Grassroots maps Minimum Viable Ecosystems around startups in the agrofood sector. Together with these startups and partners, we investigate how these ecosystems generate societal impact within the food transition, where they get stuck, and where new perspectives are needed to increase the impact they create. By reaching out to the creative industry, we want to involve partners who can contribute fresh ideas and innovative design approaches that help these startups and their ecosystems move forward and support system change.
On February 16, from 15:00–16:30, we will host the Grassroots webinar, where we will explain the Grassroots project, provide more background on what a Minimum Viable Ecosystem is, and present three agri-food startups and their challenges. We will conclude the webinar with a Q&A, where we can answer your questions about the project, the MVE’s, and how you can get involved, and explore together how design can drive the food transition forward.
What are MVEs?
A Minimum Viable Ecosystem (MVE) is the smallest possible configuration of actors, activities, and relationships in which value is created for everyone involved. In an MVE, parties work together toward a shared mission without any single party extracting value disproportionately. It’s a workable structure that provides space to experiment, learn, and grow toward a broader, sustainable ecosystem.
Why we need creatives / designers
The food transition requires more than technical innovation alone. We need creative thinking power to tell new stories, shape collaborations, and redesign systems. Designers and creatives can contribute fresh perspectives and design approaches that help impact driven startups move forward and support system change—from narrative development and visual identity to designing processes and collaboration models.
The MVEs we’re developing
Within Grassroots, we will be working on three MVEs contributing to the food transition with the working titles:
During the period of two years, Grassroots will follow three startups, each contributing to the food transition in its own way:
