EdTech

EdTech company, join us and kick-start your development activities! We enable the development and testing of smart innovations in Helsinki’s primary schools, upper secondary schools, and other learning environments.

Helsinki’s Learning Environments as a Test Platform

Finland is known for its world-class education. We have highly competent teachers who have the best knowledge of the everyday practicalities of teaching. Helsinki assists innovative EdTech companies by providing the possibility to incorporate the teachers’ vast potential into companies’ product development processes. As a city, we facilitate the cooperation of companies and schools in a whole new way.

We offer companies operating models that provide an easy and hassle-free way to start testing activities. Experiments can be related to educational technologies, but we also facilitate other than purely technology-focused, innovative experimentation. Read more about our recent activities from the News section below.

What do the test platform activities offer to EdTech companies?

We warmly welcome companies of different sizes and in different stages of the development process to participate in the testbed activities. We particularly encourage companies that provide novelty value or valuable information for the development of teaching and learning to join. We also offer the opportunity to test the suitability of products or services in the education sector – even in cases where the company has not previously operated in the area of education. Upon completion of the tests, all companies receive a reference, which can be utilised as part of the company’s own marketing activities. Cooperation with the teachers of Helsinki also offers credibility for the product internationally.

To whom are the solutions developed for?

The target groups for the pilots vary from learners, teachers, other school staff, staff from other sites, custodians of students, and city specialists. 

Photo: Jussi Hellsten

Different tests according to company needs

We have developed different models for implementing testing activities. Many of our testbed activities are carried out as a part of the “Resourceful Sharing: Innovative and co-usable learning environments (JAVIST)” project, which is co-funded by the European Union. Click on the titles below to learn more about our different models. 

We warmly welcome companies to cooperate with us!

News

Aikamatka Suomenlinnaan (‘Time Travel to Suomenlinna’) mobile game teaches history of World Heritage Site in an inspiring manner

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Suomenlinna is a cultural treasure of Helsinki. As a result of the City of Helsinki’s innovation challenge, Suomenlinna sea fortress has received its first augmented reality mobile game for the enjoyment of visitors. The new Aikamatka Suomenlinnaan game brings a new dimension to trips to Suomenlinna.

Korkeasaari Zoo got an AR game developed together with schoolchildren

An innovation experiment by the City of Helsinki and the Korkeasaari Zoo produced a learning game called Sademetsän henki (Spirit of the Rainforest) for the Amazonia house. The interactive game is designed for schoolchildren and other visitors to Korkeasaari Zoo to enrich the visit. With immersive content, the narrative game diversifies the visitor experience and illustrates the layered nature and species diversity of rainforests. The visual user experience brings rainforests closer to Korkeasaari Zoo visitors.

Innovation competition: Ethical AI in Learning

The City of Helsinki invites companies to develop ethical artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to support personalised learning processes and individualised learning materials. Helsinki is in the global forefront of developing innovations for the education sector. In 2016, Helsinki was the first capital in the world to create a digitalisation strategy for learning, and the City is also a global pioneer in innovations and equality related to learning.

Ten teams have started in the first incubation programme for education technology

EdTech Incubator Helsinki is the first business incubator in Finland to focus on supporting young start-ups in education technology. It started operating in early November.

Zoan to introduce a virtual learning experience to Korkeasaari Zoo

The City of Helsinki and Korkeasaari Zoo have chosen virtual studio Zoan to develop XR content for the rainforest section of the zoo’s two tropical houses. Korkeasaari Zoo wants to tap into the potential of virtual reality technology to grow its user experience, especially through the building of an interactive learning path for school groups. The collaborative project brings together experts from different fields to build an integrated and inspiring learning environment.

New energy for teaching music

The Digital School of Arts wanted to test and co-develop its new teaching materials in comprehensive education, and the testing platform of Helsinki provided an excellent opportunity for this. The Digital School of Arts is a new digital platform for art education online. It is based on course content in video format, which was tested by teachers of primary schools.

Want to hear more?

  • Marjo Kenttälä

  • Project Manager
    Resourceful Sharing: Innovative and co-usable learning environments
    City of Helsinki
    Business Helsinki, Innovation services

  • Antti Värtö

  • Project Specialist
    Resourceful Sharing: Innovative and co-usable learning environments
    City of Helsinki
    Business Helsinki, Innovation services

  • Severi Tonttila

  • Project Specialist
    Resourceful Sharing: Innovative and co-usable learning environments
    City of Helsinki
    Business Helsinki, Innovation services