human tech

1

JYVÄSKYLÄH U M A N T E C H C E N T E R F I N L A N D S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

www.humantechnology.fi

IN THIS ISSUE: FOCUS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Nordic Business Forum,creating a better world

10

18

20

Team Academy, a young rebel Cyber threats create business opportunities

Smart phones part of children’s everyday life

4

2 H U M A N T E C H C E N T E R F I N L A N D

S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

ISSN 1795-3146

Editorial O"ce in this issue

Jyväskylä Educational Consortium,

Viitaniementie 1 A, 40720 Jyväskylä

niina.luttinen@jao.#, www.jao.#

Editor-in-chief

Niina Luttinen

Jyväskylä Educational Consortium

Editorial sta#

Viestintä-Paprico Oy, www.paprico.#

This publication is brought to you by

The City of Jyväskylä, with a population of 132 000, is one of

Finland’s centres of growth. Recognised as a city of high-quality

education, Jyväskylä is also internationally known for the

architecture of Alvar Aalto.

www.jyvaskyla.#

Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd. is a busi-

ness promotion and development company owned by the four

municipalities in the Jyväskylä Region. The aim of Jykes is to create

a favourable business environment. By o$ering expertise, support

and various networks for companies, Jykes creates opportunities

and conditions for pro#table business operations.

www.jykes.#

The University of Jyväskylä is one of the largest, most attractive

and dynamic research universities in Finland, with about

15 000 students, including international students from some

90 countries.

www.jyu.#

JAMK University of Applied Sciences is a multidisciplinary institu-

tion of higher education with a strong international orientation

and a student enrolment of 8 000. Our strengths are workplace-

driven learning, close cooperation with the labour market and

business, as well as extensive international contacts.

www.jamk.#

Jyväskylä Innovation Ltd. is a development company that

reinforces the growth, development and competitiveness of

technology companies in Jyväskylä and Central Finland. The

company carries out the Jyväskylä Region Centre of Expertise

Programme.

www.jklinnovation.#

Jyväskylä Educational Consortium provides vocational and

general upper secondary education to young people and adults.

The consortium’s educational institutions are attended by over

22 000 students.

www.jao.#

Published twice yearly, Human Tech Center Finland magazine

showcases the expertise, culture and people to be found in

the Jyväskylä Region.

Printed by ER-paino/Kariteam Circulation 9 200 Cover photo by Petteri Kivimäki

Editorial board

Liisa Harjula (University of Jyväskylä), Helinä Mäenpää

(City of Jyväskylä), Niina Luttinen (Jyväskylä Educational

Consortium), Pirjo Nikku (Jyväskylä Innovation Ltd),

Taija Lappeteläinen (Jyväskylä Regional Development

Company Jykes Ltd.), Heli Toivola (JAMK University of

Applied Sciences)

English translation

Peter Gregory

and Tony Melville

Contents

4 Aiming to bring about positive change

7 From university research to entrepreneurship

8 Creativity and entrepreneurship

10 Team Academy, a young rebel

12 A new model for generating ideas

14 The full picture of entrepreneurship

15 Toivola Old Courtyard – a journey back in time

16 Stepping bravely into an entrepreneur’s shoes

18 Cyber attacks – opportunities for business

20 Right there where it’s happening

22 The magic of the circus

24 “Moving my company to Jyväskylä was easy”

20

10

3

FIRST WORDS

JANUARY 8, 2013

FINNS ARE ENTREPRENEURIAL by nature. Attitudes to entre-

preneurship, particularly among the young, have grown more

favourable with each year. Factors that encourage people to

become entrepreneurs include independence and freedom of

work, and the opportunity to be successful and set one’s own

timetable.

In Finland the significance of entrepreneurship education is

seen as being much broader than merely a factor that encour-

ages the setting up of businesses. The objective is to support

school pupils’ innate entrepreneurship at an early stage, helping

them to develop into independent citizens who take the initia-

tive, are able to collaborate with others, and participate in so-

ciety. Familiarisation with working life starts at comprehensive

school, and this supports the process of choosing a career and

creates the basis for respecting the world of work.

The difference between employment and entrepreneurship

has narrowed, and this change is also reflected in vocational

and upper secondary education. In addition to knowledge and

skills in individual fields, students preparing for today’s project

based working life increasingly need more holistic competence

and the ability to take a responsible and creative approach to

work. At the vocational institutes and upper secondary schools

that form Jyväskylä Educational Consortium, for example, the

objective of entrepreneurship studies is to encourage an entre-

preneurial mindset, continuous learning and self-development.

THE POPULARITY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP can be seen in

Finland’s growing number of small companies. By networking,

small companies can come together to form strong units. Net-

working and leveraging the strengths of partner companies are

creative operating approaches in a situation where the global

economy and issues facing big industrial companies require

quick responses. The ability to creatively “think outside the

box” – such as seeing poten-

tial business ideas in places

where different fields of ac-

tivity meet – can also be a

good quality in an entrepre-

neur.

Education is also a field

that provides potential

ideas for companies, in

both the domestic and ex-

port markets. Finland has

repeatedly been so success-

ful in the PISA and many other studies which measure school

pupils’ performance, that other countries are interested in the

Finnish education system. This favourable interest has given us

a major opportunity to promote our model of an effective edu-

cation system. There is particular demand for Finnish exper-

tise in the developing economies, where education systems are

being developed on the back of strong economic growth. Ed-

ucation exports also offer the opportunity for specialised con-

sultancy companies to promote models for an effectively func-

tioning society.

THE THEME FOR this issue is entrepreneurship, which we will

approach from a number of different angles. How are creativity

and entrepreneurship promoted at primary school? What sort

of plans do doctoral candidates make? What do upper second-

ary students think about entrepreneurship as a path to a bright-

er future?

Vesa Saarikoski

CEO

Jyväskylä Educational Consortium

Education creates the basis for entrepreneurship

“BY NETWORKING, SMALL COMPANIES CAN COME TOGETHER TO FORM STRONG UNITS.”

MIK

A J

UH

AN

I LU

OM

AN

SIV

U


In just a few years two young entrepreneurs, Jyri Lindén and Hans-

Peter Siefen, have succeeded in creating a world-class business

seminar in Jyväskylä. Their vision is for Nordic Business Forum to

be the world’s most signi$cant seminar of its kind by 2021.

Words by Timo Sillanpää Photos By Petteri Kivimäki

FOCUS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

AIMING TO BRING ABOUT

POSITIVECHANGE


5

Headed by Jyri Lindén (left) and Hans-Peter Siefen, Nordic Business

Forum Oy is based in Schauman Castle, which was built in the 1920s

as the home of Bruno Krook, manager of a plywood factory.

EACH YEAR NORDIC BUSINESS FORUM, which is held

in Jyväskylä Paviljonki, has turned the spotlight on the

central issues facing society and business. The main

speakers have included some of the world’s top names:

Al Gore in 2011 and Sir Richard Branson in 2012. The

theme of the autumn 2013 seminar is Leadership and

the star speaker will be Jack Welch, legendary Chairman

and CEO of General Electric.

In a few years the event has grown to become one of

the biggest business seminars in the Nordic countries

and has attracted thousands of influential guests to Jy-

väskylä.

The young entrepreneurs behind Nordic Business Fo-

rum, Jyri Lindén (26) and Hans-Peter Siefen (29), have

taken their inspiration from the world’s greatest busi-

ness seminars, The World Economic Forum, World

Business Forum New York and the TED Conference Cal-

ifornia.

“Nordic Business Forum will be one of the world’s big-

gest and most influential business seminars in 2021.

We believe that by then participants will also be follow-

ing the event around the world via the internet. In our

view, a seminar is significant when it is well-known,

discussed, and attracts participants from among the

world’s most important political and business leaders,”

Siefen and Lindén state.

The two entrepreneurs admit that they have set them-

selves a tough target, but they believe they can reach it.

Three new members joined their company’s board at

the beginning of 2013, and their task is to help the com-

pany grow Nordic Business Forum.

The pull of entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship has fascinated both Lindén and Sie-

fen from a young age, and both operated their own busi-

nesses before the age of 20. Their paths crossed at a Uni-

versity of Jyväskylä marketing lecture in autumn, 2007.

They gradually came up with a joint business plan, ac-

cording to which they were supposed to start a training

business by 2013.

“The timetable was accelerated when I had knee sur-

gery. While I was recovering I had the chance to step up

the planning for the training business. The first training

event for 80 participants was held in Schauman Castle

in Jyväskylä in November 2009,” Siefen says.

5


Each year Nordic Business Forum has succeeded in

reaching a new level. The 2010 event was called Week-

end Seminar and the theme was how to tune one’s own

economy, mind and tools to be more effective. The main

speaker was business coach Jari Sarasvuo and the event

brought 700 seminar guests to Jyväskylä Paviljonki.

The main speaker at the 2011 event, Strength from

Responsible Choices, was US politician and former Vice

President Al Gore.

In 2012 British businessman and adventurer Sir Rich-

ard Branson captivated 2300 seminar guests at Jyväsky-

lä Paviljonki.

Highlighting responsibility

According to Siefen, successful seminars with good

speakers will make the audience stop and think, and

can even bring about positive changes. He believes that

there are problematic aspects to the way we live current-

ly, making it necessary to spread the message of respon-

sibility. Entrepreneurship is one way of turning society

towards a path of favourable development.

“We want to promote entrepreneurship and responsi-

bility at all levels. Employees of companies can also em-

brace their internal entrepreneur, which means promot-

ing responsible business operations,” Siefen explains.

Lindén and Siefen list a number of problem areas

which underline the need to highlight themes like re-

sponsibility.

“Young people are marginalised from society and peo-

ple are concerned about our planet’s limited natural re

sources. Hopefully our generation will be able to take

the necessary action to put things on the right track,”

they say.

Plans for expansion abroad

In addition to major coaching events, Nordic Business

Forum Oy organises smaller Business Summit seminars

which give successful entrepreneurs a platform to tell

their story and enable participants to create new net-

works to support their businesses.

“We have just opened an office in Tallinn. We are aim-

ing to organise our 2013 Business Summit in Tallinn as

well as Helsinki. We are also taking initial steps towards

opening offices in Stockholm and St. Petersburg,” Sie-

fen says.

Securing famous speakers to appear at Nordic Busi-

ness Forum has meant hard work for the company’s ten-

strong team. However, success in recent years has given

the event so much credibility that attracting top interna-

tional names has become easier.

“We have to start making arrangements early because

the world’s top names soon end up with a full diary. We

have to be prepared to pay the speakers and convince

them that Nordic Business Forum is a significant event.

We always aim for our seminars to provide the audience

with an unforgettable experience,” Lindén says. ■

NORDIC BUSINESS FORUMNordic Business Forum is organised at Jyväskylä Paviljonki,

which is one of Finland’s biggest trade fair and congress cen-

tres. A large number of volunteers, including over one hun-

dred hospitality management students from JAMK University

of Applied Sciences, are involved in the arrangements.

Nordic Business Forum Oy is part of Nordic Business Group.

The Group’s other subsidiary, Nordic Business Investments Oy,

is involved in real estate investment.

Nordic Business Group’s turnover during its #rst three years of

operations: EUR 43 000 (2009), EUR 280 000 (2010), EUR 3.0

million (2011).

Nordic Business Forum 2013 26.–27.9.2013. Further informa-

tion: www.nbforum.#/2013.

“WE HAVE TO

BE PREPARED

TO PAY THE

SPEAKERS AND

CONVINCE

THEM THAT

NORDIC BUSI-

NESS FORUM IS

A SIGNIFICANT

EVENT.”


NORDIC BUSINESS FORUM 2012

The founder of Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson.

Business coach and writer Brian Tracy.

“Hopefully our generation will be able to take the necessary

action to put things on the right track,” say Jyri Lindén and

Hans-Peter Siefen.

7

EXPERTISE IN MULTIPLE fields provides the potential

to tailor services according to customer needs. Human

Business, a cooperative set up by doctoral students at

the University of Jyväskylä, is seeking to establish itself

in markets requiring expertise from the social sciences

and humanities.

“The cooperative’s main areas of competence are well-

being, culture and communications,” says Tiina Koivu-

lahti, who is writing her doctoral thesis in art history.

The eleven members of the Human Business cooper-

ative are all experts and believe that customers will be

interested in their multidisciplinary team’s competence

and skills. The members’ own entrepreneurial spirit and

services offered by the cooperative have been reinforced

by team coaching provided by the Yrittäjäksi yliopistos-

ta (‘Entrepreneurs from University’) project run by the

Faculty of Humanities at the university.

“The cooperative offers doctoral students an oppor-

tunity to commercialise and market the results of their

own doctoral thesis. We hope that entrepreneurship

will bring new employment opportunities and offer

meaningful assignments. The cooperative will also pro-

vide a safety net for researchers starting out as entrepre-

neurs,” says Leena Ikonen, who is preparing her doctor-

al thesis in pedagogics.

Team coaching provides a good start

In the past, human sciences PhDs have generally found

employment at universities. The Yrittäjäksi yliopistos-

ta (‘Entrepreneurs from University’) project, which was

launched at the University of Jyväskylä in April 2010,

uses entrepreneurship to promote the employment of

PhDs from the Faculties of Humanities, Education, So-

cial Sciences and Sport and Health Sciences. In 2011 a

total of 85 human sciences PhDs graduated from the

University of Jyväskylä.

“A survey of doctoral students by the project revealed

that around 90% wanted to take their expertise outside

the university,” says Heli Niskanen, Project Manager.

The project involves team coaching sessions, where

the doctoral students have learnt the basics about en-

From university studies to business ideasUniversity researchers are increasingly interested in opportunities to make commer-

cial use of their academic backgrounds and research. A new cooperative at the Uni-

versity of Jyväskylä is actively seeking business ideas from the human sciences.

Words by Timo Sillanpää Photo By Petteri Kivimäki

trepreneurship and how to commercialise their own ex-

pertise. Issues investigated during the sessions include

how the researchers would like to utilise their own sci-

entific expertise. The coaching has also covered basic

aspects of entrepreneurship, including how researchers

can price and commercialise their expertise. An other

important part of the training is exploring one’s own

motivation and goals.

The objective is for entrepreneurship training to be-

come a permanent means of offering academic research-

ers new prospects for their own employment.

“Writing a doctoral thesis is often a very lonely task.

Students who have participated in the training sessions

have found the group work rewarding. In addition, peo-

ple with expertise in different fields can network in the

groups and plan how to work together,” Heli Niskanen

says. ■

Doctoral students Tarja

Hiltunen, Irma Äyräväinen,

Eila Romo-Murphy, Leena

Ikonen and Tiina Koivulahti

hope that the recently es-

tablished Human Business

cooperative will deliver

“meaningful assignments,

independent work and

joint projects involving dif-

ferent scientific fields”. The

cooperative has 11 mem-

bers in all.

7


NETTA LAMMINMÄKI AND RONJA REIVINEN, two

second year students at Muurame Upper Secondary

School, are full of energy. The 17-year-olds are involved

in their school’s entrepreneurship projects which aim to

educate young people to adopt the principles of entre-

preneurship and sustainable development.

“By doing things together we can achieve a lot. Here

in the west people are always in such a hurry that they

don’t have time to think about the consequences of their

actions. It’s really testing our planet’s capacity to cope,”

Netta says.

Ronja says that she stopped to think about the west-

ern way of life when she had read the Worldwatch In-

stitute’s State of the World 2012.

“Every individual consumer can make responsible

choices. I buy my clothes second-hand from flea mar-

kets and I recycle as much as I can,” she explains.

Awareness of one’s own abilities

Muurame is one of four upper secondary schools in the

region involved in the Jyväskylä Entrepreneur School,

which trains school students to work in an entrepre-

neurial way by means of teamwork and project based

learning. In late 2012 Netta and Ronja planned a Busi-

ness Camp for Year 9 students. Netta is the project man-

ager and Ronja’s task is to highlight the theme of sus-

tainable development.

“Students in their last year at comprehensive school

are faced by choices. We want to offer them an event

that introduces the spirit of entrepreneurship. During

the six-hour Business Camp, Year 9 students set up a

practice company and plan its products and marketing.

The Year 9 students are planning what they’ll do next,

and we use the event to market our own upper second-

CREATIVITY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Jyväskylä Entrepreneur School

Jyväskylä Entrepreneur School’s teaching methods have brought a new spirit of en-

thusiastic teamwork to upper secondary schools in the Jyväskylä Region. Teachers

take on the role of coaches while the students implement their entrepreneurship

projects and learn how to get a team to work towards a common goal.

Words by Timo Sillanpää Photos By Petteri Kivimäki

ary school to them,” Netta and Ronja explain.

The Entrepreneur School trains students and teachers

to work in an entrepreneurial way by means of team-

work and project based learning.

“It’s essential that the students become aware of

their own abilities and skills, and think about how they

should use them,” says Aki Puustinen, Headmaster of

Muurame Upper Secondary School.

Project learning has also meant changes in the teach-

ers’ work – instead of their conventional role they now

work as entrepreneurship coaches.

“We do a lot of teaching by means of team learning.

In fact, we’ve organised entire team weekends outside

the school. The coaches have an important task in the

teams because they have to be able to see what stage of

development the student team has reached and provide

sparring at the right times,” Puustinen notes.

Learning through mistakes

Even though students in the Entrepreneur School can

choose study units related to entrepreneurship, the

School’s purpose is not directly to get students to go on

and set up their own company.

“The main objective is that everyone learns to work

in an entrepreneurial way, even if they don’t start their

own business. Nowadays working life is based on pro-

jects and teamwork, and we want to give young peo-

ple the appropriate training. The projects we do as part

of this entrepreneurship education involve developing

ideas into products and we also learn by making mis-

takes,” Puustinen says.

The students at Muurame Upper Secondary School

have implemented a variety of projects. The results

have included winter events for children. Students who

“THE MAIN

OBJECTIVE IS

THAT EVERYONE

LEARNS TO WORK

IN AN ENTREPRE-

NEURIAL WAY,

EVEN IF THEY

DON’T START

THEIR OWN

BUSINESS.”


9

have chosen to study sustainable development organise

info spots at the school, collect empty bottles for recy-

cling and carry out “litter raids”.

The Entrepreneur School model developed in Jy-

väskylä Region has been so successful that its best prac-

tices are currently being introduced into more than 20

other upper secondaries around Finland. There are three

central themes in the Entrepreneur School’s curriculum:

project learning, working like an entrepreneur and crea-

tivity, as well as practising entrepreneurship, for exam-

ple by working for a cooperative.

Puustinen believes that in future new innovations,

like the social media, mobile technology and tablet com-

puters, will further change the way entrepreneurship

is taught. Digital Storytelling, for example, encourag-

es people with a common interest to share their stories

and learn from each other’s materials. ■

Some of the ideas coming out of Muurame Upper Secondary School are fairly zany. On ‘woolly sock day’ all the students walked around in woollen socks and

background noise was blocked out as far as possible. “We wanted to create a home-like atmosphere for one day. We have also run campaigns promoting road

safety,” say Netta Lamminmäki and Ronja Reivinen.

“Entrepreneurship means working in a practical and open-minded way.

In the upper secondary school context it manifests itself in different ways of collaborating,

and in a commitment to do things well and take responsibility for one’s own work.”

Aki Puustinen

Aki Puustinen, Headmaster of Muurame Upper Secondary School.



Team Academy is like an alarm clock which awakens the spark of intrapreneurship

in young people. Many of those who graduate from JAMK University of Applied

Sciences’ centre of excellence in entrepreneurship go on to establish their own busi-

ness. At the beginning of 2013 this example of educational innovation celebrates its

20th anniversary.

Words by Pia Tervoja Photos by Petteri Kivimäki

”Here there’s every potential for

growth and an op-portunity to try out

whatever one dares to.”YOUNG REBEL


11

”YOU ARE PRIVILEGED. This is what the organisations

of the future look like,” stated one international visitor

to Team Academy.

The innovative educational model has aroused inter-

est both in Finland and abroad for twenty years now.

The Centre of Excellence in Entrepreneurship func-

tioning within JAMK University of Applied Sciences

constitutes a different way to study for the Bachelor of

Business Administration degree. Right at the beginning

of their studies students set up cooperative-style team

enterprises which operate for the rest of their studies.

Students are encouraged to develop themselves and

venture into their own discomfort zones.

”Young people apply to us who are looking for some-

thing which the traditional higher education world can-

not offer. They have a desire to do things differently.

Our strength is learning by doing and doing things to-

gether. With the support of a team an individual can ex-

ceed himself,” says Team Academy’s Head Coach

Ulla Luukas.

High level of employment

The level of employment amongst those

graduating from Team Academy is high.

Of those who have completed their stud-

ies nearly half work as entrepreneurs within

two years of graduation. According to Ulla Luu-

kas graduates’ high level of success in finding employ-

ment is the result of close cooperation with companies.

”Building networks is important. We encourage

young people to go out as soon as possible and meet

customers and to develop products and services in part-

nership with clients. Many young people later on find

employment at one of their client companies.”

Young people also take on important positions of re-

sponsibility within Team Academy itself. Among other

things they may act as brand managers, or as managers

dealing with visitors and recruiting. The students are

also responsible for planning and arranging Team Acad-

emy’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

Internationalization a key value

Team Academy has spread beyond Finland’s borders.

Foreign Team Academies can currently be found in

Hungary, France, Holland and the Basque Country of

Spain. Team Academy also operates on an experimental

basis in Brazil and Britain.

”The spread of Team Academy internationally has

been driven purely by interest from customers. For our

international visitors we have developed a Learning Ex-

pedition programme which provides an introduction to

our learning methods. Generally the spark is generated

in the course of the programme,” Ulla Luu kas explains.

For Team Academy internationalization is a

value of paramount importance. Finnish young-

sters are encouraged to go on an exchange at one

of the Team Academies abroad and young people

from other countries are welcomed to Jyväskylä in

reciprocal fashion.

”Our aim is to increase international exchanges of

coaches and programmes.”

Multi-track entrepreneurship

”I consider Team Academy an educational innovation

that has been ahead of its time,” states Jussi Halttunen,

Rector of JAMK University of Applied Sciences.

In his view Team Academy has been a young rebel,

which with its new-style practices and learning meth-

ods has challenged the institution in which it is based.

”Team Academy has gone its own path, but its way

of sparking intrapreneurship, courage and a service at-

titude in young people has been wonderfully suc-

cessful.”

Ulla Luukas and Jussi Halttunen are of

the same opinion that generating new en-

trepreneurship requires cross-sectoral co-

operation. Luukas hopes a multi-track

Team Academy will emerge, which would

bring together students in different fields

with an interest in entrepreneurship under one

roof.

New activation measures

JAMK University of Applied Sciences as a whole is cur-

rently realigning its activities to provide more encour-

agement for entrepreneurship. JAMK University of Ap-

plied Sciences accepts over 1 000 new students each

year and in future each will take basic studies in entre-

preneurship.

”We’ll go through all our students with a fine tooth

comb and examine how well different entrepreneur-

ship-related activation measures go down. A student

can obtain help if necessary with commercializing his or

her idea. An idea can also be refined in one of our pro-

toshops, such as the Schauman Service Lab which gets

under way next year,” Jussi Halttunen continues.

In the rector’s view the key factors in promoting en-

trepreneurship are networks and close contact with

working life.

”For JAMK University of Applied Sciences the net-

works of importance are the international EPAS-accred-

ited institutions of higher education, other partners,

such as Harvard University and national partners, such

as Aalto University and the University of Jyväskylä.” ■

www.tiimiakatemia.fi

”For us Team Academy’s 20th anniversary event is simultaneously a celebration of vision. We’re celebrating Europe’s leading, boundary-

breaking educational unit devoted to team entrepreneurship. The gathering on January 19th will be attended by almost 1 000 guests”,

say Team Academy students Ville Häll, Tomi Salmi (foreground), Anniina Maukonen and Emma Soikkeli.

d Coach

-

in

Luu-

ing employ

titude in yo

cessfu

Ul

th

trep

op

Team

bring

with an

roof

”What’s most impor-

tant is to find your own thing. Doing busi-ness is then a natural

accompaniment.” Tomi Salmi

in

ges of

”I came to Team

Academy straight from upper secondary

school. I was just no longer interested in the way of

learning used there.”Emma Soikkeli

Head

Coach Ulla

Luukas.


IN THEIR HANDS young schoolchildren hold drawings

of their dream machines. In the autumn of 2012 all the

pupils at little Savio school developed all manner of fas-

cinating devices to make every day life easier.

An eating machine cuts up your food and feeds it to

you. With a cycle machine the rider can sleep while on

the move. A non-melting snowman takes summer in his

stride and can do all the things a human can. In turn an

aeroplane teaches small birds to fly.

”When I started thinking of different machines, sud-

denly a whole bunch of them came into my head. It

was fun drawing them at school. My own favourite is

a homework machine, because it does everything for

you,” says 10 year old Julia Koskinen, who came up with

eight different machines.

Designing the machines is all part of the Mini Idis

model, which is currently being piloted in the Jyväsky-

lä Region by the City of Jyväskylä’s Innovation Ser vices

and YES Central Finland, an entrepreneurship educa-

tion service. The Jyväskylä Region is the first area in

Finland where the Belgian-influenced method of crea-


Which school pupil wouldn’t want a homework machine?A swimming propellor may one day help a non-swimmer to

swim, an angling machine may handle catching *sh completely

independently and a homework machine could eventually take

care of a pupil’s homework. In the Jyväskylä Region a new mod-

el for generating ideas has been introduced in creative and entre-

preneur education.

Words by Tommi Salo Photos by Petteri Kivimäki

tive and entrepreneur education is to be tried out.

Mini Idis begins with an ideas stage, where pre- and

primary school pupils invent and draw their dream ma-

chines. During the design stage students in higher edu-

cation draw up proposals on how the machines could be

turned into reality.

Subsequently, at the implementation stage, the tech-

nical drawings and working models are given to stu-

dents at Jyväskylä College who, in collaboration with

the pupil who suggested the idea and possibly with

higher education students, build a prototype of the ma-

chine.

Building materials for workers of the future

Tuula Leppäkari, Head of Savio school, developed an im-

mediate interest in the new-style method of entrepre-

neur education and idea of encouraging creative think-

ing.

”The wonderful thing about Mini Idis is that small

children see the development paths that products fol-

“THE WONDER-

FUL THING

ABOUT MINI IDIS

IS THAT SMALL

CHILDREN SEE

THE DEVELOP-

MENT PATHS

THAT PRODUCTS

FOLLOW.”

13

low. With the children we’ve gone over where goods of

all kinds come from and how they are developed and

designed. The purpose of the innovation is give these

kids building materials for the future,” Leppäkari under-

lines.

And the building materials for these workers of the

2020s Leppäkari finds easy to list.

”Later on, in working life, in addition to basic skills

these children will need creativity and social skills;

they’ll also have to be enterprising, articulate and capa-

ble of acquiring information.”

Leppäkari also considers it important that the chil-

dren become accustomed at a young age to presenting

their ideas and suggestions to others and to expressing

their thoughts both orally and in writing.

Model to be rolled out all over Finland

Mini Idis, which will be implemented in the autumn

of 2012 and spring of 2013, is a pilot model. The idea

is to disseminate positive experiences from the project

throughout Finland in the course of 2013. In the spring

of 2013 the children’s stories and drawings will com-

piled as a summary into a separate booklet.

The spring of 2013 will also reveal what form the

dream machines drawn by the young schoolchildren

will take in practice.

”It was fun to lie on the floor of the gym designing

machines and then drawing them on paper. It would be

great to see them sometime in their finished state, too,”

10 year old Maija Pastinen says thoughtfully. ■

MINI IDISA novel method of creative and entrepreneurship education in which all levels of education from pre-schools to universities are tied into common innovating and doing. Generation in the idea stage of models of dream machines, in the design stage of proposals for turning these into reality and in the implementation stage of machine prototypes.In the Jyväskylä Region the Mini Idis model will be piloted in 2012–2013 by the City of Jyväskylä’s Innovation Services and YES Central Finland, an entrepreneurship education service.The idea originates from Belgium (MyMachine).

Primary school

children came up with

machines to make

everyday life easier.

Seen here presenting

their ideas are Ben-

jami Ylhänen (left),

Semi Hänninen and

Julia Koskinen (right),

who among other

things developed a

non-melting snow-

man.


”RESPONSIBILITY AND SELF-HELP”, re-

spond six tourist services students with

one voice when asked what entrepre-

neurship has taught them.

The business owned by Sarianna Ku-

ula, Tiia Muhonen, Roosa Siekkinen, Ii-

na Hämäläinen, Juuso Kakkonen and

Saara Mäkinen is called Move NY. The

letters NY at the end of the name reveal

that this is not a limited company but a

YE mini-company operating within the

college and that running the business

is part of the ‘Year as an Entrepreneur’

study programme.

Possible career option

For six years now it has been possible

to study entrepreneurship at Jyväskylä

College in a practical manner. The busi-

nesses established by students operate

like a real company, but at the same time

the students receive advice and guidance

from coaches. The budding entrepre-

neurs can also make use of the college’s

premises and equipment.

”Undisputedly a good way of learn-

ing entrepreneurship. I was also around

at the time when entrepreneurship was

taught on an overhead projector in the

classroom,” says coach Timo Lehtonen.

Coach Tea Ruppa also points out that

in a YE company young people get to see

entrepreneurship from all sides.

”YE entrepreneurship teaches students

how to work as a group, all the aspects

of managing a project, customer service

and handling feedback. In the process

the youngsters also become acquainted

with financial management issues.”

During the autumn Move NY arranged


The full picture of entrepreneurshipWhat could be a better way of learning the ground rules of entrepreneurship than by starting your own

business? Move NY, a YE mini-company established by students of tourism at Jyväskylä College, offers

recreational and wellness packages with an emphasis on action.

Words by Pia Tervoja Photo by Petteri Kivimäki

a variety of entertainment, events and

hands-on activities for its clients. The

autumn’s principal project was participa-

tion in Germany’s Christmas markets, at

which the company an ice skating event

for children and marketed Finnish prod-

ucts to market-goers.

”We gave them a small taste of vari-

ous Finnish delicacies and in doing so

provided a picture of Finnish food cul-

ture,” recount Sarianna Kuula, who has

been appointed Move NY’s Managing Di-

rector.

Each student has his or her own role

in the business. Kuula underlines that

all take care of their own area of respon-

sibility while implementing a jointly

agreed business idea – going it alone is

not allowed. For the students involved

experience of running a business means

that entrepreneurship is now a serious

career option.

”Not all of us will become entrepre-

neurs, but we can all learn to approach

work with an entrepreneurial attitude,”

Tea Ruppa states. ■

”It’s a completely different thing to learn entrepreneurship by running an actual business than, say,

attending a course on the subject,” say Move NY’s young entrepreneurs Sarianna Kuula (left), Tiia

Muhonen, Iina Hämäläinen, Saara Mäkinen, Roosa Siekkinen and Juuso Kakkonen (front).

-

te

e

ce

-letely different thing to learn entrepreneurship by running an actual business than, say,

15

A SLICE OF JYVÄSKYLÄ’S HISTORY as a city built of wood has come back to

life. Toivola Old Courtyard, now fully restored, represents a typical 19th century

homestead in which the main building, constructed in log, fronts onto the street,

while various outbuildings are located at the rear of the yard.

”Smith Herman Toivola’s yard has been carefully transformed, with respect

for the old buildings on the site, into a fascinating rendezvous for today’s towns-

people and tourists alike. The place provides a wonderful showcase for Jyväsky-

lä’s cultural heritage. The yard permits an engaging trip back into an age when

Jyväskylä consisted of wooden houses,” says Museum Director Heli-Maija Vouti-

lainen from the Museum of Central Finland.

Toivola Old Courtyard is also a fine example of partnership between actors

in the public and private sectors. Renovation of the buildings and the start of

business operations in the yard are the responsibility of entrepreneur Margo

Saxberg. The City of Jyväskylä, which owns the plot, drew up a project plan

for the location. The Museum of Central Fin-

land transferred two craftsmen’s houses built

in the 1840s – the coppersmith’s and carpen-

ter’s houses – to the site.

Craft and artisanship still constitute the un-

derlying theme of what goes on at Toivola Old

Courtyard. The yard houses the workshops

of no less than nine craftsmen. The yard also

functions as a market place for local and or-

ganic food from producers in Jyväskylä and

the surrounding area.

In the run-up to Christmas the yard will

be filled with small Yuletide cabins selling all

kinds of Christmas delicacies and local craft

products. ■

Toivola Old Courtyard:


Entrepreneur Tiina Huhtaniemi, who runs the Titityy thread shop, found suitable premises for her

business as well as great atmosphere in Toivola Old Courtyard’s log building.

A journey back in time and a new opening for entrepreneurs

An anchor entrepreneur was sought for Toivola Old

Courtyard to take responsibility for renovating the build-

ings and getting the firms’ business activities under way.

Margo Saxberg took up the challenge and agreed to pur-

chase the buildings outright. ”In my view it was the only

correct way to develop the yard”, says the entrepreneur.

Today’s artisans continue the craft traditions. Smith

Markus Ahola’s firm Manalanpaja operates in the same

building as Herman Toivola’s smithy back in the 1800s.

Entrepreneur Johanna Harju’s boutique Wishwear

Waateh timo sells romantic and original clothing items

in a house that was once a a private maternity hospital.

The business also includes a dressmaker’s shop offering a

made-to-measure service.

15


THE FREEDOM TO MAKE decisions oneself versus having to

make decisions on other people’s terms. The motivation to do

things out of personal passion versus the responsibility of doing

things according to the wishes of others. Sami Poikonen, who

founded Emergem Oy in 2012, was attracted by the former fac-

tors considerably more than the latter.

Poikonen, who had worked for various companies in the IT

field for some time, decided to start a business of his own be-

cause he saw a gap in the market for a small and agile player.

Jyväskylä-based Emergem Oy produces information, docu-

ment and content management services. In Poikonen’s words

Emergem seeks to assist companies with managing documents

and transferring companies’ employees from email to better

functioning environments such as social media. Emergem was

born global and born digital.

In Poikonen’s view the step from salaried employee to entre-

preneur was not entirely simple. When working for a big indus-

try player support and security are always close at hand. In a

small enterprise, on the other hand, responsibility and routine

tasks always fall to the entrepreneur him- or herself.

”There’s certainly a threshold to becoming an entrepreneur,

if you have a family and a mortgage to pay,” Poikonen suggests.

At Protomo experimentation costs nothing

At no point in the enterprise’s start-up phase was Poikonen left

high and dry. Emergem began its activities at Protomo, a multi-

disciplinary and collaborative innovation and enterprise envi-

ronment. It provides skilled individuals who are interested in

Stepping bravely intoan entrepreneur’s shoesSami Poikonen dared to establish his own business, unaided. At no stage of his

+edgling entrepreneurial career, however, did he need to go it alone.Words by Tommi Salo Photo by Mikko Takkunen

a career as an entrepreneur with free workspace and facilities,

community support and the opportunity to spar with experts

regarding bringing new products and services to market with-

out immediate entrepreneur risk.

”For a new entrepreneur the threshold for starting operations

at Protomo is low. There you can refine and test your business

idea without immediately incurring expenses. Protomo puts a

workspace and meeting facilities at your disposal. At Protomo

there are also many other entrepreneurs who are at the same

stage with whom you can talk about operating methods and

challenges that have come up,” Poikonen continues.

He also considers it important that Protomo may provide an

introduction to potential clients for the new business. Emergem

has already established its first significant client contacts.

Poikonen, in tandem with one salaried employee, has already

completed projects for Finland, Sweden and Britain. Two thirds

of the firm’s turnover currently comes from outside Finland.

According to Poikonen Emergem is aiming to become one of

the top companies in Northern Europe in its own narrow area

of special expertise over the next five years.

”In future, where companies are concerned, it’s going to be vi-

tal to achieve more in a shorter space of time, in other words to

get the most out of their present employees. All the enterprise’s

wheels have to be made to turn in the same direction. For this

reason a company’s IT systems have to be given a thorough ex-

amination,” comments Poikonen on the tasks that lie ahead. ■

www.emergem.fi

ENTERPRISE FACTORY SIFTS HUNDREDS OF BUSINESS IDEAS – AND POLISHES THE BEST INTO DIAMONDS

By Tommi Salo

Jyväskylä Enterprise Factory supports the creation and development of

growth enterprises in the Jyväskylä Region. Launched in November, the

aim of the Enterprise Factory is to find hundreds of business ideas, the best

of which make it through the development process to the growth incuba-

tor. Incubator services are offered to enterprises setting up in the Jyväsky-

lä Region.

Jyväskylä Enterprise Factory lays down a path via which support for the

development of a business idea can be provided at all stages. A budding en-

trepreneur refining his or her product or service idea has access to services

from the moment inspiration strikes right through to a growth incubator.

“Jyväskylä Enterprise Factory clarifies the roles of different actors in pre-

incubator and incubator services in the Jyväskylä Region. What’s more, its

activities accelerate and streamline the start of enterprises’ business activi-

ties, because ideas are not transferred from one player to another,” says

Director Risto Kinnunen of Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes

Ltd.

Jyväskylä Enterprise Factory is sponsored jointly by JAMK University

of Applied Sciences, the University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä Innovation Oy

(Protomo), Suomen Yrityskehitys Oy, Tuhansien Järvien Uusyrityskeskus ry

and Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd. ■

17

“At Protomo there are also many other entrepreneurs

who are at the same stage with whom you can talk about

operating methods and challenges that have come up.”Sami Poikonen

Man on the move. Jyväskylä-

based Emergem Oy’s Sami

Poikonen spends part of his time

in London working for clients.

17


Cyber threats create opportunities for businessCyber attacks represent a real risk to the functioning of the information

society. One of Finland’s most important clusters for education and

research in information security is being built in the Jyväskylä Region.

Words by Timo Sillanpää Illustration by Martti Hänninen

ATTACKS TARGETING INFORMATION networks

have become an everyday occurrence. Finland takes cy-

ber threats seriously, because a successful attack could

cripple the whole of society. The Finnish Government

has introduced a programme that aims to make Finland

a global pioneer in cyber threat preparedness by 2016.

“Cyber attacks can impede and interfere with ser vices

in IT-based societies, produce data leaks, and cause

damage. In particular, research based education in in-

formation security should be increased,” says Mikko

Siponen, Professor of Information Systems at the Uni-

versity of Jyväskylä.

During the last few years universities have sought

to bring new skills into the field by in-

creasing research and education

in cyber security.

In autumn 2011

the University of Jyväskylä introduced courses on infor-

mation security for Master’s and PhD students.

“In autumn 2013 these courses will be expanded to

form a Master’s Programme in Information Security. It

will support Jyväskylä’s leading position as an educa-

tion and research cluster for information security,” says

Pekka Neittaanmäki, Dean of the Faculty of Information

Technology at the University of Jyväskylä.

Opportunities for new business

JAMK University of Applied Sciences is launching its

own Master’s Degree Programme in Information Tech-

nology. The programme is targeted at students with a

Bachelor of Engineering in ICT, or equivalent, who have

at least three years’ relevant experience after graduating.

“There’s been a lack of cyber security education and

JAMK is now the first University of Applied Sciences to

respond to this need. In future, cyber security re lated

content will increasingly be included in Bachelor of En-

gineering studies,” states Jarmo Siltanen, Head of ICT

and R&D Manager, JAMK University of Applied Sci-

ences.


19

create opportunities for businessThere are many types of cyber threat. Cyber crimi-

nals and cyber terrorists, for example, have different ob-

jectives.

“The scale extends all the way from nerdy hackers to

state cyber warfare,” Siltanen explains.

Even though a cyber attack is a nightmare scenario,

cyber threats can provide new opportunities for busi-

ness. It has been calculated that the worldwide market

for protection against cyber attacks will have reached 80

billion dollars by 2017.

Two projects currently running at the University of

Jyväskylä – Cyberwar and Truly Project – aim at com-

mercialising the outcomes of research studies. The Cy-

berwar project seeks to develop a method of protecting

information systems by studying abnormal models of

behaviour among masses of data, and then performing

an analysis and determining the seriousness of the ob-

served behaviours for information security. Truly Pro-

ject aims to develop methods to protect digital media

such as video games, movies and music.

“These projects are supported by scientific break-

throughs achieved during almost five years of research.

The aim is to create new international business activi-

ties within a few years,” Neittaanmäki states. ■

THE JYVSECTEC PROJECT, which is coordinated by

JAMK and partially funded by the ERDF, aims to de-

velop information security expertise in collaboration

with specialized companies. The companies involved in

the project are Cassidian Finland Oy, Descom Oy, Rela-

tor Oy, Ajeco Oy and Jyväskylä Regional Development

Company Jykes Ltd.

“At the moment a laboratory is under construction to

develop and test solutions for protection against infor-

mation security threats, and at the same time provide

related training. The objective is to create an interna-

tionally significant cluster in the security sector which

will work closely with companies and other players,”

Jarmo Siltanen says.

New laboratory to test cyber threatsCassidian Finland Oy, which is involved in the pro-

ject, is the world’s leading player in the field of security

and defence systems. According to Vesa Arkko, Senior

Manager at Cassidian Finland, JYVSECTEC supports the

further development of the company’s cyber security ex-

pertise and business activities. The project has attracted

interest not only in Finland, but also within Cassidian’s

international network of contacts.

“The field of cyber security is a growing area of busi-

ness. Cyber security affects all companies and organisa-

tions, because the pursuit of economic advantage and

ideological conflicts lead to increased cyber attacks. We

believe that Finnish cyber security expertise will be-

come a significant export product,” Arkko says. ■

Cyber security a"ects all companies and organisations because the pursuit of economic advantage and ideological con"icts lead to increased cyber attacks.Vesa Arkko, Senior Manager at Cassidian Finland

19


”EVERY DAY YOU GET a new game as a reward, pro-

vided you’ve answered all the questions. But it’s not just

because of the game that we take part. The programme

tells you how to make the push and improve your eating

or physical exercise, for instance,” explain fifth-graders

Ella Linna and Heini Huovinen.

Class 5A of Jyväskylä’s Keljo school tested a mobile

application supporting life management skills, the pur-

pose being to underpin pupils’ feeling of control over

their own lives. The application monitors a pupil’s

every day affairs and generates reminders about the

amount of sleep and the importance of social contacts,

among other things.

Class teacher Maarit Hentunen is content that her

own class was chosen to take part in the University of

Jyväskylä’s Personal Mobile Space project, which is en-

gaged in studying mobile service solutions developed

for promoting and maintaining well-being and learning

as well as evaluating their usefulness.

”Smart phones and tablet computers are part of chil-

dren’s everyday experience. Schools, too, have to stay

abreast of development,” Hentunen says.

She considers mobile devices support learning in a va-

riety of ways.

Some pupils learn best by reading, some by listening

and others by doing. Mobile devices permit different

kinds of learners to find motivation.

”With the help of mobile devices pupils can also learn

Right there where it’s happeningMobile devices permit learning beyond the

walls of the classroom too. At the University

of Jyväskylä mobile learning is being devel-

oped in partnership with companies and

users. In addition to learning, the focus is

on supporting the well-being of children and

young people.


from each other. For instance, we experimented with

self-made audio-books. The pupils recount a particular

period of history which is simultaneously recorded on a

phone and the other pupils get to listen to it and make

comments.”

Classroom walls disappear

The experiences of pupils and teachers at Keljo school

correspond with the picture formed by the research

team at the University of Jyväskylä’s Agora Center, Fac-

ulty of Information Technology and the Finnish Insti-

tute of Educational Research regarding the potential of

mobile services.

”Mobile services can enrich and diversify learning and

bring new-style ways of working to learning situations.

“SMART PHONES

AND TABLET

COMPUTERS ARE

PART OF CHIL-

DREN’S EVERY-

DAY EXPERIENCE.

SCHOOLS, TOO,

HAVE TO STAY

ABREAST OF DE-

VELOPMENT.”

21

At best the teacher and pupils exit the classroom, al-

lowing learning to expand into different operating en-

vironments. With a mobile device to accompany you,

learning can take place wherever,” says Researcher Jen-

ni Rikala.

”Previously you had to go into the computer room,

but now information technology is right there where

you are and where the real things happen”, Professor

Pekka Neittaanmäki continues.

Easily adopted

In the course of the Personal Mobile Space project a

number of mobile services have been developed for use

by people of different ages.

”We took as our point of departure teachers’ and

pupils’ needs and the ideas they put forward. On the ba-

sis of these we came up with application prototypes to

be tried out in different target environments and situa-

tions, such as in schools, in a zoo, and on nature tours.

User experiences have been positive and enthusiastic,”

says Postdoctoral Researcher Tuula Nousiainen.

”The aim is to promote 21st century skills, such as

the learning and development of collaborative problem-

solving, communication, ITC expertise and creativity,”

states Research Professor Marja Kankaanranta.

”The development of learning solutions is challeng-

ing because information and communications technol-

ogy is evolving at a breathtaking pace. We’re pondering

what the future might have in store for us,” comments

Research Coordinator Mikko Vesisenaho. ■

EXAMPLES OF MOBILE SERVICES DEVELOPED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ

Nature TourThe mobile service functions during a nature tour as a tool for ob-servation and documentation. The service permits species of +ora and fauna to be captured in the form of photographs and sound recordings, and observations to be sent to a server from which they can later be accessed via a www user interface.

A Visit to the Zoo A map of Ähtäri zoo functions as the basis of this service. At vari-ous animal enclosures marked on the route the user can open a

brief pro#le of the animal in question. Also includes mini-games involving the animals.

Catch the FlagIs a kinematic team game in which the players try to steal +ags from opponents directed by the game on a virtual playing #eld visible on a mobile device. In order to take possession of the +ag a player has to approach the +ag in the real world and then run away from his or her opponents. The game, with its emphasis on physical movement, is best played during the school break.

Last autumn fifth-graders

Veeti Jäntti, Innocent

Nchimiyimana, Emil Kos-

kinen, Heini Huovinen,

Maria Karvonen and Ella

Linna tested a mobile

service that supports life

management skills. Smart

phones were also used in

a number of other ways

for study purposes.


Circus works its magic

THE MAGIC OF THE CIRCUS has been around for centuries,

but where does it come from? According to Seija Hakkarainen,

Executive Director of Circus Uusi Maailma (Circus New World),

it is created by boldly breaking the bounds of normal everyday

life. Making a place where social norms no longer apply.

Globally Wanted, for example, which was first performed in

late 2011, has been described as ”intimidating and yet enjoy-

ably fulfilling”. It is a mystical and twisted family reunion, with

love, violence, loneliness and crippled minds and bodies.

The contemporary circus group behind Globally Wanted, Cir-

cus Uusi Maailma, is based in Jyväskylä. Founded in 2006, it

performs in Finland and abroad – both indoors and out. Acro-

batics, music, non-verbal theatre, dance, parkour and light are

all used as means of communication in the performances.

Contacts with Germany and Russia

In addition to Finland, Globally Wanted has been performed in

Germany and Sweden. Circus Uusi Maailma has also appeared

in Russia.

“Globally Wanted was well received in Germany, where there

is hardly any contemporary circus. It was seen as communi-

cating in a sensitive way and yet at a deep level,” Hakkarai-

nen says.

She adds that Globally Wanted may also be performed abroad

“Circus isn’t just made up of individual stunts – it’s about the way the performers

use their bodies to express themselves in movement. Circus is a way of life, a way

of thinking.” This view of the essence of circus comes from Seija Hakkarainen, who

has brought together a contemporary circus group in Jyväskylä.

Words by Tommi Salo

in 2013. Hakkarainen says that Circus Uusi Maailma is looking

for international contacts, mainly in Russia, the Baltic countries

and Eastern Europe. Also, there is an interesting touring net-

work in Netherlands, and a fertile ground for contemporary cir-

cus in France, where Cirque Nouveau was born in the 1970s.

July 2013 will see the first performance of a new show, Bor-

der Line. Set in the future, it is the story of six people who are

stuck in a bunker. It will be performed in the old Kangas paper

mill in Jyväskylä and can also be booked for indoor spaces in

Finland or abroad.

Hakkarainen believes that Game Over, which will be per-

formed for the first time in 2014, will also attract internation-

al attention. It combines the logic of electronic games, persecu-

tion and torture.

In addition to its performances, Circus Uusi Maailma organ-

ises acrobatics courses and workshops for both children and

adults. The acrobatics courses not only teach physical skills and

techniques but also emphasise the dimensions of expression

and performance.

“Interest in circus is growing all the time. It’s to do with basic

human nature. People are always looking for new forms of self-

expression,” Hakkarainen states.

www.uusimaailma.org

Kerrostalo (A Block of Flats)

JIR

I HA

LTT

UN

EN

22

23

“INTEREST IN CIR-

CUS IS GROWING

ALL THE TIME. IT’S

TO DO WITH BASIC

HUMAN NATURE.

Seuraava Maailma (A Following World) Globally Wanted

Winter

RE

NE

LIM

BE

CK

ER

JIR

I HA

LTT

UN

EN

JAR

MO

LA

HT

INE

N

JAR

MO

LA

HT

INE

N

23


RELOCATING A COMPANY involves challenges for

both the business and its employees and their fami-

lies. Jarkko Ässämäki, owner of Minestrone Oy, took

up the challenge in 2010. He moved from Tampere to

the Jyväskylä Region with his family in spring 2010 and

transferred his business to Jyväskylä at the beginning of

2011. Mi nestrone Oy was started in 2004 and its main

activity is foodstuff imports.

Jarkko Ässämäki’s family found a new home in Lau-

kaa near Jyväskylä. His wife got a nurs-

ing job in Jyväskylä and places were

available for his two children at a local

day care centre, which can also provide

round-the-clock care if necessary.

“I enjoy living in the Jyväskylä Re-

gion. Everything is fairly close and

there are plenty of services available.

Even my social life has improved, be-

cause in Tampere I didn’t have the

chance to do very much apart from run-

ning my company,” Ässämäki says.

He especially likes the opportunities

for sports and leisure activities in Jyväskylä Region. He

enjoys riding enduro and diving in the local lakes, and

he is also a part-time diving instructor.

Help to find new premises

In addition to his private life, Jarkko Ässämäki started

a new ‘business life’ in the Jyväskylä Region. He trans-

“Moving my company toJyväskylä was easy”Opportunities for leisure activities and the

availability of good housing attracted Jark-

ko Ässämäki to the Jyväskylä Region. Sup-

port was also provided to help him relocate

his company.Words by Tommi Salo Photos by Petteri Kivimäki, Suomen Ilmakuva Oy

ferred all the activities of the company he owns to Jy-

väskylä as soon as he had found suitable premises. He

was able to find premises totalling around 1 000 square

metres for his office and storage facility very close to the

centre of Jyväskylä.

Moving was surprisingly easy

“Moving my company to Jyväskylä was surprisingly

easy. The biggest challenge was finding suitable premis-

es, but I got help from the regional development compa-

ny, estate agents and my own contacts.”

Products for Minestrone come to Jyväskylä from the

Netherlands and Baltic countries. They include nuts,

dried fruit and energy drinks.

In Jyväskylä orders are made up ready for shipping

to customers around Finland. In terms of customer ser-

vice, Ässämäki cannot see any real difference between

Jyväskylä and Tampere. ■

“I ENJOY LIVING IN THE JYVÄSKYLÄ

REGION. EVERYTHING IS

FAIRLY CLOSE AND THERE ARE PLENTY

OF SERVICES AVAILABLE. EVEN

MY SOCIAL LIFE HAS IMPROVED.”

25

By Tommi Salo

The professional staff at Jyväskylä Regional De-

velopment Company Jykes Ltd. have helped nu-

merous companies of different sizes to expand

their activities or completely relocate to the Jy-

väskylä Region.

When a company has made the decision to

come to the Jyväskylä Region, Jykes’ Location

Services work with the company to draw up a

practical action plan. The end result is that the

company starts operations in Jyväskylä.

Location Services provide practical help

rather than simply producing reports. Compa-

nies can access a range of services including ad-

vice on financing, information on premises and

staff availability, and support in finding clients

ADVICE AND CONTACTS FORCOMPANIES SETTING UP IN JYVÄSKYLÄ

and partners. All stages of the establishment

process are closely monitored and help is also

offered during the relocation stage.

“Companies that are setting up here don’t nec-

essarily have solid and accurate information on

the Jyväskylä Region. Our aim is to help compa-

nies to grow their business and create new jobs,”

says Harri Heinänen, Sales Manager at Jykes.

He adds that the Jyväskylä Region offers

companies extensive partnership networks,

high level skills, motivated and committed

employees, and an excellent location in the

centre of Finland. The fact that Jyväskylä is one

of Finland’s most important growth centres also

boosts the region’s attractiveness. ■

www.jykes.fiJarkko Ässämäki


Kunming

Lake

Dianchi

10 km

C H I N A

IN BRIEF

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY DEAL OPENS A

BUSINESS CHANNEL FROM JYVÄSKYLÄ TO CHINA

By Pia Tervoja

The societies of the Nordic countries and USA

differ in the opportunities and challenges they

offer to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship

education.

“In American society the culture of entrepre-

neurship is in-built and entrepreneurship starts

with the students’ own initiative,” says Juha

Perälampi, Senior Lecturer at JAMK University of

Applied Sciences and Manager of the JAMK Busi-

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY

LETS THE BRIGHTEST STUDENTS SHINE

for the needs of the people there,” says MK Pro-

tech’s Sales Director Heikki Kutinlahti.

Signing an agreement for the plant is a

groundbreaking step because the assumption is

that it will open up new environmental-branch

business opportunities for Central Finland-based

firms with Kunming partners. ■

www.mk-protech.fi

By Tommi Salo

MK Protech Oy, a Jyväskylä-based environmen-

tal engineering company, is planning a sludge

treatment plant for the city of Kunming in south-

western China and will also supply key equip-

ment for the project. The total value of invest-

ment in the plant will be EUR 25 million, of

which MK Protech’s share comprises overall

planning of the plant’s process section, the

training of personnel, start-up of the pro-

cess and the supply of key equipment.

The plant will be built by Chinese contractors

under the supervision of MK Protech. According

to current plans the plant will be completed at

the end of 2013.

Planning the delivery of the sludge treatment

plant was started subsequent to 2005, when the

cities of Kunming and Jyväskylä signed a friend-

ship agreement covering the exchange of know-

how in business, culture, science and technolo-

gy. At that time representatives of the two cities

began discussions about environmental-branch

expertise in Central Finland.

”The plant process would not have got under

way without the establishment of ties to Kun-

ming by Jyväskylä Regional Development Com-

pany Jykes Ltd. We had just the right technology

ness Incubator.

Perälampi, who was a speaker at Stanford

University’s ‘Building the Entrepreneurial Univer-

sity’ conference, states that the strength of the

Nordic countries and Finland is that their citizens

have a high level of education and skills.

“In economic terms we are a stable and well

developed society. By nature we are hard-work-

ing, reliable people who always manage to pull

through.”

He believes that one threat facing Finland is

excessive equality, which can lead to important

potential and human resources being wasted.

“We should also recognise the brightest peo-

ple and encourage them to shine. One way to

do this is to create an entrepreneurial university.

JAMK University of Applied Sciences is making

strong progress in this direction. This means a

comprehensive approach, where entrepreneur-

ship is part of the overall strategy and perme-

ates all units at both the personnel and student

levels, ” Perälampi explains. ■

27

JYVÄSKYLÄ FESTIVAL 9.–14.7.2013

Jyväskylä Festival is a warm-spirited urban festival that offers concerts, non-verbal theatre,

seminars, clubs, a children’s programme, free events and even instruction.

8.–10.3. Building Trade and Home Renovation 2013 Special exhibition for constructional engineering

and professional building repair.

Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki International Congress

and Trade Fair Centre

www.jklpaviljonki.#

22.–23.3. The 3rd European Conference for Social Work Research – ECSWR 2013Venue: Rantasipi Laajavuori

www.jyu.#/en/research/congress/ecswr2013

17.–19.4. FinnGraf 2013FinnGraf 2013 will provide a full picture of the vari-

ous combinations of media production.



http://#nngraf.#

15.–16.5. Infratech 2013 ExhibitionFinland’s largest seminar and exhibition event for

the public utilities industry.



www.yhdyskuntatekniikka.#

24.–25.5. Mobile Telephony in the Developing World Conference – Mobile Technology, Gender and DevelopmentVenue: University of Jyväskylä

http://mobiletelephony-developingworld.

blogspot.#

5.–7.6. Language and Super-diversity: Explorations and interrogationsThe aim of this international conference is to

investigate the perspective and potential o%ered

by super-diversity to language study – for example,

linguistics, sociolinguistics, sociology of language,

linguistic anthropology, applied linguistics,

discourse studies, new literacy studies, pragmatics,

ethnography and multi-modality.

Venue: University of Jyväskylä

www.jyu.#/en/congress/superdiversity

5.–7.6. ENROAC2013 – the 9th European Network for Research in Organisational & Accounting ChangeVenue: University of Jyväskylä, School of Business

and Economics

www.jyu.#/jsbe/en/research/enroac2013

11.–15.6. The 3rd International Conference on Music & Emotion, ICME3The conference will bring together leading re-

searchers, teachers, and practitioners from di%erent

By Tommi Salo

The Housing Fair to be organized in the sum-

mer of 2014 in Jyväskylä will showcase the latest

trends in Finnish housing design and construc-

tion and set a direction for future building. On

display at the Housing Fair will be 37 single fam-

ily dwellings and one block of flats which all vis-

itors to the fair will be able to explore over a pe-

riod of a month. Staged annually in Finland, the

Housing Fair attracts approximately 150 000 visi-

tors to the host city.

The Housing Fair in Jyväskylä will see the

creation of a modern residential area situated

close to the city centre in which residents will

be able to enjoy the best aspects of a close-to-

nature lifestyle and compact urban existence.

Where construction of the homes and area is

concerned particular attention will be paid to

the use of wooden materials, Green Factor pilot-

ing in Finland, lighting and ecological values in

house building.

In the Housing Fair area the spirit of one of

Finland’s most famous architects, Alvar Aalto,

will also be honoured by combining the diverse

housing models of today with imaginative,

boundary-breaking architecture. ■

Housing Fair in Jyväskylä 11.7.–10.8.2014.

www.jyvaskyla.fi/international

HOUSING FAIR

2014 WILL UNVEIL

MODERN HOMES

FOR ALL TO SEE

areas of music and emotion.


www.jyu.#/hum/laitokset/musiikki/en/icme3

1.–3.7. Reliable Methods of Mathematical Modelling, RMMM-2013RMMM 2013 brings together scientists working to

achieve reliable methods of mathematical model-

ling, which are among the latest developments on

the #eld of scienti#c computing.


4.–5.7. 12th European Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECIW 2013ECIW will address elements of both theory and

practice of all aspects of Information Warfare and

Security, and o%ers an opportunity for academics,

practitioners and consultants involved in these

areas to come together and exchange ideas.


http://academic-conferences.org/eciw/eciw2013/

eciw13-home.htm

9.–14.7. Jyväskylä FestivalVenue: Jyväskylä Region

www.jyvaskylankesa.#

31.7.–3.8. Neste Oil Rally Finland 2013Venue: Jyväskylä Region

www.nesteoilrally#nland.#

24.–25.8. Alvar Aalto Design Seminar New WaveVenue: Jyväskylä

www.alvaraalto.#

28.–30.8. Interpersonal Violence Interventions – Social and Cultural PerspectivesVenue: University of Jyväskylä, Agora

4.–6.9. Wood and Bioenergy 2013 Venue: Jyväskylä Region

www.jklpaviljonki.#

EVENTS

ANTERO TENHUNEN /HOUSING FAIR FINLAND COOP

Academy of Finland Research Fellow Geoff Luck

will act as conference chair at the 3rd Internation-

al Conference on Music & Emotion.

Every year, for four weeks in July-August, various

living solutions and residential areas are show-

cased at the Housing Fair.

PETTERI KIVIMÄKI


L A U R A I S an ordinary girl who goes to an extraordinary kindergarten in Jyväskylä – she and her friends exercise more than twice as much at their kindergarten than most children their age. Laura goes to a private Treasure Island kindergarten in Jyväskylä, which is a new Finnish innovation based on humanizing. The new idea behind the Treasure Island kindergartens is that their imaginative adventures combine music and exercise.

I F E V E R Y child in Finland could go to a Treasure Island kindergarten, Laurawould make 220,000 new friends every year. And if every child exercised as much as the children who go to Treasure Island, our children would be the most active children in Europe – which would save us over 15 million euros a year in healthcare costs. And that’s not all: in a few decades we would have the healthiest adults in Europe. This would mean huge savings at the municipal level alone.

Above all, Treasure Island Kindergartens is a company that has understood the power of humanizing. The organization behind the concept of humanizing is Human Tech Center Finland – HTC, which assembles specialists, researchers and enterprises worldwide in order to develop new and successful products from a human perspective – products that are humanized. www.humantechnology.fi

HTC’s impetus is provided by Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd, the City of Jyväskylä, the University of Jyväskylä, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium, Jyväskylä Innovation Ltd, Ääneseudun Kehitys Ltd, Jämsek Ltd and the Regional Council of Central Finland.

C U R R E N T LY , new Treasure Island kindergartens are being established all over Finland and the Treasure Island model is being made into an international export concept. This exceptional

nursery school innovation is complemented by the use of service vouchers, which are used to offer

private kindergarten services to customers.

FOR MORE information, please visit: www.aarresaari.fi

human tech

Documents

bythe city of jyvskyl

n t e c h c e n t e

helin menp city of jyvskyl

n ds p r i n g

pirjo nikku jyvskyl

n d s p r i n g

university research

young people