From July, 7 to 9, 2026, Paderborn University hosted a transdisciplinary exchange on sustainable solutions for the food sector as part of the COLOURS European University Alliance. Students and researchers from COLOURS partner universities in Sweden, Italy, and Poland, together with regional food initiatives and organizations, worked jointly on solutions for the “green transition” in the food sector.  

The event took place at Garage33, Paderborn University’s start-up center, in the Zukunftsquartier, bringing together participants from a wide range of disciplines and countries. The focus was on how innovations in food production can be designed frugally, i.e., in a resource-efficient way and with minimal effort. The event addressed topics including health, responsible consumption, and climate action.  

Cross-Border Collaboration  

The CoLab and Hackathon event format is characterized by its international focus. Around 30 participants, including students, researchers, representatives from the food industry, and members of voluntary initiatives, formed an international, transdisciplinary network. Representatives from Kristianstad University (HKR) in Sweden, the University of Ferrara (UNIFE) in Italy, and Jan Długosz University in Poland were on site in Paderborn to network on the topic.  

The event opened with a keynote by Britta Schattenberg from TH OWL on “Frugal Innovation and the Future of Food Startups”. The subsequent panel discussion explored and debated a range of key questions: Who decides what ends up on our plates? What factors influence our decisions about healthy eating? What role do convenience, care work, and behavioral design, for example, play in our everyday food choices? How can our diets help protect the climate? How can people learn to act sustainably when choosing food?  

Researchers, Start-ups, and Initiatives for the Regions  

Gabi Börries (Paderborn University) highlighted the connection between care work and nutrition, which is often concealed in the invisible labor involved in healthy cooking. Jens Hultmann (HKR Sweden) showed which psychological mechanisms are addressed in food shopping and how they are reflected in our purchasing decisions. Maximilian Teubert (OIKOS Paderborn) illustrated the connection between eating habits and education, and how healthy dietary choices can be promoted through awareness-raising and knowledge.  

The panel also showed that regional food systems are more than analogue alternatives to global supply chains. They not only make an important contribution to food independence but also strengthen regional identity, foster social cohesion, and offer direct local benefits. Concrete examples were provided by Rainer Pusch from Padergrün, who presented a political perspective on the framework conditions for local food production, and Davina Stiller from Solidarische Landwirtschaft Vauß-Hof eG, who illustrated the added value of community-supported agriculture for regions.  

Under the title “From Niche to Gamechanger”, international start-ups and initiatives were presented. Julia Lakirdakis-Stefanou, together with her Greek business partner Evangelos Krysafoudis, presented Pangaea olive oil and the Agriston oil mill, where the olives are processed. Anton Ballmair, representing Food sharing Münster, showed how communities can act as food rescuers. The Ferrara-based start-up Crab Control presented its solution for bringing the invasive blue crab found along Italy’s coasts into regional gastronomy.  

Challenges from the OWL Region  

Rather than focusing on the rapid provision of ready-made solutions, the exchange primarily served to provide a theoretical foundation and develop scenarios for transforming the food system into the regional context of OWL. A core component of the hackathon was engagement with specific challenges faced by regional stakeholders. In facilitated workshops, participants connected the theoretical approaches from the panel discussion with the real-world needs of local organizations. Two organizations from the OWL region presented their current challenges:  

The non-profit cooperative SoLawi Vauß-Hof in Salzkotten-Scharmede supplies 120 families each week with regional, organically grown vegetables, is committed to climate and environmental protection, and is run largely by volunteers. The challenge was to develop concepts for recruiting members and stabilizing the cooperative in the long term.  

As both a producer and a regional importer specializing in fair trade in the olive oil sector, Pangaea Olivenöl stands for sustainable consumption in retail and gastronomy. The task was to develop strategies for more effective communication and market positioning.  

From the local community-supported cooperative SoLawi Vauß-Hof to Pangaea Olivenöl’s international value chain rooted in OWL, the event demonstrated not only the breadth of the topic addressed but also the creativity behind a wide range of possible solutions.  

The OWL Start-up Ecosystem  

As part of the event, participants had the opportunity to get to know the OWL start-up ecosystem in the food sector. In addition to an introduction to Garage33’s events and services as Paderborn University’s start-up center, an excursion to the Tomorrow Eats Festival on the TH OWL campus in Lemgo took place on 9 July. There, participants had the opportunity to connect with local food start-ups and learn more about the work of Campus Foundery OWL.  

During the field study at Tomorrow Eats, participants were able to discover current trends and market developments, and compare the theoretical debates, the challenges faced by regional food organizations, and the solutions developed during the hackathon with existing best practices from the start-up scene.  

CoLabs and Hackathons at Paderborn University  

The CoLab and hackathon event format, which connects regional companies and initiatives with international researchers from the COLOURS European University Alliance, takes place twice a year at Paderborn University. The next event will be held at UPB in autumn 2026 and will develop solutions for sustainable housing for students and other target groups. Participation is open to anyone who registers. Interested individuals can contact Dr. Christine Hante-Koch (cmhk@mail.uni-paderborn.de) or Dr. Alena Diedrich (alena.diedrich@uni-paderborn.de).