My Oulu: Maria Vuorensola leads Oulu toward becoming Europe’s most innovative city

Oulu has previously pursued recognition in the European Capital of Innovation competition, but this year might be the breakthrough. In November, we’ll find out if Oulu will surpass its competitors, Linz in Austria and Braga in Portugal, to claim the European Rising Innovative City title, a category for cities with fewer than 250,000 residents.

Regardless of the outcome, Oulu has already achieved significant success. As a finalist, the city receives a €50,000 cash prize and gains membership in an esteemed network of Europe’s most forward-thinking cities, known for their innovation ecosystems and urban development initiatives.

For Maria Vuorensola, Programme Manager of the Oulu Innovation Alliance, this competition journey has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“Oulu aims to be Europe’s top digitalization ecosystem, so pursuing this recognition aligns perfectly with our vision. Last spring, I began assembling the application and a team to support it. We had to respond to six complex questions, showcasing our best solutions that fit the competition’s criteria”, she explains.

The competition requires more than high-level ICT expertise; cities must show how urban innovation benefits citizens’ everyday lives and invites their participation in development.

“Oulu has many fantastic examples, but we needed to highlight the unique elements that would make our application stand out. Condensing the text was a challenge – I wrote, revised, and rewrote until the very last minute before the deadline. The week before Midsummer, I spent days and nights intensely focused on finalizing it”, Vuorensola admits.

Evaluating the Finalists

Vuorensola’s hard work paid off when Oulu advanced to the semi-finals, joining twelve other cities. Semi-finalists had to prepare thoroughly for a jury hearing to defend their applications. For Vuorensola, reaching this stage marked the most intense and high-stakes moment of the year.

“I hadn’t been this nervous about work in a long time; I even had a few sleepless nights. We only had a few weeks to prepare, and in the hearing, we had 15 minutes to present, followed by questions from the jury. Participation was limited, so we had to decide carefully who would represent our team and what to emphasize in our responses. The hearing was intense, but we handled the questions well, and no one froze”, she recalls.

Oulu’s team delivered a compelling case, securing a spot in the final. Now, Vuorensola can enjoy the fruits of her labor, with all necessary work completed. Mayor Ari Alatossava will represent Oulu at the awards gala in Lisbon on November 13, where the winners of the European Innovative City competition will be announced.

The unique way of working

What sets Oulu’s innovation ecosystem apart from others?

Since becoming Programme Manager of the Oulu Innovation Alliance in 2021, Vuorensola has a keen understanding of Oulu’s strengths in innovation and ecosystem-building.

“Many university cities have partnerships between the city and the university, but the Oulu Innovation Alliance is unique. It’s a formal agreement where we allocate our resources, both individually and collectively, to specific themes for the common good. We aim to see what we can achieve better together. City of Oulu has a special development fund that makes the ecosystem dynamic, allowing OIA members to access funds for various development projects. There’s no competition between organizations; instead, we look at who is best suited to lead each strategic area”, Vuorensola explains.

The alliance’s partners include the City of Oulu, the University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, the Educational Consortium OSAO, the Natural Resources Institute Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Wellbeing Services County of North Ostrobothnia, and Technopolis. Each of these organizations brings world-class expertise, but Vuorensola’s role is one of facilitation and connection-building rather than technical specialization.

“I’m constantly surrounded by incredible expertise and fascinating projects, though it’s a challenge to stay on top of everything. I know a bit about each field, but my strength lies in connecting people”, she says.

“Oulu is just small enough that when a decision is made to start something, the key players in the field find each other pretty quickly”, she notes.

What’s Next for Oulu’s Innovation Alliance?

The Oulu Innovation Alliance focuses on three key areas: digitalization, health and wellbeing solutions, and sustainable cleantech economy and clean solutions. According to Vuorensola, interesting developments are underway in each, but hydrogen economy research and its vast opportunities stand out as particularly exciting for the region’s innovation players. However, she believes Oulu’s success in the European Capital of Innovation competition is due more to the collaborative nature of its ecosystem than individual projects.

“In ecosystem work, structure matters, but flexibility is equally important. One key lesson I would share with other cities is the importance of building trust among people and organizations. It’s worth the investment. Creating a sense of collaboration to make the city more attractive to residents, companies, and researchers is essential. Shared goals help maintain team spirit, which is vital for achieving results together rather than focusing on individual gains”, Vuorensola emphasizes.

Should Oulu win the €500,000 grand prize in the European Rising Innovative City category, both experts and residents will share in the victory, as there are plans to involve the community in deciding how to allocate the prize money.

Before heading to Lisbon, Vuorensola and the iCapital application team, along with Oulu-based companies, will attend the Smart City Expo in Barcelona to showcase Oulu’s achievements in digitalization. If you’re attending the event, be sure to stop by the Oulu stand to discover firsthand the city’s journey toward becoming the European Capital of Innovation.