Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe program, SIXFOLD has spent the past two years strengthening the capabilities of food tech living labs across Europe, connecting stakeholders, removing barriers to innovation, and laying the groundwork for sustainable European networks. Six partner organizations from Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and Lithuania have jointly demonstrated the potential of living labs as drivers of food tech innovation—and how they can support SMEs, startups, and researchers in turning ideas into concrete, scalable solutions.
The project is now entering its final phase, and we cordially invite the community to our closing conference:
Food Tech Innovations: Connecting Europe’s Living Labs, taking place on September 22 and 23, 2026, in the heart of one of the Netherlands’ leading agricultural and food regions.
The two-day event provides a space to reflect on the results of the SIXFOLD partnership, share insights from the living labs, and discuss together how the resulting networks can be further developed beyond the project’s duration. At the same time, it is also an occasion to celebrate—the partnerships we’ve built, the challenges we’ve overcome, and the new organizations joining our European community.
Day 1 at the Fletcher Hotel in Helmond brings the networks together for presentations, a Living Labs gallery tour, and a panel discussion on the joint action plan. We will also officially welcome new members who are joining the networks via letters of intent. The day concludes with networking drinks and a group dinner.
Day 2 takes participants into the field: visits are planned to Bodec in Helmond and the QING Food Automation Living Lab at the Chocolate Factory in Veghel—two vivid examples of food tech innovations in the Brainport region.
We expect 60 to 70 participants from across Europe—including living lab managers, food tech companies, researchers, cluster organizations, and policymakers. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or are just getting to know the SIXFOLD networks: This is your chance to network, learn from one another, and shape the future together.
📅 September 22–23, 2026
📍 Helmond & Veghel, Netherlands
🔗 Register here: forms.gle/z8VZAGgVQrXZ32WK8
We look forward to welcoming you.