Vibrant mobility services development in Helsinki – SOLMU Showroom opened its doors for companies to test services
The SOLMU Showroom offers innovative companies an opportunity to demonstrate and test services in one of the main transport hubs, the Mall of Tripla in Pasila.
Helsinki is coordinating the joint SOLMU project in the capital region, whose main objectives include promoting service development of mobility companies. Development focuses on transport hubs. The aim of the new services is to make the use of public transport and travel chains more attractive and to improve accessibility.
“One of the project’s main activities is the SOLMU Showroom at the Mall of Tripla. SMEs present and test their smart mobility and sustainable transport innovations there. To date the Showroom has hosted companies that provide, for example, route guidance, ridesharing, weather information for cyclists and other services that support public transport,” says project manager Jari Honkonen from Business Helsinki.
Talks with the shopping centre
The SOLMU Showroom gave Digiole the opportunity to test the Talking Venue service. Customers downloaded the service via QR codes in the shopping centre and then engaged with the venue through it.
“Customers had many guidance related questions. They also wondered where they could find, for example, food that suited their tastes. The shopping centre gained first-hand insight into customer needs, which can lead to concrete improvements quite quickly,” says Óscar Ramírez Muñoz, CEO of Digiole.
The Showroom will continue at the Mall of Tripla with companies until the end of March. Some weeks are still available, so interested companies should register via the project partner Forum Virium Helsinki’s website (the link in Finnish). In May, SOLMU will participate in the ‘Sustainable on the Road’ theme month in Otaniemi, Espoo, the project’s partner city. The project activities will continue until the end of the year.
Finnish companies heading to Intertraffic
Helsinki is also supporting companies’ internationalisation through SOLMU. This spring SOLMU will take companies to the Intertraffic mobility event to sell their services and establish new contacts. Companies are offered a place in the Nordic+ pavilion in cooperation with ITS Finland. The major transport and mobility event Intertraffic will be held in Amsterdam on 10–13 March. Interested companies should register by 23 January.
“Even if a company couldn’t travel with us to Amsterdam, it is still worth expressing interest. We will compile marketing materials from potential companies and, in any case, present their services at the stand on their behalf,” Honkonen promises.
