Tampere, a vibrant city in Finland, is a beacon of intelligent city innovation, leading the charge into the future of urban living. With a rich history of industrialization, Tampere is now setting its sights on creating a harmonious blend of the digital and physical worlds.

Teppo Rantanen, the Executive Director of Growth, Innovation, and Competitiveness at the City of Tampere, is at the forefront of these initiatives.

"Through intelligent solutions, our goal is to enhance the well-being of citizens, provide a positive urban experience, and create favorable conditions for people's everyday lives"₁

The metaverse, a digital environment that mirrors and enhances the physical world, has the potential to redefine urban experiences. For city dwellers, this means a life enriched by hassle-free daily experiences, and for businesses, it spells a thriving platform of opportunities.

“We think it’s something where we will be able to combine virtual reality and the ‘real reality’ in a way that helps our citizens to live their lives better and find that everything works better in a city.”₂

Central to Tampere's vision is a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics. The city's endeavors revolve around harnessing data for the betterment of its citizens. From cybersecurity measures ensuring data protection to the intricate analytics, Tampere is leaving no stone unturned. One of its monumental achievements is winning a significant project from the European Union, concentrating on crowd security and safety.

A noteworthy aspect of Tampere's smart city blueprint is its ability to build ecosystems. It is not merely about implementing tech-driven solutions but about creating an environment where different stakeholders come together. Tampere prides itself on its collaborations with various types of companies, both local and global titans, including Microsoft, Nokia, and VTT. The positive feedback the city has received testifies to its successful model.

“We invite companies to test their solutions in Tampere. The city acts as a testing platform and an open partner for businesses and research. Through intelligent solutions, our goal is to enhance the well-being of citizens, provide a positive urban experience, and create favorable conditions for people's everyday lives.”₃

Furthermore, Tampere is an active participant in the Nordic Smart City network, which now boasts 25 cities. This network facilitates the exchange of innovative solutions and collaborative projects. Currently, there's a keen focus on health data, especially in the realm of merging public and private health data. By leveraging data from devices like Fitbits, the city aims to pioneer preventative healthcare solutions. All these initiatives align with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), signaling Tampere's commitment to data protection.

In conclusion, Tampere's journey towards becoming a smart city is a blend of innovative technology, collaborative spirit, and a vision for a brighter urban future. With leaders like Teppo Rantanen steering the ship, the city is undoubtedly on a path to redefine urban living for the 21st century.

It has been our pleasure to host Teppo Rantenen as a speaker at our previous Intelligent Cities Summits.