Latest content

Our latest updates, thoughts, and events — as they roll out.

All
  • All
  • AI
  • Business
  • Cities
  • Civil service
  • Construction
  • Democracy
  • Economy
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Industry & innovation
  • Justice
  • Public governance
  • Skills & work
  • Society
  • Sustainability & climate action
  • Technology

Innovating urban development: Lessons from M4EG & moving beyond growth

Two key lessons from our work in the Mayors for Economic Growth project, in collaboration with UNDP: 1) Innovation needs to occur at multiple levels and 2) If we’re to be effective, we must remain humble.


→ Continue reading

Europe cannot simply build its way out of the housing crisis

There is an anticipated challenge in housing that few are talking about yet. The conventional tool that cities have always had to address housing crises — building more — will not be sufficient. How prepared are cities for this scenario? More importantly, how can cities address housing justice while also averting ecological and biodiversity crises from worsening?


→ Continue reading

What’s going on with GDP? Rethinking economic success

For decades, GDP has stood unchallenged as the primary measure of economic success. As calls to move beyond GDP grow, two approaches have risen to prominence: supplementing it with broader measures, or abandoning it altogether to redefine economic success. What is the best path forward in the debate on GDP?


→ Continue reading

16 Horizon projects later, our goal is the same

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

Demos Helsinki is part of three SRC-funded research projects on democracy and water security

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

A time to build – shaping the next generation of public institutions

We are pleased to announce that the UNDP’s Istanbul Innovation Days (IID), taking place in March 2025, will focus on shaping the next generation of public institutions for a secure and prosperous world.


→ Continue reading

Discussion paper: State Capability, Policymaking and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

In the discussion paper, we set out to explore what the main opportunities and concerns that accompany the Fourth Industrial Revolution for policymaking and knowledge systems are particularly in middle-income countries.


→ Continue reading

Universalism in the Next Era: Moving Beyond Redistribution

Universal Basic Income (UBI) has emerged as a potential solution. However, it is not enough to merely reform systems of redistribution. We in Demos Helsinki believe that it is time to examine social security from a broader perspective.


→ Continue reading

Vision Paper: Empowering Governments to Steer the 21st Century

We believe governments of the 21st Century are vision-driven, continuously learning, and unbounded. This is our vision on Public Sector Innovation of the Next Era.


→ Continue reading

Sorry, there are currently no upcoming events. Please follow us to get the latest updates!