Innovative Espoo
This is a city that knows how to create proteins from air. A city that maps crop growth from space. A city that turns old clothes into a new cotton-like fiber.
Espoo - leading a tide of systemic innovation
Espoo is a leading innovation hub that creates the kind of innovation the world needs. Ideas flow through our innovation community like tides, carrying the excitement of people and leading to better quality of life. We would like to invite you to learn and accomplish great things together. Espoo is for everyone, just like Europe.
42% of Helsinki Stock Exchange companies’ turnover is in Espoo.
Espoo ranks 6th in patent applications in Europe.
Nearly 60% of citizens between 25-64 years hold a higher education degree.
Espoo's dynamic innovation landscape keeps on giving
Community
Science meets education meets the city – the backbone of Espoo’s innovation community is the strategic partnership between the City of Espoo, Aalto University, and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Espoo’s innovation culture is based on radical multidisciplinary collaboration, a shared purpose, closeness and trust, and on cherishing the well-being of the people. It all boils down to a shared innovation culture: we’re not your new Silicon Valley but an innovation community based on trust and common values, well-being and a low hierarchy. In Espoo, it's not just about building an ecosystem - it’s about building a community.
Tackling global challenges and building a sustainable future
CLIMATE CHANGE / Cities are responsible for 75 percent of global CO2 emissions causing global warming and loss in biodiversity. We tackle climate change by enabling new and innovative mobility, construction and energy solutions, by supporting a sustainable lifestyle and by maintaining nature and green areas. The aim is to become carbon neutral by 2030.
DEMOGRAPHY & INEQUALITY / In Espoo, the population is estimated to grow by one third by 2045. It is also becoming more diversified in terms of backgrounds, opportunities and habits. We innovate new service solutions and platforms for dialogue to create inclusive and equal communities together with residents, companies, NGOs and partners. The aim is that no one is left behind.
DIGITALISATION / Technology is becoming part of everything. Espoo utilizes digitalization in service development and promotes inclusion of all citizens in the digital transformation. The city is offered as a test bed for development. Digital skills and the understanding of ethical and security risks are promoted. The aim is that no one is left behind.
ECONOMY / The public economy is under pressure due to increasing inequality, the climate crisis and geopolitical changes. We answer to these challenges by fueling our innovation ecosystem, by investing in the mismatch of skills and jobs, and by innovating cost-efficient services. The aim is to enable sustainable growth.
LEADING SYSTEMIC TRANSFORMATION / Espoo, if crowned Innovation Capital of Europe 2024, is committed to exchanging on our experience, lessons learned, best practices and further foster a collaborative and ambitious mindset for our best possible future. The city's approach underscores the importance of leaving no one behind and emphasizes the need for communities to learn and grow together.
Proven track record of growing world-class startups
The strength of Espoo's ecosystem lies in the deep tech sector, with key areas including microelectronics, semiconductors, 5G, sensors, quantum computing, and sustainable products and materials. VTT and Aalto University are major contributors, having produced many of Finland's deep tech startups through their collaboration. Currently, there are over 1,500 high-tech companies in Espoo, with the startup ecosystem valued at 3.8 billion euros. Approximately 100 startups are born in Espoo each year. In 2023 alone, 15 Espoo-based startups raised funding rounds exceeding one million euros. Over 95% of total startup funding in Espoo was raised by impact startups addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Espoo-based startups secured more than 1.5 billion euros in funding from 2019 to 2023.
Impactful pilot projects to develop the everyday of today and tomorrow
In Espoo, there is a sense of purpose shared by companies, schools, and its surroundings that forms the basis for all forms of collaboration: It becomes easier to create new ideas, when you share the same values. As a result, Espoo is one of the leading cities in combining technological innovations with ambitious sustainability goals with inclusive development of city services.
The Espoo Story guides our daily work
We have something we are very proud of – our strategy, the Espoo Story. Everything we do here in Espoo is rooted in that. In fact, 97% of supervisors say that the Espoo Story can be seen in their daily work (2024). It’s no secret that true impact springs from people’s own needs, and that is what we deliver: our operations are always open, democratic, and easily accessible.
The cross-administrative development programmes are cooperation platforms that allow the city, together with its partners, to develop innovative solutions through experiments and pilot projects in line with the Espoo Story. To ensure effectiveness, external funding will be applied for through national sources and EU programmes.
Sustainable Espoo is an attractive city close to nature and a safe place to live. Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Methods and tools
We collect and produce data for planning, production, and decision-making. Helsinki Region Infoshare (HRI) makes this data easily accessible to everyone, including citizens, businesses, universities, research facilities, and municipal administrations.
A sustainable city is built together with its community, not only for them. Espoo is bursting with examples of how citizens are involved in steering, driving, and benefiting from innovation and city development.
Espoo's City-as-a-Service development has resulted in the Make with Espoo toolkit, a product family of 25 co-creation methods and tools, including frameworks, handbooks, examples, and workbooks, all available in English.