Learnings, challenges & limitations

Learnings

Our approach was a test in which we hoped to unite our approaches and learnings from research, educational and business programs, including those like Redbull Basement, the Circular Maker Academy for the H2020 Project Pop Machina and FabAcademy. Like is often the case in the prototype of a program, what we had hoped to achieve and what we ended up achieving were different, even though we were still happy with the results. Below, you can find some of the key learnings from the program. Some of these key learnings, like the reality of open source in food tech, are expanded in other sections of the GitBook.

• The program allowed us to explore how Fab Labs can be spaces to create and promote food technology and why Fab Labs should be involved in food tech. Hint: we can be makers of our food system.

• Food Tech 3.0 is expanding the narrative around what food technology can look like, how it can be made and who can make it. Participation in the program contributed to innovators expanding their understanding of what food technology is and people outside the program had a similar experience after exposure to Food Tech’s tenets and the participating projects.

• Being part of a group of initiatives that shared an overarching goal to improve and change the current food system inspired and created support for the innovators. While online encounters helped achieve this, presencial meetups are essential to enhance collaboration between innovators (an online platform still doesn’t take the place of impromptu conversations over a coffee).

• There are many questions still to be answered on the integration of open-source into food technology initiatives: deciding what should be open source, how it should be shared, and when to share the information

Challenges & Limitations

There were three groups of main challenges that we explored throughout the program and which helped us create a set of recommendations for future program iterations or for other Fab Labs or food spaces that are interested in attempting a similar process. They are: innovator profiles & selection; expectation creation & management; and the role of a Fab Lab in accelerating food technology.

Innovator profiles & selection

Who do you select to participate in a program? How do you select them? This all depends on the aim of your program and capacity of your team.

In our case, our team prioritized the selection of innovators that matched with the tenets that we had established for Food Tech 3.0. We also emphasized we wanted at least 50% of innovators to be women, nonbinary or people of dissident genders. We set out to choose innovators that had at least a technological readiness level of 4.

In the end, we chose innovators that were at different stages of development. While we acknowledged the potential challenge of doing this, we also thought that this could be a benefit: we hoped that innovators might be able to exchange knowledge with one another and because some of the more advanced innovations were new to the Fab Lab Barcelona ecosystem and therefore would be exposed to brand new content that might assist them in another ways.

If we were to repeat the program, we would choose innovators in similar stages of development. Providing the resources and content that met the needs of the majority of innovators was difficult when they were in such different phases.

Recommendations

• Select innovators that are at similar stages of development (i.e. incubation vs. acceleration) or with similar readiness levels (however it is that you choose to measure that). If you do not, understand very clearly why you're opting not to and the potential opportunities and challenges it might bring.

• When working with initiatives that have a past relationship with your team, it's essential to establish what stays the same and what is different (i.e. ways of working, access to resources, etc.) between their participation in past moments and in this new program. This also directly relates to expectation creation and management (see below).

Expectation Creation & Management

Establishing and maintaining expectations of the knowledge and tools the program and our team could offer during the program was one of the greatest challenges we faced during the program.

Part of this challenge connects to the fact that this program was a prototype, our first effort at establishing an acceleration program. While we drew on our past experiences with a variety of academic (Fab Academy, Masters in Design for Emergent Futures), research (Circular Maker Academy for Pop Machina) and business (Red Bull Basement) programs, as a Lab, we had not attempted a program like this before. In the end, we would not likely run the same program again, but a version which would focus on different pathways (i.e. environmental regeneration, collaboration and technology). Business support would be offered purely through externals, as was originally envisioned for this program, or would not be addressed at all.

Innovators also came to, and participated in, the program with their own expectations in mind: on what they expected to learn, the type of the support they would receive and what they would take away from the program. Innovator expectations were not always based on information that our team shared and seemed to be influenced by factors like: their knowledge of or experience in other incubation or acceleration programs; if they had worked with Fab Lab Barcelona in the past; or the innovators own expectations of themselves.

Recommendations

• Before the program (i.e. during the application process)

  • In the application itself, clearly define each of the program phases and include the proposed objectives and outcomes to give a realistic picture of what participants can expect to get out of the program. Our program did not imagine it would solve all of innovator's challenges and while we communicated this in the application, clearly defining each of the phases before innovators began to engage with the program may have helped with establishing expectations from the onset.

  • Ask innovators to identify their expectations on how their participation in the program will impact them. Your team can use this information to help identify candidates that might fit with your program's approach and you can always check these expectations with innovators during follow-up interviews (if that is part of your selection process).

• During the program

  • At the very start of the program, clearly establish again what your team offers and is capable of. Ask for innovators to re-identify their expectations. For those that don't match with the capacity of the program, look for ways to positively support innovator goals while explaining directly that some may not be in line with the program.

  • Regardless of how many times you have mentioned the program's capabilities, you will likely have to repeat them throughout the course of the program.

  • In each (weekly) session, include clear objectives and expected outcomes at the start and how the session itself fits into the phase of the program.

• Following the program

  • Be clear about the potential need for follow-up as well as opportunities to engage

  • Be selective about when follow-up contact happens: innovators are incredibly busy

The role of a Fab Lab (or makerspace) in accelerating food technology

During this program, we took on the role of incubator and accelerator. However, through the program, we realized that our strong suit is incubation-- not acceleration-- and that’s completely fine. Our skill set lies in taking an idea to an initial prototype and conducting community testing. We also work well in teaching about values and principles that we believe should guide the design process.

If we were to approach this program again, we’d likely focus on different tracks for incubation, for example community, technology and environmental regeneration.

Recommendations

• If you choose to launch an incubation program, focus on what you already do best. If your makerspace’s specialities are tech development and circular practices, awesome! That’s what your tracks should be. It’s better to have people have to ask about your tracks as opposed to trying to do what others are doing.

• Make your goals attainable. Focusing upskilling innovators based around what you do best as well as your existing activities and narrative can help. Choose realistic goals for innovators to help them manage their expectations as well.

• Consider whether your space is equipped to produce or only prototype. Make sure to recognize the limitations of your space and what you’re able to offer and to communicate that accordingly.

• If you are working with innovators who work directly with food, you may need to learn more about food safety. For example, what sorts of materials are food safe? Check with local experts or existing food innovators that may be able to help.

• Depending on your Fab Lab or makerspace set up, you might have all sorts of people working in the space. When leading a specific program to support innovators, make sure to set clear guidelines for when and how the makerspace can be used. For example, coordinating a calendar to show innovators when they might expect to be supported to use the space’s machines. Make sure this schedule coincides with your support staff’s availability.