From 8 to 10 June 2026, the ERC ADDI project reached an exciting milestone as all consortium members gathered in person for the first time. Hosted by our wonderful partners in Turku, Finland, the inaugural Consortium Meeting completely exceeded our expectations!

Beyond the opportunity to finally connect face-to-face, the meeting provided a deeper, multi-layered understanding of our collaborative research.

We kicked off our first day at Villa Wolax, a beautiful archipelago hotel just 30 minutes outside of Turku. Surrounded by vibrant greenery and the serene Baltic Sea, the four Principal Investigators (Maija Setälä, Umberto Grandi, Cesar Hidalgo and Ulle Endriss) leading ADDI, formally introduced the project. They outlined the three core pillars driving our research: Theoretical, Empirical, and Technological. After assigning the working groups, we wrapped up the day by immersing ourselves in authentic Finnish culture with a traditional sauna and a refreshing swim in the Baltic Sea!

The second day was held at the University of Turku, where researchers from all four sites presented current papers, experiments, and ongoing demos from our first year. This session was vital for mapping out points of synergy across our diverse work. Following our first official working group sessions, we headed into the city for the evening. We crossed paths with some members of SITRA and with the STRONG Research Group, who were also in Turku for a conference. An unforgettable night of karaoke quickly took care of any remaining shyness!

Our final day was dedicated entirely to collaborative teamwork. Groups brainstormed potential research avenues for the upcoming year, culminating in a productive wrap-up session. Together, we built a comprehensive mind map defining ADDI’s strategic objectives for 2027.

This first in-person gathering proved absolutely essential for building strong foundations for the ADDI project. We leave Finland inspired, aligned, and looking forward to our next meeting in Toulouse, France!