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

For Maria Vuorensola, Programme Manager of the Oulu Innovation Alliance, Oulu’s participation in the European Capital of Innovation competition represents a career milestone in her work for the city – even though the winner hasn’t yet been announced. Oulu’s approach to fostering innovation ecosystems offers a model from which other cities can learn.

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.

Innocity Espoo is also in the iCapital-final.

Read the whole story: My Oulu: Maria Vuorensola leads Oulu toward becoming Europe’s most innovative city – Mun Oulu