The Goldilocks city – Smart city piloting in Helsinki
When it comes to smart city piloting, Helsinki hits a sweet spot: big enough to run meaningful tests at scale, yet compact enough for fast progress through open collaboration.
Smart city solutions aren’t loud or flashy here—they’re quietly woven into everyday life. Children use the latest technology in schools, for example, and neighbourhoods function as living labs where residents co-create and test urban solutions.
Why do global companies choose Helsinki for smart city piloting?
Here’s why R&D-driven scale-ups looking at smart solution piloting in the Nordics often start in Helsinki.
An open, flat ecosystem for collaboration
At the heart of Helsinki’s innovation ecosystem is the public–private–people partnership model. This means research collaboration in Helsinki flows naturally between universities, companies, municipalities, and residents.
“We are a very flat society, so it’s natural and easy to talk to higher-ranked professionals,” explains Sonja Malin, Senior Advisor of Investment Promotion at Helsinki Partners. “People are open and willing to build things together and make them work better for citizens.”
This openness is shaped by deep social trust and a long tradition of testing and iteration, influenced by Nokia’s legacy. In practice, it means:
- Easy access to decision-makers
- Quick introductions to potential research partners and clients
- Co-creation with residents who are ready to test real-world solutions
Whether for quantum computing, AI research, or healthtech innovations, collaboration in Helsinki begins with shared curiosity and a forward-looking mindset.
City-sized testbed with ready-made infrastructure
When piloting smart city solutions in Helsinki, you don’t need to spend time building a foundation. The city’s digital and physical infrastructure is already open for testing, which dramatically reduces the upfront investment needed for R&D.
Helsinki’s size works in your favour, too. “You have enough people here to test your solution, but you also have flat hierarchies,” says Sonja. “It’s an ideal combination.”
Plus, the city’s walkable layout means you can easily move from a pilot site to a partner meeting to a research lab—all before lunch. This accessibility reflects Helsinki’s core philosophy: “The city is built for citizens, with the citizens. That’s been the secret sauce for Helsinki’s success in the smart city field,” says Sonja.
What makes Helsinki unique is how everything comes together in a compact, well-functioning, secure, and engaging city for testing and scaling new solutions.
Work-life balance fuels high-performance
When you get to know Helsinki, it may surprise you that long summer holidays and a strong focus on wellbeing coexist with world-leading innovation metrics. Finland has ranked as the world’s happiest country for years, while also placing in the top 10 of the Global Innovation Index.
It’s proof that work-life balance and high performance go hand in hand. “This is a place where you can have it all,” says Sonja. “You can enjoy the company of your family and be very ambitious in your work.”
Companies building R&D in Helsinki get access to highly skilled tech professionals who bring fresh thinking and sustained creativity because they’re not running on empty.
How can you get started with smart city piloting in Helsinki?
Your entry point: Helsinki Partners
Expanding your business to Helsinki doesn’t mean figuring everything out on your own. Helsinki Partners is your gateway, providing sector-specific business intelligence, strategic connections, and tailored guidance.
“We also take you to sauna because being a business founder or corporate member in Helsinki isn’t all about business—the balance matters,” adds Sonja.
For companies ready to dive deeper, business programs in Helsinki offer the insights and connections you need to make informed decisions about expanding R&D operations in Helsinki.
Connect with Testbed Helsinki & Forum Virium
These two organisations form the backbone of Helsinki’s piloting infrastructure:
Testbed Helsinki is the city’s one-stop shop for innovation testing. Part of Helsinki’s Economic Development Unit, it welcomes companies of all sizes to test solutions using the city’s open infrastructure.
“It’s great that Testbed Helsinki’s activities interest international companies,” says Kimmo Heinonen, Team Manager at Business Helsinki. “We will continue to hold discussions with companies with the aim of conducting pilot projects in Helsinki.”
Forum Virium Helsinki, the city’s innovation company, specialises in larger-scale, long-term collaborative projects. Through European Union funding, they create international partnerships to test solutions that improve the lives of Helsinkians.
International research collaboration: The Helsinki–Tokyo example
Helsinki’s piloting ecosystem attracts companies from around the world, with particularly strong interest from Tokyo. Both cities share a commitment to tackling global challenges through innovation.
Once Japan’s association to Horizon Europe is finalised, Japanese companies will be able to join EU-funded research with VTT and Helsinki’s universities—testing solutions in new environments with minimal upfront investment.
Japanese company inQs shows how this works in practice. When they wanted to test their energy-generating window panes outside their home market, Helsinki’s Maria01 startup hub provided the perfect testbed.
“In Helsinki, we have a unique opportunity to test the functionalities of our product at completely different latitudes and climate than in Japan,” says Rike Wootten, Chief International Officer of inQs.
Start smart city piloting in Helsinki
Whether you’re a global scale-up validating new technology or a corporation seeking strong R&D partnerships, Helsinki offers a city-sized test bed for innovation, backed by strong public support and a collaborative ecosystem.
Ready to grow your business in Helsinki? Contact Helsinki Partners—we’ll connect you with the right opportunities, partners, and support.
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