Latest content
Our latest updates, thoughts, and events — as they roll out.
In Imagining Change Through Science – Demos Helsinki Research Encounters, we explored how science and research have shaped societal change.
→ Continue reading
Demos Helsinki is currently involved in 14 Horizon Europe projects. From exploring the societal impacts of new technologies to tackling climate challenges, these projects reflect a growing demand for research that sparks systemic change. Discover how we are working across disciplines to shape fairer, more sustainable futures.
→ Continue reading
These three research projects are: 1) Reducing polarisation via material participation (MaDem); 2) Coastal waters under pressure – safeguarding a healthy Gulf of Finland in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape (CoWup); and 3) Safe Water for All (WaterFall).
→ Continue reading
Drawing on almost five years of Cities Mission implementation, Demos Helsinki and its partners from Dark Matter Labs and the Mission Board argue that mission governance has reached policy readiness. Its mechanisms have been tested, its governance infrastructure is in place, and it offers a transferable model for delivering on EU strategic priorities at scale.
→ Continue reading
Finland managed the Covid-19 pandemic comparatively well. Yet the longer the crisis lasted, the more visible the limits of the governance system became. This brief examines what a prolonged crisis revealed about institutional strength, societal vulnerabilities, and the kind of governance future crises demand.
→ Continue reading
Decades of low growth in Finland may be a symptom of a weakened capacity for renewal inside organisations, including the country’s top businesses. In this report, we explore the role that Finnish companies play in the current growth environment and document what business leaders think should be done next. We conclude with key recommendations for boards and executive teams to create the conditions for a renewed purpose in business, one that fits the current Finnish context and reveals underused capacity for renewal.
→ Continue reading
Sorry, there are currently no upcoming events. Please follow us to get the latest updates!

The most important policy question of 2020: Impact of climate policy on employment
October 23, 2020
“Why do we thrive to maintain economic growth if we cannot keep the planet habitable?”, stated the primary shareholder of Kone, and one of the key business figures in Finland, in the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper. The urgency of climate action is widely recognised, as is the deficit of the economy….
→ Continue reading
Public Governance Must Be Able to Imagine a Better Future
June 9, 2020
In uncertain times, people turn their eyes towards central and local government. The importance of public governance and its role in securing the conditions in which people can lead good lives is highlighted especially now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article is originally published in the Finnish weekly magazine, Suomen…
→ Continue reading
“Why Silicon Valley when you can be like Moominvalley” – We must bring people to the heart of smart city thinking
June 8, 2020
Over the last decade, people have become fascinated by smart cities and how technology can help make cities better places to live. The world’s leading smart city models, the so-called Chinese and Silicon Valley models, have been criticised for increasing public surveillance and the power of global tech companies. In…
→ Continue reading