Sunday January 18, 2026

Espoo makes it to iCapital finale

Published : 15 Aug 2020, 02:22

DF Report

Photo City of Espoo by Patrik Fagerström.

The City of Espoo has been selected as one of the 12 finalists in the European Capital of Innovation (iCapital) competition, said an official press release.

The annual competition offers European cities an opportunity to demonstrate their innovation activities. The winner will be announced at the European Research and Innovation Days on 22–24 September.

Espoo also performed well in the competition in 2019, finishing in the top six, with Nantes of France winning the European Capital of Innovation title that year.

Espoo participates in the innovation capital competition, because it supports the promotion of the city’s attractiveness among companies, investors, and experts.

“Espoo is strongly committed to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2025, five years ahead of the schedule. This agenda makes innovation work with companies and educational institutions possible and promotes Espoo’s economic competitiveness and sustainability,” said Espoo Mayor Jukka Mäkelä.

In addition to the ecological goals, education is one of the priorities of Espoo’s sustainable development work, added Mäkelä.

Therefore in the iCapital application, Espoo has highlighted the importance of investing in education, learning, and young people. For example, the Culture Call offering art and culture to 3-to-5-year-olds and Gutsy Go which encourages those aged between 14 and 15 to work for peace are examples of Espoo’s activities that promote social and cultural sustainability, or equality, well-being, inclusion, and communality.

“The competition seeks a city that can demonstrate in the most convincing way how it develops novel solutions to improve the daily life of its residents. This is exactly how Espoo thinks: Developing customer-oriented services and a sustainable Espoo, together with companies, research institutes, associations, and residents. Making the everyday life of residents easier is one of the cornerstones of the Espoo Story,” said the city’s Service Development Director Päivi Sutinen.