Why Oulu?

What makes the distance? Why do we say that something is far away and something else close? You might think that Oulu, Finland, is far away, but I could also ask: from where? Oulu is far away from Singapore, but so are London and New York. Oulu is the largest city in northern Finland and also the fifth largest city in Finland. Our airport, second-busiest in Finland and the busiest in northern Scandinavia, is an important air traffic hub, with easy connections to Helsinki, Tampere, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Tallinn. Basically, you can get here quite easily.

The Oulu region is home to more than 250,000 people. It's a one-of-a-kind combination of expertise of the future and a willingness to work, specifically concentrated in the areas of science, culture and technology. And the youngest population in Finland and Europe dares to innovate. With an average age of 36 years, we definitely have the energy and passion to innovate and the willpower to succeed.

You may also think it's cold up here. Again, it's all relative. Living conditions here are considerably more favorable when compared to other areas at the same latitudes. The average temperatures in January 2013 were -7.9°C in Oulu, -21°C in Alaska, and -47.8°C in Siberia. Sure, Oulu may seem quite chilly, but that chill is also very useful e.g. in arctic field research around sensor technology.

We have one of the largest and most multidisciplinary university in Finland, and the research ecosystem between companies, research institutes and the university is extremely functional. Moreover, Oulu was voted as the most intelligent community in Europe in 2012. No wonder, since we have an excellent reputation as a 'developer' city. Oulu has been known as a hub of renowned ICT expertise for a long time. It is considered to be one of the most important and interesting technology communities in the world. So it's no surprise to find that Oulu hosts the world's leading businesses in printed intelligence, data security, remote identification sensors (NFC/RFID), future radio technology (RF), 3D Internet and gaming. Oulu is also ranked as one of the 28 top cities in the IT world, and it's also the home of Europe's largest technology park.

Oulu, 'The Wireless Valley', is the foremost center for wireless competence in Europe. We have one of the highest R&D intensities in Europe, excellent competence in the areas of complex handsets, wireless network architecture and system design, including business models, not to mention world-class manufacturing facilities for both prototyping and mass production.

With all this, and the added component of a vibrant urban culture, it's no wonder some great companies were given birth right here. Because we really can do wonders.