Latest content
Our latest updates, thoughts, and events — as they roll out.
Drawing on three EU-funded research projects, we examine the tensions behind von der Leyen’s State of the Union address. Technological sovereignty risks deepening the dependencies it aims to reduce; climate resilience requires funding architecture that lets mitigation and adaptation reinforce each other; and Europe’s strength cannot be measured by economic indicators alone. A stronger Europe, we argue, depends less on ambition than on governance capable of delivering it.
→ Continue reading
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
The Circular Design Toolkit helps policymakers move beyond recycling by focusing on upstream design decisions that shape sustainable value chains and industrial transformation.
→ 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
- All
- AI
- Business
- Cities
- Civil service
- Construction
- Democracy
- Economy
- Foresight
- Health & Wellbeing
- Industry & innovation
- Justice
- Public governance
- Research
- Skills & work
- Society
- Sustainability & climate action
- Sustainability governance
- Technology
Forms Matter – Foreword
September 14, 2022
Foreword by Juha Leppänen The Tragedy of the Form Here is something we rarely talk about: the “form” in “transformation”. We pursue systemic change from forms designed for the industrial era. How can we transform societies if we don’t challenge our forms first? Demos Helsinki community, though with some notable…
→ Continue reading
Infrastructure: The overlooked tool for societal transformation
July 25, 2022
Infrastructure shapes human activity and influences both societal and economic outcomes, but it’s often overlooked in discussions about systemic change. Our past investments can lock us into outdated systems, yet future decisions must prioritize infrastructure that supports environmental and human wellbeing, enabling a transformative path towards a more sustainable future.
→ Continue reading
21st-century infrastructure must be regenerative
July 25, 2022
Traditional infrastructure, like Austin’s I-35, often benefits some while harming others, especially marginalised communities. Expanding from six to twenty lanes, as proposed, could exacerbate this. Instead, regenerative infrastructure—rebuilding communities and ecosystems—offers a vision for 21st-century development, promoting social equity and environmental health, crucial for a sustainable future.
→ Continue reading