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Yritystakomo ("enterprise smithy")
Published on 14 February 2020
Finland
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Problem Addressed:
Nokia invested billions in R&D investments at Oulu. This was the biggest factor in “Oulu miracle” resulting in 15,000 IT jobs during 2000’s.
Nokia lost its competitiveness leading also many subcontractors and also other big companies down.
In it’s worst there were 3500 – 4500 IT specialists unemployed in the Oulu region.
How Objectives are reached:
Peer networked enterprise incubator included:
highly skilled and networked facilitator
supporting personnel to management consultation
open and peer-evaluating information sharing practices
frequent networking events and training courses.
Incubator was formed by public project funding as an enterprise form.
Attendants were engaged in the formal agreement of practices and confidentiality.
The aim was to develop and evaluate business plans and establish a company.
In addition, matchmaking, job and employee services, and different training courses.
Stakeholders:
Business Oulu, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, local government officials, universities, unemployed professionals and start-ups.
Expert opinion
This practice is instructive to regions who go through rapid changes when a cornerstone of the local economy collapses. In order to address such structural changes new innovative approaches are needed. In Oulu this was done by facilitating a broad collaboration between local governments, universities, entrepreneurs and now unemployed IT-workers. The pre-incubating services focused on matchmaking, networking and brainstorming events. This led to new business ideas - over a hundred new stratups and 400 jobs were created – which have helped to revitalize the region.
This practice teaches us that in the case of large structural change it is important to quickly facilitate networking and cooperation among the talented individuals that have lost their jobs and to provide a bit of extra training and encouragement for them to setup their own startups.
This practice teaches us that in the case of large structural change it is important to quickly facilitate networking and cooperation among the talented individuals that have lost their jobs and to provide a bit of extra training and encouragement for them to setup their own startups.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
The cost of the project was 400 000 € a year, including premises, events, pieces of training.
There were one full time employee and one or two part-time workers.
The budget was covered together by the City of Oulu / (Business Oulu) and Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environme
There were one full time employee and one or two part-time workers.
The budget was covered together by the City of Oulu / (Business Oulu) and Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environme
Evidence of success
Concrete outcomes include:
1000 people participated in the activities
109 start-ups and 400 jobs
The online services for matchmaking and job offers delivered 1900 open positions and over 2000 registered job seekers.
Innovation courses have introduced new industries such as health care, energy, and insurance for participants.
1000 people participated in the activities
109 start-ups and 400 jobs
The online services for matchmaking and job offers delivered 1900 open positions and over 2000 registered job seekers.
Innovation courses have introduced new industries such as health care, energy, and insurance for participants.
Potential for learning or transfer
This good practice was indicated as a highly valuable project by it’s concrete outcomes.
Originally the project designed to continues 3 years, but because of its success it was extended to 7 years.
The city of Oulu was going through a rapid, prolonged structural change.
More than five years after the worst of the Nokia layoffs, tech employment was higher than ever because of a growing number of startups.
That resilience was created as the result of bringing together local government officials, universities, and entrepreneurs to share ideas in the playful atmosphere of trust.
Originally the project designed to continues 3 years, but because of its success it was extended to 7 years.
The city of Oulu was going through a rapid, prolonged structural change.
More than five years after the worst of the Nokia layoffs, tech employment was higher than ever because of a growing number of startups.
That resilience was created as the result of bringing together local government officials, universities, and entrepreneurs to share ideas in the playful atmosphere of trust.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Oulun yritystakomo OY
Finland
Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi
Contact
RDI specialists