A journey into the world of innovative solutions – Helsinki at the international Smart City Expo
Business Helsinki traveled with six enthusiastic Finnish companies to the world’s largest and most influential innovation event. Together with two other Nordic capitals, we showcased our activities to those interested in sustainable urban solutions. What lessons did we bring back as souvenirs?
The Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona has provided cities around the world with the opportunity to collaborate, develop innovation activities, and network in the field of urban innovations every year since 2011. The City of Helsinki was featured at the Nordic Capitals stand together with Stockholm and Oslo. We wanted to showcase Finnish excellence and the offerings of our Testbed Helsinki platform, and in order to do so, we invited representatives from six innovative companies to join us. Our program was built around three main themes:
1) circular economy in construction,
2) sustainable energy production and energy efficiency in buildings, and
3) green infrastructure.
Strong Nordic cooperation
We attended the Smart City Expo World Congress as a united Nordic front with Oslo and Stockholm. At the Nordic Capitals stand, visitors were introduced to the innovation services and testbed platform activities of the three cities. During our Nordic Fika sessions, discussions were held on the green transition and innovations from the perspective of Nordic cooperation. Interesting topics and delicious cinnamon buns filled the stand with listeners and coffee drinkers.
– Cooperation with Oslo and Stockholm at our Nordic Capitals stand was meaningful and very smooth. This event has strengthened our bond and created a good foundation for Nordic cooperation in the future as well, praises Paula Miettinen, Head of Business Services at Business Helsinki.
It was great to participate in the Expo with the Helsinki team, and the Nordics&Baltics joint stand provided an excellent platform for diverse networking. The content of the Expo and the feedback we received exceeded our expectations!
Hilda Rantanen, Materialisting
Participating in the Nordic capitals’ stand gave a good opportunity to network with Nordic actors and cities. As part of the Helsinki delegation, we were able to engage in discussions directly with the right people.
Oula Harjula, Innogreen
The Nordics&Baltics cooperation was smooth and crowned the event’s offerings. The desire to build a more sustainable future united everyone, and the shared discussions brought new perspectives and opportunities to QHeat.
Erika Salmenvaara, QHeat
Networking and new opportunities
We were accompanied to the Expo by six innovative Finnish companies: EcoUp, Innogreen, Make a BIM, Materialisting, Parkly ja QHeat. These companies were already known for their involvement in Business Helsinki’s testbed platform and innovation activities, as well as their innovative solutions related to green infrastructure, circular economy in construction, and building energy efficiency.
At the Smart City Expo World Congress, we proudly showcased the activities of the participating companies and, through them, our testbed platform. The companies presented their solutions at the Nordic Capitals stand, participated in discussions on the Nordics & the Baltics stage, and networked with representatives from various cities and companies. It was easy and natural to network with those working towards the same goals, and the companies found promising business contacts.
This was a great opportunity for us to meet international clients. For example, we connected with the world’s largest real estate company and found about 20 other target customers who want to try our solution. We also learned about market needs, which will guide our further development. So, a very useful expo!
Leo Salomaa, Make a BIM
It has been great to be involved with Helsinki, it has opened the right doors with concrete cooperation partners. We have gained a significant number of contacts, all of which have potential for commercial cooperation.
Saara Hakamaa, EcoUp
QHeat had the opportunity to present itself in several contexts and to a wide international audience. From these opportunities, we gained a lot of new contacts and market understanding for internationalization.
Erika Salmenvaara, QHeat
Participating in the Smart City Expo was a great opportunity to showcase our activities and expand our networks. We are looking for more country-specific partners and distributors, and our participation in the event advanced this goal.
Päivi Raivio, Parkly
Circular economy in construction inspired
One of the most intriguing themes at the Expo was circular economy in construction, which is also an important part of Business Helsinki’s testbed platform activities.
– It was great to see that we are on the right track in developing the circular economy in construction. In Helsinki’s circular economy cluster program, we are working hard towards the same goals that were discussed in the high-level program at the Expo. Innovation actors around the world are very interested in the circular economy in construction, and we all want to learn more together. Through the event, we initiated many concrete collaborations, rejoices Mira Jarkko, project manager of Helsinki’s circular economy cluster program.
Helsinki’s expertise in the circular economy in construction was evident, for example, in the panel discussion “Be Smart: Rethink, Don’t Build?” led by Jarkko, which attracted a large audience.
– The atmosphere has been positive and enthusiastic. Visitors have been very interested in what the city of Helsinki has to offer and what ideas it has regarding innovation activities, says Kimmo Heinonen, Team Lead of Innovation Services at the City of Helsinki.
This collaboration also serves as an example for other cities of the courage to move forward with innovative climate solutions.
Saara Hakamaa, EcoUp
Barcelona as a city is a source of inspiration: we saw city-led, large-scale projects related to street transformations, to which our solutions also apply. I believe that in the future, the expo will increasingly focus on nature-based and concretely city-improving solutions.
Päivi Raivio, Parkly
Encouraged by the extremely positive feedback we received from companies, the excellent Nordic cooperation, and the new trends in urban innovations, we will continue to strive to address global challenges with innovative solutions.
