 Apr 2024. Available at https://epsi.eu/news/e9-5-million-for-sme-innovations-promoting-healthy-lifestyles/
LAB. 2024. INSHAPE, Innovation ecoSystem for Health Active People in Europe. Project. LAB University of Applied Sciences. Cited 18 Apr 2024. Available at https://lab.fi/fi/projekti/inshape-innovation-ecosystem-healthy-active-people-europe
Links
Link 1. LAB. 2024. Euroopan voimin hyvinvointia edistämässä. LAB Focus blog. LAB University of Applied Sciences. Cited 29 May 2024. Available at https://blogit.lab.fi/labfocus/euroopan-voimin-hyvinvointia-edistamassa/
![[alt-text: Project partners standing together outside in front of lake.]](https://blogit.lab.fi/labfocus/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/06/554_2024_With-cooperation-towards-more-innovative-Sports-Leisure-ecosystems-510x510.jpg)
