Demos Helsinki in NTNU Sustainability Science Conference

Demos Helsinki is well known for the work on the human centered transitions to radically sustainable societies. Therefore it is only natural that four of our researchers are attending the NTNU Sustainability Science conference (October 18th-20th 2017) in Trondheim, Norway.

The conference is organized to discuss some of the most important questions of the humankind. How do our societies impact global ecosystems? What could be the paradigm for a radically more sustainable society and economy? How to phrase it? What kind of strategies could be developed in order to make the transformation happen?

Moreover, as Dr. Hans Bruyninckx from the European Environmental Agency insightfully pointed out in his keynote speech, three main transformations at a policy level are the transformation from a high carbon to a low carbon society, the shift from a linear to a circular economy and a societal change which supports biodiversity. These, according to Bruyninckx, are the fundamental and necessary transformations that we are faced with.

We would be happy to take the challenge and bring some examples of the research and work done at Demos Helsinki. So, join us at our parallel sessions to discuss especially these two themes:

1) Thursday October 19th, Track D – Business models for sustainability, room COSMOS 3A

Satu Lähteenoja & Tyyra Linko: Bees and Trees – a novel way for large companies and startups to co-create sustainable innovation

People need new sustainable products and services in order to radically transform their lifestyles. Strategic partnerships between large companies and startups are needed for bringing those products and services to the market. Bees and trees -project is about facilitating new partnerships and collaborative experiments. In the presentation we present the early results on action research about new types of strategic experiments. What are the key elements to a successful strategic collaboration? What kind of support is needed to get large companies and startups innovate together?

2)Friday October 20th, Track A – Institutions, governance & ethics, room COSMOS 1&2

Johannes Mikkonen – Scenarios for the hyperconnected Nordic Society 2040

Hyperconnectivity refers to development due to the technological development, the physical and virtual world will collide. New hyperconnected technologies will become part of our environment and everyday life, which will change our relationship to the physical world and our relationships with other people, affecting communities, societies, and economies. What are the opportunities and risks of this kind of technological change? How do we make the future (hyperconnected) society a one full of trust, respect and collaboration?

 

In case you are not able to make it, shout out and we can arrange a meeting at the conference venue. We will link the presentations here later on.

Satu Lähteenoja
+358 44 500 2993
Tyyra Linko
+358 40 7297952
Johannes Mikkonen
+358 40 569 4948
Mikael Sokero
+358 40 1646453