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6Aika strategy

Espoo participated in the 6Aika strategy, the sustainable urban development programme of the six largest cities in Finland, 2014-2022. The aim of the strategy was to build cooperation between cities, partners and residents on themes that are central to cities. These included climate change, circular economy, mobility, well-being, learning and employment.

The strategy has been implemented in 60 projects with the common idea of cities as experimentation and development environments. Cities have a clear role in these projects as enablers, creators of development environments and builders of networks. Companies bring their ideas, products and services to the table and have the opportunity to further develop them with real users. Residents get to contribute to the development of services that concern them.

At national level, thousands of companies and residents as well as hundreds of urban developers have participated in the 6Aika project. Universities, other educational institutions and research institutes have played an important role in linking learning and research to practice.

The 6Aika strategy ended in the summer of 2022. The 6Aika strategy is part of the implementation of Finland’s structural funds programme Sustainable growth and jobs 2014–2020. The strategy and its projects were funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the six cities, other project promoters and the State of Finland.

The City of Espoo has been involved in the following 6Aika projects

Financed by the European Regional Development Fund:

  • Open innovation platforms
  • Open participation and customership
  • Open data and interfaces
  • Low-carbon mobility in transport hubs
  • Intelligent learning environments for the future
  • Ecosystems of Growth
  • Energy Wise Cities
  • Carbon-neutral and resource-wise industrial areas
  • Partnership model for sustainable neighbourhoods
  • All the Way
  • CarbonWise

Financed by the European Social Fund:

  • DuuniPolku
  • DigiPore
  • DigiPoint

Additional information