Helsinki as a Leading Smart Region

Helsinki is the capital of Finland and the country’s most populous city. Located in the Gulf of Finland in the Uusimaa region, Helsinki has been actively working since the mid-2000s to position itself as a leading and sustainable smart city. In its Strategy Programme for 2013–2016 the city of Helsinki defined its vision as creating “a uniformly operating area, surrounded by nature, i.e., a good place to live, study, work, and do business.” Since then, Helsinki has set ambitious goals, including becoming a climate-neutral region by 2030, increasing employment rates, and improving both the city and citizens' quality of life. Helsinki has made significant progress toward these goals and has firmly established itself as a leading smart city.

IBM define a smart city as “an urban area where technology and data collection help improve quality of life as well as the sustainability and efficiency of city operations. Smart city technologies used by local governments include information and communication technologies (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT).” Helsinki goes beyond merely identifying as a smart city; it defines itself as a Smart Region - an integration of both Smart City and Smart Countryside. As stated on their website: “The Helsinki Smart Region showcases the smart expertise in Helsinki-Uusimaa. Our smart innovation strategy for the region brings together stakeholders from both urban and rural areas for impactful research and innovation activities, all under the overarching theme of Resource Wisdom”. Within this smart region, Helsinki has identified three focal themes: creating a city for the citizens, achieving climate neutrality, and industrial modernization.

Citizen’s City

The first theme, Citizen’s City, emphasizes Helsinki’s commitment to involving its citizens in the ongoing improvement of the city. Technology is used to provide user-focused services and solutions in areas such as transportation, housing, and healthcare. Helsinki’s goal is to create a city its inhabitants are proud of and thus are motivated to maintain. Initiatives such as smart traffic systems, urban greenery, housing and other sustainability-focused projects are all designed to benefit the citizens. As Regional Planning Architect Mariikka Manninen states, “Everyday life runs better when you don’t need to spend hours in traffic” (2024).

Climate Neutrality

The second theme focuses on Climate Neutrality. Helsinki-Uusimaa aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, which, in this context, means not only transitioning to a low-carbon society and using clean energy but also extending climate actions to the tourism sector. Helsinki encourages sustainable tourism activities like camping, cycling, and nature tours. They also promote visits to local, sustainable businesses, including thrift stores, or offer tours of local sustainable facilities. Certain businesses are given a "sustainably certified" label, indicating they have met strict environmental criteria in Finland. These extensive measures set Helsinki apart from other smart cities by integrating sustainability throughout multiple sectors.

Smart Technology vs. Sustainability

A number of smart cities prioritize digital and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies while neglecting the sustainability element. In Nicos Komninos’ book, Intelligent Cities and Globalisation of Innovation Networks, he presents the concept of two paradigms: Cyber-cities vs. Intelligent Communities. As Komninos explains: “Cyber-cities perceive spatial intelligence as a problem of telecommunication infrastructure, digital networking, sensors, intelligent agents, online software applications, and automation in the collection and processing of information; as a pure problem of communication technology and artificial intelligence.” In contrast, Intelligent Communities combine human skills, learning institutions, and digital technologies. Helsinki aligns more with the latter paradigm, carefully balancing advanced technology with human-centered solutions and sustainability. This careful attention to both cutting-edge technology and the human element is a hallmark of Helsinki’s leadership in smart city development.

Industrial Modernization

The third theme, Industrial Modernisation, focuses on industrial IoT and mobile technologies, where Helsinki develops leading-edge technologies for future industries and processes. This theme covers industrial processes, robotics, travel, and health technologies. Like many smart cities, Helsinki is leveraging AI and robotics, particularly in waste management, to take over manual, labour-intensive tasks that are less appealing to workers. As well as with their introduction of driverless electric buses, which have been allowed to transport people as part of a pilot program in Helsinki.

Smart Villages: Connecting Urban and Rural Areas

One of the most notable aspects of Helsinki’s strategy is its effort to implement Smart Villages in rural communities, part of the "Smart Countryside" component of their Smart Region. The Rural Development Programme (2014-2020) made significant progress toward this goal, advocating for various digital actions, including E-health services, E-learning, and the digitalization of rural businesses. According to the Finlands Byar website, the program’s objectives include advocating for local development, creating a safe living environment with adequate services, and ensuring the well-being of residents. Through initiatives like this, Finland is successfully bridging the urban-rural divide to create a more cohesive Smart Region. Such initiatives could be especially valuable for developing countries, where resource distribution and internet connectivity are often challenges. Programs that focus on bringing digital infrastructure to rural areas can help overcome some of these barriers.

Ultimately, Helsinki’s ability to foster connectivity and accessibility, along with its adept use of technology to bring together citizens and communities, while maintaining a focus on sustainability, sets it apart from many other smart cities. Helsinki serves as an exemplary model for both developed and developing cities seeking to establish Smart Regions that integrate technology, sustainability, and human-centered solutions.

Technological advancements play a crucial role in shaping smart cities, but access to these innovations is often the biggest barrier. While Helsinki demonstrates how a well-connected region can leverage technology, many larger nations with vast, underdeveloped areas struggle to implement similar solutions. Does the high cost and complexity of these technologies make them exclusive to smaller, highly developed countries? Can larger nations with limited infrastructure truly bridge this gap?