Tinyfarms and Accelerace: Pioneering STEM Education in the EU

Accelerace has recently invested in Tinyfarms, an innovative startup emerging from Denmark’s Technical University (DTU). This strategic move is aimed at addressing the critical shortage of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) workers in the European Union, a concern highlighted by Cedefop.

The Urgency of STEM Education: Europe’s Labor Crisis

Cedefop’s report on the labor market reveal a persistent shortage of skilled professionals in science and engineering sectors. This gap poses a significant threat to addressing global challenges, such as environmental issues. Tinyfarms, a Danish EdTech company, is stepping up to address this by fostering a passion for sciences from a young age.

Tinyfarms comes from exactly the STEM field of education, and are currently located at DTU Skylab, where they each day assemble, develop and distribute the small boxes to Danish primary schools. Co-founders Samy Tessier and Andreas Væring coupled the lack of interest in STEM subjects to the often very theoretical subject matter, and are now, along with their team and chairman David Johan Christensen, founder of Shape Robotics, looking to make education more interactive.

There is simply not enough connection between the real world as students perceive it, and the ways in which we teach them about sciences like biology – Samy Tessier, CEO at Tinyfarms.

Bridging the Gap: Making Science Real for Students

Tinyfarms strives to create a tangible connection between students’ perceptions of the real world and scientific education. Their product, the Tinyfarm, offers a hands-on approach to learning complex subjects like global warming. This controlled environment box allows students to experiment with variables like temperature, CO2 levels, light wavelengths and humidity, making theoretical concepts more relatable and understandable. It gives students ample opportunity to study the effects of e.g. a 2 degree increase in temperature.

Tinyfarms’ impact extends beyond biology. Recognizing the growing demand for programming skills, their product introduces elementary students to coding. As Andreas Væring, CTO at Tinyfarms, states: “Learning programming early is crucial for future career prospects. Tinyfarms makes this possible by enabling students to control environmental conditions within the Tinyfarm through basic block programming”

Expansion Plans: Scaling Tinyfarms’ Educational Impact

Currently implemented in 14 primary schools across Denmark, Tinyfarms plans to use Accelerace’s investment to expand its reach. The funding will support further product development, manufacturing enhancements, and the integration of Tinyfarms into more schools. The involvement of David Johan Christensen, underscores the company’s commitment to revolutionising STEM education.