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Finnish City of Oulu is setting apart from other centres in the North. The future of the Capital City of Northern Scandinavia shines bright. Oulu takes a wholly realistic view of the future, looking ahead to 2025.

In this publication we open discussion to focus on the future development of the Oulu region. There are again great opportunities, which Oulu will bring to the whole world. Currently foreseeable developments in the Arctic and in surrounding northerly European regions form a key backdrop to this.

Spirit of the new North publication is made by tens of visionaries. They are working in companies, industries, finance and economic life, research organisations, university, polytechnic campuses and other education establishments, public urban and municipal investors and other infrastructure construction including residential and commercial construction in city region of Oulu.

December 2012

EUROPE IS TURNING AROUND – OULU IS THERE!

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Published by: Oulu – Capital of Northern Scandinavia marketing groupeditor: Alpo Merilä / BusinessOulutexts and text editing: Place Marketing OyGraphic design: Place Marketing OyIllustration: Matti Pikkujämsä (pages 4–5, 16–17, 24–25 and 34–35) and Pauliina VesterinenPhotographs: Kaleva photo archive, BusinessOulu, Janne Körkkö (p. 29), ShutterstockPrinting: Painotalo Oy Litoset Ab

© Businessoulu 2012

s. 4 Go north to the future

Oulu – Capital of Northern Scandinavia

Northern cooperation, arctic gateways, logistics and population

s. 16 cIty of IntellIGent networks

Oulu – Europes most intelligent community

Education, innovations and networks behind the success story

s. 24 sPace, lIGht and the sPIrIt of the north

Oulu – Sustainable city of the future

Development, construction, leisure and services

s. 34 actIve Growth sectors

Oulu – World class ecosystem of wireless technologies

Radio frequency technologies, 3D internet, health technology and life sciences

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the world is reshapeing

Powerful global forces – population growth, changes in the natural environment, climate change, globalisation and technological advances – though changes have, of course, been occurring for centuries already.

The coming decades will turn the Europe around: living conditions will become more difficult in warmer latitudes, such as Europe’s Mediterranean region, but will improve in more northerly latitudes, especially Northern Scandinavia, due to a possible lengthening of the growing season and an increase in rainfall.

The northern quarter of our planet will in fact experience an incredible transformation during this century, asserts Laurence C. Smith, in ‘The New North: The World in 2050’, published in 2011. He is vice-chairman of geography and professor of earth and space sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles. It will become busier and its strategic and economic value will increase from the present. He defines the ‘New North’ loosely as all the land and sea above the 45th Parallel, which includes Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Greenland (Denmark), Russia, the United States and Canada (the Northern Rim Countries, or NORC).

Oulu has long engaged in close cooperation with neighbours in other countries: Boden, Luleå and Umeå in Sweden, Alta in Norway and Arkhangelsk in Russia. Cooperation is especially active with the cross-border organisation, Bothnian Arc. This area has a population of approximately 700,000 and includes several uni-versities and various other higher education establish-ments, along with major international corporations. The cooperation focuses on business development, logistics, tourism, education, research, energy, bio energy and the environment. The Bothnian Arc extends from Skellefteå in Sweden to Kalajoki in Finland. Oulu stays as a center city of this area. Area engages in cooperation with the Tornedalen Council and the North Calotte Council.

The ‘New North’ will attract people and businesses as a result of the living conditions there and also the developments occurring in the Arctic region. According to L.C. Smith, the NORC countries – with the exception of Russia – are all among the world’s most business-friendly, economically globalised and law abiding countries. What’s more, they control an appreciable amount of world’s most sought-after natural resources. Winters will continue to be cold, but will be easier than before, especially in Scandinavia. The North’s biomass will grow, which means an expansion in agricultural and renewable biomass production.

Although the powerful changes taking place may represent a reassuring future for the Scandinavian countries in particu-lar, the global changes will also bring problems not least in regard to climate and the environment. None of these problems is inevitable, however. Choices within society can influence them, and they can be managed and controlled by humankind. According to author and researcher L.C. Smith, the key issue is not about ability but desire, the kind of world that we would like to see.

Oulu has a significant role in the extensive Barents region cooperation. The City of Oulu, the University of Oulu and Oulu University of Applied Sciences are all shareholders in Barents Center Finland Ltd, which was set up in 2010. It serves as the activity coordinator for Barents experts in northern Finland and markets their services primarily to business customers.

Cooperation between Oulu and Stockholm (the ‘Capital of Scandinavia’) began in 2012 and is set to become particularly significant.

“The Bothnian Arc is the EU’s most northerly cluster of know-how and industry, and its role in European and global development will expand substantially. A powerful investment boom un-folds in the North. There is great need to link all directions via the rail, road, sea and air connec-tions of the Bothnian Corridor. There is a strong historical basis for the cooperation, and there are no cultural or language barriers.”

Bothnian Arc community forum

northern cooperation

russIa

oulu

fInland

sweden

norway

estonIa

lIthuanIa

latvIa

arctic circle

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Specific investment projects and programmes in the Scandinavian and Barents region up to the early 2020s that are currently known amount to a total of more than EUR 227 billion. Among these, Northern Finland, comprising the Oulu region plus Kainuu and Lapland, accounts for over EUR 26 billion. The investment sectors are following: industry; mining; oil and gas; nuclear, hydroelectric, wind and bio energy construction; electrical transmission network con-struction; cleantech and environmental technology; retailing; tourism; transport connections; and public investment.

There is a great need for rail and road links in the North to the Arctic and within the region. The cost of these future investments will boost the total of EUR 227 billion for known investments by a considerable amount.

“Norway’s biggest oil and gas fields are in the Arc-tic Ocean. A gas pipeline could be built from Nor-way to Germany via the Bay of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea. This would secure the supply of gas for Germany, which is abandoning its nuclear energy. It would also mean that Central Europe would no longer be reliant only on supplies of Russian gas. A pipeline traversing Lapland would also serve the growing mining industry and the Bothnian Arc’s heavy industry in Finland and Sweden. It would make sense to take a decision on the gas pipe-line route in conjunction with the development of an Arctic rail link for Finland. Another option is to transport gas in LNG rail tankers from the Arctic rail link to Oulu and from there by sea or pipeline to Germany.” Matti Pennanen, Mayor of Oulu

northern sea route will transform world trade flows

The Arctic sea ice is melting at double the rate of the global warming taking place elsewhere. The Northern Sea Route (also known as the Northeast Pas-sage) is already open from June to December, and with icebreaker assistance it can be kept open throughout the year. Extending for 6,500 km, the North-ern Sea Route is an open sea route that follows the Siberian coastline from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It is the shortest route between Europe and Asia. The travel time between, for example, Kirkenes in the far northeast of Norway and Shanghai in China via the Northern Sea Route is approximately 20 days, whereas the route from Oulu to Shanghai via the Suez Canal takes about 38 days. The route would also be more economical.

arctic gateway

Northern Finland is in the middle of the region via which traffic from Europe would naturally gravitate towards locations in Northern Scandina-via and the Barents region. The Norwegians aim to turn Kirkenes into the “Rotterdam of the Northern Sea Route”. In Finland Oulu is a gateway for all forms of transport: air, rail, road and sea. It also has good links to and from Russia via the Vartius border crossing in the Finnish municipality of Kuhmo and also the Suonperä - Kuusamo, Wärtsilä - Joensuu and the Kelloselkä - Salla.

InvestMent eXceedInG 227 BIllIon euros

Northern Scandinavia and the Arctic Ocean

* Source: Arctic Business Forum 2012, Investment Catalogue, Lapland Chamber of Commerce. BusinessOulu: additional information for the Oulu region.

oulu: eXPert In the transforMatIon of the north

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arctic, Bothnian and northern axis corridors

The Arctic Corridor, running to Oulu and the top of the Bay of Bothnia splits into a number of routes to Norway and Russia. The decision to be made on the route of the Arctic rail link will depend on how quickly the economic significance of the Barents region grows. In addition, mining projects in Finland and Sweden will influence the develop-ment of transverse connections.

The European Commission has included the Bothnian Corridor as a new project in its proposed development pro-gramme for the trans-European transport network (TEN-T).

The Bothnian Corridor unites the east-west and north-south connections in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. On the Finnish side, the Bothnian Corridor includes the main railway line from Helsinki to Tornio via Oulu, and highway 4 from Helsinki to Tornio via Oulu. The Bothnian Corridor connects with Russia’s transport network via the Northern Axis transport corridor between Oulu and Vartius. The corridor includes the northernmost east-west rail link to Russia’s rail network.

More than 20% of Finnish exports today travel via the Bothnian Corridor. As the investments in the North take place, the proportion of exports in the region’s transport consignments will grow significantly.

oulu airport – gateway to the north

Oulu Airport is Finland’s second busiest airport and the busiest in Northern Scandinavia, with passenger totals al-ready exceeding one million. There are frequent daily flightconnections to Helsinki, and the direct connections to Stokholm, to the North and to Europe, Asia and North America make Oulu Airport an international gateway.

An international business and services district named Oulu Airport City is being developed around the airport.

Pekka Mäntynen, Development Director, Oulu Airport, Finavia Oyj

Port of oulu offers a wide range of services

With its wide range of services, the Port of Oulu will be able to serve the needs of the North’s major invest-ment projects, such as in the mining industry and in nuclear power and wind energy construction, and the needs of transhipment traffic. The Port also has the capability to satisfy customers during the period when these investments are being implemented. The total cargo traffic handled by the Port of Oulu in 2011 was 3.6 million tonnes, and this is estimated to rise to almost 7 million tonnes by 2020.

The Port of Oulu is the centre for maritime traffic in Northern Scandinavia.

Oulu is the only Bay of Bothnia port to offer regular ro-ro and container feeder connections to a range of European ports.

All the major ocean carriers have a presence at the Port of Oulu. The Port of Oulu also has a larger container terminal than any other in the Bay of Bothnia or the entire Arctic region.

“The airport is able to serve its growing numbers of passengers. In the future, we could be handling 1.5 million passengers. The airport community is doing all it can to ensure that Oulu’s flight connec-tions continue to grow, both with northerly regions and on a wider international scale. Oulu is a gate-way for different forms of transport and will play a key role in the traffic flows between the Barents region and Europe.”

oulu: Best route to the north

“Port of Oulu offers wide range of services. The Port of Oulu is a traffic hub serving liquid and dry cargoes and unit loads.”

Kari Himanen, Port Director, Port of Oulu

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road connections to northern finland and norway, sweden and russia

Highway 4 from Helsinki to Northern Finland and Sweden via Oulu is part of the European E75 route, and in recent years the motorway and dual carriageway sections have been extended on the section from south of Oulu to Tornio. The belt of settlements comprising Oulu, Kemi and Tornio-Haparanda is becoming an ever more dynamic and unified urban zone. The E75 from Oulu to Kemi, the full length of which is to become a motorway, is already one of the busiest highways in Finland.

More competitive rail links

The main Helsinki-Oulu railway lines on the Finnish rail network grosses in Oulu. It forms part of the trans-European rail network. The biggest modernisation project in recent years on Finland’s rail network was on the Seinäjoki-Oulu. This will shorten travel times for passenger traffic to three hours for Oulu to Helsinki, and will improve the competitiveness of goods traffic.

rail links to arctic ocean

The need for improved rail connections from Oulu northwards and to the Arctic Ocean is becoming more acute for various reasons: the Arctic gas field investments of Norway and Russia; mining projects in Northern Finland and Sweden; the rapid increase in importance of the Northern Sea Route; and environmental considerations. More frequent traffic using the Northern Sea Route will turn the Oulu region into an important logistics centre for the whole of Northern Scandinavia.

oulu – caPItal of northern scandInavIa

The Oulu region is clearly the largest population centre in Northern Scandinavia and also the most diverse in terms of its services and economy. The population of the Oulu region is currently (2012) over 250,000.

The population dependency ratio indicates how many people there are aged less than 15 and over 64 per 100 people of work-ing age (15-64-year-olds). In contrast to many comparable Finnish cities, Oulu’s population dependency ratio will remain good up to 2025. In 2010, this ratio was 42.7 for Oulu, while in Turku it was 45.1, Jyväskylä 44.3, Kuopio 45.9 and Vaasa 49.4. In 2025, the corresponding figures for the population dependency ratio will be 58.3 for Oulu, 58.6 for Turku, 60.8 for Jyväskylä, 65.4 for Kuopio and 61.3 for Vaasa. The dependency ratio for the whole of Finland in 2020 will be 65.5, and in 2030 it will be considerably above 70.*

Oulu’s youthful population will mean that the volume, quality and attractiveness of scientific research can be retained and further developed. Oulu has Finland’s second highest educated population, after Espoo.

Through the ages, Oulu has been a centre of education and culture in Northern Finland. As the largest population centre in the whole of Northern Scandinavia, Oulu also offers the most diverse array of commercial, entertainment, sports, leisure, health and care services for those living and working in the North.

The future is already an inbuilt, integral part of Oulu. The Oulu region has Finland’s and allegedly even Europe´s most youngest population. The number of people aged less than 15 in the Oulu region is about 21%, whereas the equivalent proportion for Finland as a whole is approximately 17%. What’s more, this difference is set to increase in Oulu’s favour in future years. The average age of Oulu’s inhabitants, at just 34.5, is the youngest in Europe. The age structure guarantees that the Oulu region will succeed far into the future.

*(Source: Statistics Finland)

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northern dimension

For Oulu, a very important element of its international inte-gration is the close cooperation with its Scandinavian neigh-bours and Russia, and especially with the Barents region. The Oulu region’s players are networking ever more actively with players in the Barents region. Significant projects include :• mining and construction projects in Northern Sweden • energy and construction projects in Northern Norway and Northwest Russia• energy and mining projects in Northern Finland and devel-opment of the prerequisites for these • logistics corridors for the Barents region: rail, road, sea and air routes

Cooperation in the Bothnian Arc region will grow substan-tially, and actively pursuit of the business opportunities will be evident in other sectors of the economy too, such as ICT, wellbeing, services and environmental technology.

closely networked to the world

The City of Oulu, BusinessOulu and other regional players (companies, research organisations, education establishments) have networked extensively in the international arena in developing their activities. BusinessOulu has succeeded in opening doors for Oulu-based companies in different parts of the world, and this has enabled many Oulu-based companies to boost their exports, for instance to the emerging markets such as of Kazakhstan and Brazil. Kazakhstan has also shown considerable interest in the Finnish education system, and the country’s authorities are developing their education system on the basis of the Oulu experience. Turkey has also attracted the interest of various Oulu-based companies, and BusinessOulu is now establishing its own networks there to further the level of cooperation.

actIve networkInG

“These networks can be used more actively together to serve different players and promote innovation and business internationalisation.”

Juha Ala-Mursula, Director, BusinessOulu

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euroPe’s Most IntellIGent coMMunIty

Oulu was the only European city out of 364 worldwide entrants to make it as a top7 finalist in the prestigious Intelligent Communities of the World 2012 awards. Finals of this ICF competition were held in New York 8 June 2012.

Innovations are created together

Oulu’s networks are wireless as well: open in spirit and working in close cooperation. A good example is Oulu Innovation Alliance. This alliance covers inter-net research (Center for Internet Excellence), printed intelligence (PrintoCent), wellbeing (Centre for Health and Technology), environment and energy (Centre for Environment and Energy) and international business (Martti Ahtisaari Institute of Global Business and Eco-nomics). Oulu Innovation Alliance was formed by the City of Oulu, the University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and Technopolis Plc.

“Using virtual games it is possible to train large numbers of employees efficiently in about half a day, without needing to travel at all. That’s why I believe that games will spread quickly as a work develop-ment tool in the coming years.”

Johanna Bluemink PhD (Education), TeamingStream Oy

Today’s Oulu is all about youthful enthusiasm, know-how, a sense of destiny and a stress-free approach. The population is highly educated and language proficient. As a centre of culture, education and the leading city of wireless communications Oulu judged Europe’s most intelligent city. At the institutes you can attend a School of the Future, engage in 3D internet design and study global business and economics in spirit of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Finnish President, Martti Ahtisaari.

oulu’s population is among the best educated.

sPearhead eXPertIse18

oulu is in seven global hot spots. It is one of the best new cities for business innovation.(FORTUNE, By Omar Akhtar 24 Sept. 2012) oulu is among top 15 surprising global technology cities in the world.(CNBC News By Chris Morris 10 Oct. 2012) the real growth these days in the country is coming from the city of oulu. the area surrounding the city boasts two science parks, a number of research institutes and the city is considered a “living lab” — since residents often experiment with new technology on a broad scale.(Tekniikka&Talous News By Helena Raunio, 13 Oct. 2012) oulu is in six global cities that are actually enabling startups and smart ideas. oulu is in 7 best new global cities for startups.(CNN News By Omar Akhtar contributor @FortuneMagazine, 19 September 2012)

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Founded in 1958, the University of Oulu is one of the largest multidisciplinary universities in Finland. It offers creative environments for research and education and serves as a major scien-tific and scholarly centre for Northern Finland and Northern Scandinavia.

dIscover the future at the unIversIty of oulu

Martti ahtisaari Institute of Global Business and economics

The University of Oulu’s Martti Ahtisaari Institute of Global Business and Economics provides training for global busi-ness and economics specialists in Northern Finland and for business executives and economic experts from emerging economies and developing countries.

The Institute runs three international Masters programmes and produces research on the global economy, with a spe-cial focus on serving the development needs of growth enterprises in Northern Finland. The Institute’s Martti Ahtisaari International Doctoral Programme focuses on managing business growth and a sustainable global economy.

Martti Ahtisaari, Finland’s tenth president (1994-2000), graduated as a teacher from the University of Oulu in its first year of operation, 1959, and is an Honorary Doctor of the University. Martti Ahtisaari was awarded the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize.

“Education has a key role to play in the success of peace mediation. In fact, the importance of education for peace mediation and wellbe-ing in society is so great that helping countries that neglect education is hugely challenging. The role of schools in children’s journeys to adulthood is considerable. Children must be taught conciliation and tolerance. I was impressed by the ideas and actions of the nominated mediator pupils whom I met in Oulu’s schools. Significant changes can be achieved by being active and persistent.”

”The successful resolution of peace issues also requires an under-standing of economics. That is why I greatly value the University of Oulu’s founding of the Institute that bears my name and the develop-ment of business and economics courses in Oulu. It is vital that the business world should have responsible and ethical individuals who do not shirk social responsibilities in their business activities. Close regional cooperation has long been a hallmark of the Oulu region. The successful cooperation between the City of Oulu, the University of Oulu and the region’s businesses can act as a model for taking regional development issues forward.”

Former President of the Republic of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari

oulu is a major centre of education. thirty-three per cent of oulu’s inhabitants have a university degree (88 398 kpl statfin 2010). the eu average is 20 per cent. oulu is home to 30,000 students and offers numerous study possibilities at various levels, including upper secondary schools, vocational institutions, special education schools, university of applied sciences, university, and continuing and adult education.

The University of Oulu in the top 500 of the NTU Ranking 2012. The University of Oulu is placed at 339 overall on the Taiwanese NTU (National Taiwan University) Ranking list of the top 500 universities in the World.

The University places at 237 in Environment/Ecology, at 247 in Clinical Medicine and at 295 in Geoscience. The rankings are based on scientific publications by the universities.

Oulu University of Applied Sciences is one of Finland’s largest and most popular universities of applied sciences. It has more than 30 study programmes, and these are offered through Oulu’s tried-and-tested recipe for success: in coop-eration with the University of Oulu, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the City of Oulu and businesses.

versatIle studIes suPPorts BusIness

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In the 1970s, Oulu experienced through far-sighted cooperation between the university, businesses and the city authorities, Oulu began to transform itself into a city of technology, and Scandinavia’s first science park was established in Oulu in 1982, based on the example of California’s Silicon Valley.

scandInavIa’s fIrst scIence Park Grew Into an InternatIonal lIsted coMPany

oulu’s Ict track record is a global wireless success story

oulu’s wIreless success story

2012

World’s first nMt network

World’s first GSM phone call

first contactless fare collection system for public transport

Europe’s first free urban area wlan network

World’s first commercial edge high-speed network

World’s first public nfc user

launch of mobile wimax test network

World’s first pedestrian navigation phone

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europe’s largest science park

1982

World’s first GSM base station

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Modern menu-driven user interface style for mobile phone

1993

World’s first wcdMa phone call

1996

World’s first wcdMa (3GPP) phone call

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2003 2004 2005 2007 2008

launch of linux Phone

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World’s first fully ‘open’ mobile device powered by Moblin and android communities

2010

establishment of wIfIus (wire-less Innovation between finland and us) as a virtual institute for building collaboration on high capacity next generation wire-less solutions – cognitive radio networks

Oulu is the world’s leading centre of mobile commu-nications research and mobile technology and applica-tions by the University of Oulu’s Centre for Wireless Communications. World known WIFIUS was set up by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and In-novation, the Academy of Finland and the US National Science Foundation.

“Oulu has a long and celebrated history in developing wireless communications systems. This new opportunity promises a further stage in the success story and will provide the means to meet future challenges.”

Matti Latva-Aho, Professor of Digital Transmission Techniques,

University of Oulu

about 22,000 people are employed in almost 1,400 companies and organi-sations in technopolis’s premises in finland (espoo, helsinki, Jyväskylä, kuopio, lappeenranta, oulu, tam-pere and vantaa), russia (st Peters-burg) and estonia (tallinn). the com-pany’s turnover in 2011 was eur 92.8 million. technopolis Plc’s shares are listed on the nasdaQ oMX helsinki exchange.

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BuIldInG the cIty of the futureOulu has created an exceptionally strong culture of technological expertise in recent decades. Oulu is home to an abundance of architectural, design and engineering offices and other players who have helped build different indus-tries. Oulu-based experience have played a vital role in the regions of the North.

renowned expert on creative cities and urban culture charles landry asserts that a city is not born out of lifeless buildings and roads, but that it is only human activities that bring it alive. soft infrastructure takes into account how the city’s inhabitants interact, express them-selves and enjoy life. a robust urban culture is, he says, like a magnet, and this draws people to oulu and keeps them there. the design of urban spaces must facilitate the creation of vibrant, well-functioning places, says landry.

Oulu and the surrounding region have the opportunity to adopt a new approach to urban planning, construc-tion, services and other issues.

“With this master plan we can alter the direction of development to one which has a reduced burden on the environment, but pro-moting sustainability is something that will also continue in all future master plans.”

Paula Paajanen, Master Plan Manager, City of Oulu

the principal themes of the master plan are

• great place to live, satisfied residents• vitality• sustainable and eco-efficient urban structure• transport system that serves needs well• diverse community and environment • climate change mitigation• bold uses of technology to help people in their daily routines

high level of wellbeing and satisfaction

The aim is to enhance people’s wellbeing and satisfaction, and to minimise inconveniences in daily life. Satisfied resi-dents are able to come and go and move around without interruption. A well-designed urban structure will promote daily exercise and good health.

urban vitality

Vitality can be enhanced by doing things to a higher standard, using fewer natural, financial and energy re-sources and producing considerably fewer emissions. An increasingly efficient urban structure and transport system will also boost vitality. A city full of vitality is multifaceted, enjoyable, efficient, cost-effective and attractive, and has a diversity of businesses and a high level of innovation.

outlIne for develoPMent of oulu and the oulu reGIon to 2030

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oulu focuses on quality construction

Oulu’s approach to construction is being exported to other cities in Finland by the Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes). Since 2000, Oulu has been fo-cusing strongly on quality control in construction, which has helped developers save money. In 2011, for example, a total of EUR 6.68 million was saved, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 14,532 tonnes.

For the past ten years or more, Oulu’s Building Supervision Office has arranged briefings for architects, planners, housing suppliers, builders, foremen and con-tractors. This is built into the terms of the construction permit. In 2011, 94% of the detached houses built in Oulu were low energy homes. The corresponding figure for the whole country was 38%.

oulu cIty centre looks to the future

oulu cIty centre to take on BIG cIty look

Based on a thorough report on the needs of a flourish-ing and dynamic city centre, which involved widespread consultation, the city council took decisions in Novem-ber 2010 on a variety parts of the city centre, the Torin-ranta waterfront location and Matkakeskus transport interchange complex, plus an undergroung carpark. The heart of the city will incorporate an additional 60,000-80,000 square metres of residential space and commercial premises. The long awaited underground parking facilities will also come to fruition in the city centre in 2014. This investment in the heart of the city will bring EUR 300 million in private investment op-portunities to the city centre.

“The centre of Oulu will become an extensive ‘leisure zone’ for residents and visitors to enjoy as well as for seeing to their other business and activities, and an active events district. The events district will include a modernised Rotuaari pedestrian zone, with performance stages and giant UBI hotspots (public, interactive display screens), the market square and waterfront events centre, and the new Matkakeskus transport interchange and Asema shopping cen-tre at the end of a regenerated Hallituskatu street, with connections to the Raksila sports district. The Kuusisaari-Raatti area could be turned into a huge events area – the modernised Raatti site can accom-modate 20,000 people.” Matti Matinheikki,

Director, Urban and Environmental Services, City of Oulu

leIsure and servIces huB for the north

city of air guitars and culture

The Air Guitar World Championships are a great example of a highly original yet globally appealing Oulu event. The attractions are many and varied: the Shouters male choir, theatre, dance, symphony, heavy metal, Finland’s first science centre, etc.

Significant OMJ

Oulu Music Festival (OMJ) is set to become a nationally significant winter festival for the city, covering a diversity of tastes. The festival’s high quality programme is enriched by grand productions and by top visiting artists from around the world.

heavy metal future

The Oulu region is also world-renowned for its heavier side: fans of heavy metal music come to Oulu from far and wide, many of them to take up university or other studies. In 2025, Oulu’s Jalometalli Metal Music Festival will celebrate its 24th year. With its unique atmosphere and focus, the festival attracts bands and fans from around the world. In Oulu, metal fans are sure to find kindred spirits.

creative cities and urban culture expert charles landry believes that a city should offer a rich and enjoyable experience. what’s critical, he says, is how the city looks and feels, and the nature of the profusion of events and activi-ties it offers. Quality of life and a robust urban culture will combine to make a creative environment in which local imagination and an international spirit fuse together in a stimulating way. the sense of place is greater than ever be-fore, as cities try to be memorable, surprising and imaginative, and to gener-ate different associations in people’s minds, says landry.

Michael Monroe at Qstock 2011.

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The district of Hiukkavaara is to be developed mainly as a low-rise urban residential district based on sustain-able development principles and energy efficiency goals. It will house approximately 20,000 people and it will provide services for almost 40,000 residents of the area. It will also be a Living Lab environment and test site for new services and for doing business and living. Into it dubbed Arctic Smart City will incorporate integrated wireless technology and exude the spirit of the North.

The former Toppila harbour district will become home to 6,400 residents. A pedestrian and cycle bridge will span the Strait to the site of the 2005 National Housing Fair at Hietasaari, giving access to the sandy beaches of Nallikari and recreational areas in the Oulujoki estuary, and beyond to the city centre. The construction in the West Toppila district is to be undertaken by SRV, NCC, Oulun Rakennusteho and YIT and is expected to be finished in about ten years.

resIdentIal constructIon ProJects

MaJor develoPMent ProJects In the reGIon and neIGhBourInG areas

oulu airport city

The airport is developing into Northern Scandinavia’s international gateway, with cargo and passengers travelling directly to Europe, Asia, Russia and North America.

In the vicinity of the airport, an area with about 100,000 square metres of floorspace is being built for businesses which value rapid and convenient global connections for people and products. BusinessPark phase 1 has already been built and the readiness to quickly launch subsequent phases is in place. NCC Oulu is furthest ahead with its construc-tion plans.

Pyhäjoki nuclear power station

The Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant is to be built about 100 km south of Oulu to Pyhäjoki. This Fennovoima Ltd’s is the largest ever single project in Northern Finland.

Following selection of the supplier and the municipal engineering required, the actual construction of the nuclear power plant will take place in 2015-2020. Under the current plans, the power plant will begin to produce electricity in 2020. The impact of the power plant will be felt across a broad area in construction, business development, commerce and housing.

northern mining projects and oulu Mining school

In the current decade, Finland has become the world’s second most sought after location for ore prospecting. The University of Oulu anticipated this mining boom, when in 2007 it established the Oulu Mining School, a network for education and research in the mining and minerals field.

Finland’s designated mining and minerals industrial cluster forms the basis for the mining and minerals technology programme and the industry’s strategic know-how.

In the current decade, Finland has become the world’s second most sought after location for ore prospecting. The University of Oulu anticipated this mining boom, when in 2007 it established the Oulu Mining School, a network for education and research in the mining and minerals field.

Finland’s designated mining and minerals industrial cluster forms the basis for the min-ing and minerals technology programme and the industry’s strategic know-how.

Research Professor Leena Yliniemi, Department of Process and Environmental Engineering, University of Oulu

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tourist and recreational attractions of international significance

Oulu’s living environment is interesting combination of the sea, three major rivers (the Oulujoki, Kiiminkijoki andIijoki), rural and urban natural environments, and a rich urban culture. Tietomaa is an interactive science centre for the whole family as well as Nallikari as a wonderful holiday destination providing the perfect ingredients for an active beach holiday.

The Oulu region has a wide variety of unique natural and recreational locations that attract visitors from all over the world. Tourist attractions like Rokua Geopark (UNESCO), Kierikki Stone age Centre, Kalajoki sand dunes, Syöte in Pudasjärvi, Ruka-Kuusamo, and Vuokatti are well known. The establishment of Oulu City Tourism and Convention Office, Oulun Matkailu Oy and the Oulu City Tourist in-formation desk demonstrates that tourism is seen as a key industry in Oulu. Oulu’s international accessibility, espe-cially by air, and the city’s networks with the world combine to ensure a bright outlook for the future of tourism. Oulu is also one of Finland’s main conference cities.

“The entire region already attracts more visitors than Lapland. Our strengths include the diversity of tour-ism and the year-round appeal. Cooperation with Russia’s Republic of Karelia also gives this part of Finland an exotic draw and opens up new dimen-sions. Based on Oulu’s gateway status, cooperation with players in the tourism sector in Lapland and in Northern Norway and Sweden is growing.”

lkka Yliniemi, Development Director,

Council of Oulu Region

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36 37Oulu’s success in different fields is to a considerable extent attributable to the region’s strong ICT expertise. The ICT sector – dubbed the ‘Oulu miracle’ – will be further boosted by Oulu’s ability to apply basic ICT know-how to new business areas.

Traditional industrial sectors continue to play a strong role in the Oulu region: wood processing, engineering, chemicals and mining. In future years, growth will occur particularly in mining and different kind of power indus-try. The role of retailing and services will continue to increase as Oulu grows in stature and investment projects are completed.

Oulu’s growth sectors for the future are:• Information and communications technologies (ICT)• Life sciences (bio, health and wellbeing)• Environmental technology, cleantech• Creative fields

ICT expertise is being applied in new business areas such as transport, energy, homes, construction, maintenance, wellbeing, security and education.

“Oulu has a world class ecosystem of wireless technologies. Many new international companies have located in the region, and many are listed on international stock exchanges. They employ several thousand people, a large proportion of whom are international experts. The aim is that about 15 per cent of the Oulu region’s inhabitants will work in high tech companies.”

Juha Ala-Mursula, Director, BusinessOulu

OULU: AmONG THE wORLD’S LEADING cENTRES Of ExPERTISE IN wIRELESS AND mObILE TEcHNOLOGIES

In 2012, Oulu was home to 800 ICT companies, which together employed some 10,000 people in the city itself and about 11,500 people in the entire Oulu region. The high tech sector in Oulu is estimated to employ approxi-mately 17,000 people. Many local companies are rated on the ‘Fastest 50’ lists by Business Week, Red Herrings and Deloitte.

the future: radio frequency (rf) technologies and 3d inter-net

Oulu and Stockholm’s Kista district are together Europe’s strongest developer communities for mobile network and wireless technologies. Oulu figures prominently in terminal device design and in product know-how and research, and has Finland’s largest electronics production plants.

Oulu also has expertise in the innovative development and use of NFC technology. Mobile payment systems, digital image file transfer by swiping, wireless connection of electrically powered devices – these are all examples of the benefits of wireless connectivity technology. The application possibilities are endless: new applications are constantly being developed in Oulu.

Printed intelligence (Printocent)

Micro and nanotechnology applications in Oulu include printed intelligence and optical sensors. The use of these in, for instance, food industry and pharmaceutical packag-ing materials is just beginning, but these uses will increase rapidly. The development of a pilot manufacturing environ-ment is another cornerstone project of PrintoCent, the Oulu-based business development environment for printed intelligence.

oulu ideal for companies wanting to be part of world’s leading Ict ecosystem

Oulu has a positive atmosphere and operating environment that support entrepreneurship. An example is Oulu Business Kitchen, which is a way of effectively channelling the business expertise of students and staff at the University of Oulu and Oulu University of Applied Sciences for the benefit of businesses.

By developing Oulu’s regional risk financing ecosystem, it has been possible for new enterprises and growth-oriented companies to secure external finance more quickly. Both Finnish and international venture capital and business angel operations and networks can be accessed by companies.

“Oulu has become a world class producer of start-up companies that are growth oriented and looking to expand internationally, and this includes start-ups from abroad.”

Matti Kanninen, Managing Partner, Northern Startup Fund, Butterfly Ventures Ltd

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38 39all-pervading Ict infrastructure

The ‘Open UBI Oulu’ initiative is a prototype of a future city where ICT infra-structure is embedded into the urban space. the multidisciplinary uBI (urBan Interactions) programme is coordinated by the university of oulu and built in cooperation with the city of oulu.

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north’s leadInG centre of eXPertIse In health technoloGy

Oulu University Hospital’s medical expertise and the City of Oulu will remodel their service organisation. Care will be arranged in seamless care chains in which there are no longer inter-organisational boundaries. A high proportion of the contacts between residents and the service system will be by electronic means, and some of the services will become online services.

Wellbeing technology and technology-based services are already an important part of the Oulu economy, and will continue to be in the future.

In 2025, oulu will be one of Finland’s five centres of expertise in medicine, health care and health technology, and the leader in the field in Northern Scandinavia.

kontinkangas campus: centre of expertise in medicine, wellbeing and health

Located in the centre of Oulu, the Kontinkangas Campus is a major centre of life science research, education, busi-ness and service production, embracing the bio, health and wellbeing sectors. The Campus currently employs about 8,400 people and includes Oulu University Hospital, Oulu City Hospital, private hospitals/clinics, various research institutions and companies. Education and training programmes are provided at the University of Oulu’s Faculty of Medicine, Oulu University of Applied Sciences and Oulu Vocational College. The wide range of expertise of the companies, research organisations and educational establishments in Kontinkangas covers health promotion and maintenance, disease treatment, diagnostics and monitoring, and primary and specialised health care. Kontinkangas is Finland’s centre of expertise in health ICT.

Oulu and its Kontinkangas district are a centre of exper-tise in the life science and ICT sectors and in the health and wellbeing sectors, with a high concentration of service providers in these fields. By combining these areas of expertise and extending cooperation, the city is developing into a flagship for the connected health sector and one of the best known connected health clusters in the world. This is creating new business and new jobs, and will at-tract international players to Finland and the Oulu region. The emergence of this connected health cluster stems from an initiative by the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District and involves the City of Oulu, research and edu-cation organisations and a large number of companies and other participants.

oulu healthworld

vIsIon for ouluhealth OuluHealth, internationally branded and networked, a Living Lab testing and development environment for the new generation of social and health care operating models and the systems that support them. The wide spectrum of valued expertise at Kontinkangas will be forged into a new, unified health ecosystem for Oulu and for export. This will be an internationally networked health and wellbeing research, development, testing, service and business environment where wellbeing of a standard and cost effectiveness unsurpassed anywhere in the world will be produced through close cooperation with all concerned.

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Oulu’s economy includes a strong focus on sectors which involve maintaining and improving people’s qual-ity of life. This includes efforts to improve pharmaceuti-cal production processes and future diagnostics.

One such case is the bold combination of ICT and nano applications with biotechnological and medi-cal expertise, which has led to a number of important solutions. Examples of this include the development of quick diagnostic tests using printing technologies, and the use of navigation and 3D in medical devices. The world’s first recombinant collagen production method and a product family for microbe cultivation allowing a ten-fold increase in production were both developed in Oulu.

Food safety is another important area of expertise at Oulu. Environmental wellbeing is a key issue. Combin-ing bio and environmental technologies has given rise to new solutions in areas such as mining, environmen-tal analytics and clearance of harmful substances. For example, living organisms such as fungi are used in purification of soil, and enzymes are used in pre-treating wood chips in the mechanical pulp process, resulting in energy-saving fibre properties. The profitability of ag-riculture and of processing agricultural products is also being improved by developing biorefineries for making use of by-products.

oulu – centre of lIfe scIences

Technology companies in the Life science sector within the Oulu region numbered about 200 in 2012, and health and wellness service producers numbered about 1,500. The growth in turnover in the technology companies in recent years has been about 40%. The companies together employ about 4,500 people on average. The sector as a whole employs about 17,000 people. The main life science fields are the health ecosystem and the bioeconomy.

Oulu has selected cleantech as one of the most impor-tant focus area. Cleantech areas of focus in the Oulu region include renewable energy, energy efficiency, GreenICT, managing emission and water treatment. The significance of renewable energy is considerable, and the region’s investment in wind energy is currently being determined. In addition, the mining industry offers significant business opportunities for cleantech companies. Oulu-based expertise in catalysis technology is acknowledged to be world class.

The mining industry and the successful protection of water resources is a pre-requisite for development of the

cleantech - Growth and sustaInaBIlIty

“The end result will be products, services and business models based on Finnish water re-sources know-how that can be sold on the global market.”

Pasi Keinänen, Key Account Director, BusinessOulu

Strong ICT knowhow in Oulu provides a firm basis for success in environmental technology as well. Future products will more and more often be across the tech-nology spectrums. Oulu’s strong ICT experience, in-cluding wireless technologies, data transmission, remote operation and automation, offers excellent opportunities for new cleantech solutions.

In future Finnish companies and research institutions will be able to test and pilot new clean technologies and service models in the Hiukkavaara district. This project is named Hiukkavaara - Arctic Smart City. This district will be one of a kind and a pioneer in many fields.

sMart cleantech cIty oulu 2020

industry. This means there will be demand for comprehensive solutions to the treatment of mine water and, for example, water resources monitoring.

Cleantech, or environmental technology, searches for solutions to minimise adverse environmental effects in production processes. Exhaust gas puri-fication in Hong Kong, greenhouse gas reduction in Hungary, wastewater treatment in selected European holiday destinations, environmentally friendly energy production in France - these all involve environmental technology from Oulu. World-class catalysis research has been conducted in Oulu since the 1980s, and the results can be seen around the world.

In 2012, the cleantech sector in Oulu com-prised about 100 companies, most of which are operating internationally or aiming for interna-tional markets. Their turnover was close to EUR 400 million, and they employ about 1,500 people.

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creatIve fIeldsOulu is a centre of expertise for creative companies and a place where such companies can and do thrive. Through collaboration between technology enterprises and companies in creative fields a number of interna-tional success stories have emerged, including successes in the game industry and online consumer services. Ou-lu-based online shopping sites already serve customers beyond Finland’s borders. Northern design has found various expressions, and hand-made design products are also being sold over the internet. In creative fields there is considerable expertise in architecture, dance, games, the music industry, marketing, communications, digital content and online services. In 2012, Oulu was home to almost 1,000 companies in creative fields, employing more than 2,200 people.

life is smooth in oulu

‘Life is smooth in Oulu’ was basically a campaign and channel for local players marketing Oulu’s strengths and opportunities.

As a result the idea of smooth life in Oulu attracted investments and startups to the Oulu region. Oulu is actually the successful story of Capital of Northern Scandinavia.

Oulu is a great place to live, work and study. As well as its well-functioning housing and services and the vibe of a major city, Oulu also offers daily life on a human scale, with a small town atmosphere. The unit prices of apartments are nearly 50% lower than in Helsinki. For busy citizens, smooth traffic connections make life easier. For example, Oulu has the best cycling network in Europe.

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BUSINESS OULU

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© BusinessOulu 2012

University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied sciences, Oulu Vocational College, Kaleva, Oulun Osuuspankki, COR Group Oy, Port of Oulu, Uniresta, The Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District. Technopolis, BusinessOulu, NCC, YIT, Hartela,

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