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"What are we having for dinner today?"

29.09.2026
This is a question that many families grapple with. Fernanda Mardones has found an answer with MioKio: a meal planner that helps families organize meals more easily and make their daily lives less stressful. A native of Chile and a graduate of the FHV, she studied InterMedia and began to combine her professional experience, her creativity, and her life in Vorarlberg.


What brought you from Chile to Vorarlberg?

Fernanda Mardones: I came to Europe from Chile eight years ago, initially wanting to experience something new. I came to Vorarlberg through my husband, who is now my husband. I learnt German, worked in various fields and eventually began to rethink my professional path as well. Today, Vorarlberg is my home and the place where I have built my own professional future.


Why did you choose to study for a Master's degree in Design and Creative Leadership at FHV?

Fernanda: After several years of professional experience, I wanted to develop my skills further while also putting down deeper roots in Vorarlberg. Through the degree programme, I was able to build a network in Vorarlberg and discover new professional opportunities that would probably have remained out of reach without taking this step. 


How did the idea for MioKio come about during your studies?

Fernanda: It all started in the Human Ecology course taught by Ulrike Bechtold. Our task was to identify an everyday problem and develop a solution using the nudging method. I focused on a question that came up every day in my family: “What shall we have for dinner?” A year later, Thomas Metzler recognised the potential of the idea as part of the Entrepreneurial Thinking course and encouraged me to develop it further. Step by step, this led to the creation of the meal planner MioKio. 


What would you like to achieve with MioKio in the future?

Fernanda: We want to make everyday life easier for families and help them plan meals together while actively involving their children. MioKio is initially intended to reach families in Vorarlberg and then expand across the German-speaking region. In the long term, we want to show that an everyday challenge such as meal planning can also become a meaningful family moment that brings people together.

Which experiences from your studies are still with you today?

Fernanda: What has stayed with me most is the mindset of continually questioning your own hypotheses. Technology is changing, and with it, society is changing too. We need to be willing to adapt, do our research and keep getting to know our target audience. After all, we are designing for people, and these people need to remain at the centre of everything we do.


How important is creativity to you as an entrepreneur?

Fernanda: To me, creativity is a gift from God. It allows us to look at everyday situations from a different perspective and respond to problems with solutions rather than complaints. Creativity means thinking differently and bringing exactly what makes you unique to the table: first as a person, and then as an entrepreneur.


Thank you very much for the interview.     

 

Are you also interested in studying Design at FHV? Then find out now about the curriculum, career opportunities, and study options — and take your next career step. Learn more about the Bachelor’s degree programme InterMedia and the Master’s degree programme Design and Creative Leadership.      

 

About the person

Name: Fernanda Mardones
Position: Graphic designer, entrepreneur, librarian in Lochau, Spanish teacher and creative workshop facilitator for children
Degrees: Master's degree in InterMedia from FHV
Motto: I do everything I can; God does the rest.

 

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FHV-Alumna Tayla Fenkart steht vor dem MioKio Essensplaner | © Privat / Tayla Fenkart - detayle
"What are we having for dinner today?"  This is a question that many families grapple with. Fernanda Mardones has found an answer with MioKio: a meal planner that helps families organize meals more easily and make their daily lives less stressful. A native of Chile and a graduate of the FHV, she studied InterMedia and began to combine her professional experience, her creativity, and her life in Vorarlberg.
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  • #fhv latest
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Illustration einer Co-Creation-Session zwischen Eltern, Fachpersonen, Praxispartner:innen und Forschung in der sie gemeinsam an der Entwicklung des Lehrformats für Familien mit Kleinkindern arbeiten. | © KI Grafik mit Microsoft Copilot generiert
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Peter Stepanek überreicht Beate Pawle eine aus Holz gefertigte Ameise. | © ilgs.at | BNH
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