Collaboration
Oulu Region R&I stakeholders (higher education institutions, companies, public authorities and research organisations) are active participants and contributors in European programmes and initiatives. The stakeholders from Northern Ostrobothnia (Oulu region) have an excellent track record and have been involved in some 176 Horizon 2020 projects and received 87 million euros of EU funding.
Signed H2020/Horizon Europe grants keywords
In addition, we participate in several ecosystems and hubs at EU, national and regional level. The region has 3 European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH), Robocoast, LIH, and Health Hub Finland, as well as 6 national Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) which aim to ensure that SMEs will benefit from advanced digital technologies (including Artificial Intelligence, High Performance Computing, Cybersecurity, and Digital skills). Oulu region participates in nine thematic Smart Specialization (S3) Partnerships under Industrial modernization, Agri-Food, and Energy. The region is leading the Wireless ICT partnership which aims to help to develop and implement a common strategy enabling investments in the field of fast and energy- and resource-efficient wireless ICT.
Oulu Innovation Alliance (OIA)
Oulu Innovation Alliance is a strategic coalition of organisations and an active roundtable of leaders who aim to promote innovations and sustainable growth both locally and globally.
Whether you are looking to invest in Oulu’s talent or have an innovation to get out to the world, Oulu Innovation Alliance is here to help you achieve your goals.
Oulu Innovation Alliance homepage (opens in a new tab)
Printocent
In PrintoCent, companies get easy access to new business development and pilot manufacturing resources for the introduction of printed intelligence components, systems and products, from pilot production to early market trials. Application focus areas range from rapid disposable diagnostics, smart flexible lighting and wearables to Internet-of-Things with sensors and energy harvesting. PrintoCent has wide global reach with its international member companies and partners. In Oulu region more than 300 experts are available in research and in industry.
Read more about Printocent (opens in a new tab)
NUVE-LAB
NUVE-LAB provides research, development, and testing capabilities from passage cars to heavy utility vehicles. It is designed to serve energy efficient and autonomous vehicle research and development. The lab contains a platform for modelling actual environments in virtual reality. Our modern laboratory helps develop vehicles that meet the future market requirements.
NUVE-LAB homepage (opens in a new tab)
UAM Oulu
Urban Air Mobility Oulu (UAM Oulu) is the strategic initiative aiming at contributing to the development of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) domain.
The ultimate objective of UAM Oulu is to achieve city-wide coverage as a UAM living lab providing single entry and one-stop service point for any matters associated with business activities within the City of Oulu.
Read more about UAM Oulu (opens in a new tab)
6G Flagship
The University of Oulu is the home of the world’s first large and still globally leading 6G RDI program, 6G Flagship. Ecosystem has 500+ academia partners from 71 countries and 400+ industrial partners from 31 countries.
The overarching goals of 6G Flagship are to support industry in finalization of 5G, develop the fundamental technology needed to enable 6G and speed up digitalization in society.
Read more about 6G Flagship (opens in a new tab)
Allied ICT Finland
Allied ICT Finland (AIF) is the largest Nordic ICT-network of universities, digital innovation hubs and company ecosystems turns high quality research into market applications. We are looking for cooperation with research institutions and companies in Finland and abroad, as well as EU-level collaboration and partnerships.
AIF is a network which was found by University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied Sciences and BusinessOulu. Today, led by the University of Oulu, it covers 20 universities and research organisations, 12 regional business development organisations and 51 shared R&D environments.
Read more about Allied ICT Finland (opens in a new tab)
Oulu — European Capital of Culture 2026
Oulu is the European Capital of Culture for the year 2026. The Capital of Culture year will bring international visibility to both Northern and the whole of Finland’s culture.
The main theme, Cultural Climate Change means combining and connecting different, even surprising, things together. Through the means of culture and art, people are brought together, interaction as well as technology are improved, and art and nature are connected in unforeseen ways.
Read more about Oulu — European Capital of Culture 2026 (opens in a new tab)
TRINITY
The main objective of TRINITY is to create a network of multidisciplinary and synergistic local digital innovation hubs (DIHs) composed of research centers, companies, and university groups that cover a wide range of topics that can contribute to agile production: advanced robotics as the driving force and digital tools, data privacy and cyber security technologies to support the introduction of advanced robotic systems in the production processes.
TRINITY website (opens in a new tab)
Digital Innovation Hub networks of Oulu region
Oulu region stakeholders participate in the following digital innovation hubs and networks of hubs.
Arctic Drone Labs DIH
Arctic Drone Labs is an Unmanned Aircraft System Innovation ecosystem based in Finland and accredited Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) and ATI Center (Advanced Technologies for Industry) by the European Commission. We collect and nourish expertise, tools and innovations to boost drone and UAS related business, research and education.
Arctic Drone Labs DIH website (opens in a new tab)
OuluHealth
OuluHealth is one of the leading digital health innovation ecosystems in Europe. Members of the OuluHealth ecosystem represent the whole spectrum of health and social care, including specialised medical care, primary health and social care, health and wellbeing industry and commerce, health technology research and education, and citizens.
The main stakeholders of OuluHealth are Oulu University Hospital (OYS), University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and BusinessOulu and the Department of Healthcare and Social Welfare of the City of Oulu. The OuluHealth ecosystem also encompasses more than 600 health and life science companies, at least 240 of which are high-tech companies
OuluHealth website (opens in a new tab)
SuperIoT
SuperIoT and Analytics+ alliances are non-profit organisations that cater world class innovative IoT and AI companies and research institutes to build end-to-end solutions. The alliances give fast access to integrated solutions enabling ascension in value chain, improving work efficiency and bringing new possibilities for monetizing gathered data. With comprehensive digitalization, we deliver complete solutions from sensors to data analytics seamlessly and cyber secured with latest technology innovations, integrated into existing processes, tools and platforms.
SuperIoT website (opens in a new tab)
5G Test Network Finland
5GTNF is a 5G technology and service trialing infrastructure comprising of multiple interconnected sites around Finland. The collaborating sites form a joint innovation platform and ecosystem, which aims to serve the needs of both industry and academia. 5GTNF offers testing, trialing and piloting services as well as possibilities for bilateral cooperation within the ecosystem. With varying focus areas at different sites, 5GTNF can cover a large variety of vertical industry use cases by providing support for high data rates, low latencies, reliable communications and massive amount of devices. 5GTNF is a joint initiative between Finnish public and private sectors.
5G Test Network Finland website (opens in a new tab)