We spoke with Antti Aalto, Research Team Leader at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, about how fungi are shaping sustainable industries and helping startups bring innovations to market.
As a proud sponsor of the Future is Fungi Award, VTT emphasizes collaboration — much like a mycelium network, where connections strengthen the whole system. For over 80 years, VTT has been turning cutting-edge research into practical solutions, pioneering fungal biotechnology to transform how we produce food, materials, and sustainable chemicals.
Credit: VTT
Antti shared how VTT combines expertise, world-class facilities, and collaborative approaches to bridge science and industry. With over 2,000 professionals, more than 80 bioreactors, and a culture collection of 600+ fungal species, VTT helps innovations scale quickly. Spin-offs like Onego Bio and Enifer demonstrate how research can grow into viable commercial solutions. By supporting startups with tailored R&D projects, technology licensing, and high-throughput platforms, VTT is helping grow a global mycelium network that accelerates fungal innovation for a more sustainable future.
👇 Read the full interview with Antti Aalto to discover how VTT is turning fungal research into real-world solutions.
