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Write the future,
with Demos Helsinki.
About Demos Helsinki
As a journalist, you contribute to the future by highlighting ideas that matter. Whether you are already writing a story or looking for inspiration, Demos Helsinki can provide trustworthy commentary while remaining joyful and optimistic about societies and our future.
Governments and other organisations come to Demos Helsinki looking for new ideas, concepts, points of growth, and strategic change when old tools become outdated. Our people lead the way in challenging the status quo to bring about positive societal change. We work with global actors, including the United Nations, OECD, European Commission, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and many others, to reshape societies.
Get the unexpected angle of any story — big or small
Demos Helsinki experts always provide useful context that can promote public dialogue and increase the stakes of any story. All of our experts are available for comments, and you can find them here. Otherwise, see if something sparks your interest from the featured topics below:
Cutting-edge research and evidence-based policies
We have an extensive research portfolio that explores the dynamics of institutions and society.
Public administration and governance
Our current institutions, tools, and policies are not fit for purpose. We have been building a number of approaches, models, and frameworks that can create a new type of governance — one that can instigate and sustain just transformations.
See our relevant research, projects, experts, and thoughts ->
Sustainability and post-sustainability
Our experts have 20 years of experience studying societal and behavioural trends regarding the sustainability transition, while also carrying out direct engagements with governments, companies, universities, and civil society to accelerate a just transformation.
See our work and experts on Sustainability & Climate Action ->
New economic thinking, wellbeing economy, new economic indicators
Our economic system has revealed its pain points. We believe that there are economic interventions that go beyond policy. What if our economies focused on wellbeing instead of growth? What if new key indicators replaced GDP?
Industrial policy for the post-industrial era
Industrial policy is about governance — and we said before it was cool. Governments are now dealing with strategic uncertainty and a gap in capacities, while also missing the right tools to engage meaningfully with critical-industry leaders.
Emerging technologies and how to design, develop and deploy them equitably
Technology cannot be treated as a sector. We consistently develop research and recommendations on the responsible and ethical deployment of technologies, the rollout of ethical AI, and the future of work, governance, and regulation in a digitalised era.
The future of care, healthcare, and welfare
Demands for care are growing due to a number of factors. Our work shows the need to integrate care in all economic sectors and all aspects of life.
Cities, their challenges, and their opportunities
Cities can lead essential transitions by instigating and sustaining collective action. Our 20+ years of experience in urban transformations reveals city-governance gaps and opportunities.
Connect with the right expert
Send your request to angeliki.vourdaki[at]demoshelsinki.fi, including your name, publication, and a short summary of what interests you. Our colleague, Angeliki, will help direct you to the right person.
Latest news
See what Demos Helsinki has been up to.
Which smart city will be the first one loved by its citizens?
Post
October 17, 2016
Smart city has become an umbrella concept bringing together strategies for reinventing cities utilizing ICT. Smart city promises drastic leap in energy efficiency, less congestion, more humane conditions, in hot and crowded urban spaces, and overall responsiveness to needs of urban dwellers. Until now, the concept of smart city…
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Finnish approach to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is a “political suicide”.
Post
September 9, 2016
For the first time ever the UN is inviting all of its member states to take part in its programme for sustainable development. Finland set out to become the most sustainable nation in the world from the very beginning of 2016, which was when the new programme of the UN…
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Thousands to receive basic income in Finland: a trial that could lead to the greatest societal transformation of our time
Post
August 30, 2016
Finland is about to launch an experiment in which a randomly selected group of 2,000–3,000 citizens already on unemployment benefits will begin to receive a monthly basic income of 560 euros (approx. $600). That basic income will replace their existing benefits. The amount is the same as the current guaranteed…
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3 things Finland can do to become the most sustainable nation in the world
Post
August 24, 2016
Agenda 2030 – the UN’s new sustainable development programme – was launched at the beginning of 2016. Finland wants to be a leading country in the implementation of this ambitious and vitally important programme. As a consequence, the Finnish government commissioned Demos Helsinki and the Finnish Environment Institute to conduct…
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Helsinki organises a huge co-creation jam
Post
August 12, 2016
In Finland, festivals aren’t just for music; they’re for urban planning too. At Flow Festival in Helsinki, the audience can listen to Sia, Morrissey, and M83, and envision the city of the future There’s a certain ambiance that’s created at festivals: one of utopia and possibility. “What you have at…
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ReKindle, Padurn and Rent-in-Shop are the Finnish winners of the ClimateLaunchpad idea competition
Post
June 15, 2016
[Photo: Roope Kiviranta] The Finnish finalists of ClimateLaunchpad, the world’s largest cleantech idea competition, have now been selected. The Finnish finals were held on 15th June in sunny Helsinki, taking place at the Microsoft Flux collaborative space. The three winners (short description of each) will now head to Tallinn, where…
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