About Us
We build paths towards fair, sustainable, and joyful societies.
Demos Helsinki is a globally operating, non-profit, and independent think tank that conducts research, creates new policy tools, and helps build capacities to instigate and sustain essential transitions. We collaborate with local and national governments, international organisations, civil society, and companies to create the tools that will define this pivotal moment in global history.
Founded in 2005, we are headquartered in Finland but collaborate on projects globally. We are a community of about 70 curious and kind individuals from various backgrounds and expertise. We are predominantly project-funded and fully independent, without any party affiliations as an organisation.
Why we exist
Alongside partners worldwide, we are committed to leading societal transformations. When tools, structures and mindsets are unfit for purpose, Demos Helsinki exists to address the challenges of collective action, which is required for societal change.
In our 20 years of experience, we bridge the gap between immediate interventions and long-term societal needs. Together with other organisations like us and partners in governments, critical industries, academia, civil society, the arts, and more, we proliferate the belief that a fair, sustainable and joyful next era is possible.
Only together can we fight for a fair, sustainable, and joyful next era.
What framework should be used to evaluate the impact of local governments' actions against the ecological crisis?
What would be a narrative about the role of technology that wouldn't reinforce current power structures and ways of existing? What would this mean for policy?
How do the changing premises of our economic system affect government budgeting and economic policy?
What is the societal value of a public transportation company, and how should it affect its business model?
What does research and innovation mean for a Fine Arts higher education institution?
It is questions like these that we try to answer with our collaborators. The heart of our approach is that the world is trying to solve today's problems using structures and tools invented for the industrial era. We believe that this is an era of experimentation, where blueprints and best practices can't alleviate the pressures of change.
So, what is the role of an organisation like Demos Helsinki in this changing world?
Critical in analysis, empowering in synthesis.
Systemic change stretches beyond disciplines, industries, and domains. At Demos Helsinki, we have made it our imperative to combine strong vertical expertise with a horizontal systemic view.
Analysis. We are a multidisciplinary team of practitioners and researchers in governance and public administration, sustainability, the built environment, technology and AI, the economy, and the social sciences.
Synthesis. A wide-eye view is increasingly important in the current operational environment. When everyone tries to make sense of a changing world, our version of events gives our partners the sense of agency and the right tools to lead the change.
When it comes to societal transformation, there is very little certainty and no blueprints.
That's why we have an Impact Model.
Our Impact Model is how we coordinate action and learning when it comes to societal transformation. It keeps us flexible, reflective, and determined.
It is comprised of three key elements:
- Ethos. Our ethos is that "only together can we fight for a fair, sustainable, and joyful next era". This ethos underlines all of our work — from the types of work that we do, to the methodology, to the outcome that we want it to serve.
- Leverages. We focus our work on five systems that we believe promise the highest opportunities for impact. Those are Governance, Technology, Infrastructure, Agency, and Economy.
- Commitments. These commitments ensure that, whatever we do, does not cross those lines. When partners work with us, they can be sure that these lines will not be crossed.
Our history
Demos Helsinki started in 2005 as a community of urbanists and democracy experts who quietly started transforming Finnish cities and neighbourhoods. With a focus on sustainability from the get-go, it quickly became obvious that the effects of the climate crisis are way more far-reaching than focusing on just the urban domain. Growing capacities and knowledge is in Demos Helsinki’s DNA so, naturally, we have gone through multiple phases of self-reflection and definition of our own role in society. Now, after 20 years of working with governments, private companies, civil society, and communities, we have come to see ourselves as a substitute — an agent of collective action — whose purpose will end once a fair, sustainable, and joyful next era arises.
Our structure
A few words about our structure:
- We are owned by an association. Demos Helsinki is fully owned by the association Demos ry, which is comprised of the employees of Demos Helsinki. We do not respond to shareholders.
- Location and focus. Our headquarters are in Finland, but our community is becoming increasingly diverse, with collaborators from Brazil, the UK, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Slovakia, Australia, India, Turkey, France, Austria, Germany, Vietnam, and Canada.
- Teams. Teams at Demos Helsinki are practical and there mostly for support, as our approach is to reinforce horizontal coordination between different types of expertise.
- Employee Board. Over the course of our existence, we have experimented with numerous models for Boards. Currently, we have a Board comprised of employees, reinforcing democracy, transparency, and accountability for our operational leadership.
- RADAR. Every member of our community is equal and, through our bi-yearly convention called RADAR, we deliberate and discuss future areas we want to focus on, lessons learnt through different domains, and affirming or contesting our current direction.
- Our revenue. Revenue and profit allow us to be bold and not compromise our values to survive as an organisation. All profit is reinvested back into our operations.