Living labs

Living Lab is a real-life developing environment in which new services, products, business models and technologies are being developed together with companies, the public sector, research institutions and citizens.

Living Labs implement user-centric method into practice. Product end-users give feedback on their experience, which is used to further improve existing services or products, or to come up with entirely new concepts.

Helsinki Living Lab

Living Lab operations in the Helsinki metropolitan area are concentrated under Helsinki Living Lab which has activities in Arabianranta and Kustaankartano in Helsinki, Otaniemi in Espoo as well as Aviapolis in Vantaa. Among issues that have been tested by users are traffic information screen displays and innovative digital solutions for supermarkets.

Forum Virium Helsinki coordinates the operations of the Helsinki Living Lab network. Our aim is to promote the Helsinki metropolitan area to become the world's leading centre for user-driven research and development. Now, there is also an official cooperation agreement between living labs in Helsinki, and we use a common quality criteria and an operational model to guide the network.

European Network of Living Labs

The European Network of Living Labs gathers separate European Living Labs into one network. Forum Virium Helsinki is a member of this network.

The goal is to extend the horizon of local innovators beyond the national borders, and to promote the development of innovation services, competitiveness and testing opportunities.