Partners
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is Finland’s largest and oldest university and a major center of science and innovation. Ranked among the top 30 universities in Europe and 82nd globally (2021 Shanghai list), it comprises 11 faculties across four campuses, serving 40,000 students and 8,100 staff.
Its Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and Faculty of Pharmacy are involved in the 4InnoPipe pilot project. The university is a member of UNA Europa and is supported by innovation entities such as InnoTeam and Helsinki Innovation Services. It has received significant municipal funding to build a campus-based incubator and innovation platform.
Key ecosystem players include Terkko Health Hub, SPARK Finland, and Health Incubator Helsinki. It is also connected to national centers for drug development and VC firm Innovestor. The university has a strong track record with EU and EIT projects and will lead WP1, WP2, and WP8.
Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM)
ZSEM is the leading business university in Croatia and the wider Southeast European region. It has around 1,000 students and over 100 staff. Two departments—the Department of Finance and Accounting and the ATLANTIC Group Management, Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation Department—are supporting 4InnoPipe.
Accredited by AACSB since 2013, ZSEM has been consistently recognized for educational excellence. It is ranked among the top 200 in QS Global MBA Rankings and top 60 MBA programs in Europe. ZSEM is shifting towards innovation and entrepreneurship, collaborating with key players like Rimac-Bugatti, Infobip, ZICER, and Fil Rouge Capital.
The school’s Department of Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation is supported by Atlantic Grupa, AGRIVI, and HealthHUB. ZSEM also takes part in the Global Social Entrepreneurship Challenge and leads the Erasmus Mundus Master in Impact Entrepreneurship (EMMIE). ZSEM will support WP3.
Kyiv Academic University (KAU)
KAU is a state research university under Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education and Science. It collaborates internationally and participates in EU Horizon projects. KAU’s Innovation Center connects students with academic innovations, offering consulting, networking, educational and prototyping services.
The Innovation Center involves 13 research institutes and 400+ students. It’s backed by Kyiv city administration and international partners like Adlershof. The center collaborates with leading Ukrainian firms like Farmak and regional accelerators and VCs. KAU leads WP3 and WP5 and is also developing a Deep Tech science park focusing on AI, quantum tech, advanced materials, and more.
Reutlingen University
Reutlingen University has over 5,000 students across five faculties, including ESB Business School and Applied Chemistry. It emphasizes international cooperation and entrepreneurship through its Center for Entrepreneurship and the Reutlingen Research Institute.
This center offers extensive entrepreneurial education and hosts a national accelerator in textiles and fashion. The university partners with the City of Reutlingen and runs the regional startup ecosystem initiative “Pioniergarten.” Reutlingen University leads the training-focused WP.
Vertical
Founded in 2014, Vertical is an innovation consultancy that combines strategy and change management to help businesses adapt and grow. Their approach emphasizes strategic collaboration over solo innovation.
Services include:
- Strategy: Simplify and operationalize strategic plans
- Service Design: Enhance end-to-end customer experience with collaborative solutions
- Ways of Working: Transform internal processes to support agile, partner-focused innovation
Vertical helps organizations implement effective, collaborative innovation with clear metrics and deliverables.
