Excellence Through Ecosystems; Finlandia Hall, March 18th, 2025 13:00-16:00
Professor Michael G. Jacobides, of the London Business School, will join Synocus in framing the future of Finnish innovation collaboration through the Excellence Through Ecosystems event. We will discuss the role ecosystems play in accelerating the development of systemic solutions to drive sustainable growth by engaging with leading decision-makers from industry and research. We will also invite the participants to join an active dialogue with the aim of defining joint actions to strengthen Finland’s commitment to investing in the future.
In an era of global volatility and political instability, countries face increasing challenges to their security and economy. The Baltic Sentry ecosystem, initiated by Finland to enhance NATO’s military presence in the Baltic Sea due to the breakage of the Estlink 2 undersea electricity cable by the Eagle S oil tanker, is evidence of Finland’s unique skill for forming and orchestrating ecosystems. As ecosystems have increasingly come to shape our world, Finland can serve as a role model for the rest of the world.
Ecosystems can help companies when developing new products and services. Business Finland supports this aim through its Veturi program. However, companies can also engage in the formation of industrial hubs, or springboards, which are regionally anchored ecosystems that accelerate innovation in strategic competence areas. Industrial hubs aim to boost the growth of export-oriented and growth-oriented companies.
The Excellence in Ecosystems event will invite partners from both the public and the private sector to identify possibilities to form new growth-oriented ecosystems. This work is now more important than ever as Finland aims to increase its RDI share of GDP from 3% to 4% by 2030. We are pleased to welcome Professor Michael G. Jacobides to share his expertise on ecosystem dynamics at the seminar, contributing thoughts on both leveraging upon assets to expand scope as well as configuring roles and responsibilities.
Through panel discussions and speeches, the event will provide relevant examples from Finnish cases to make the connection from theory to practice. With this, we hope to accelerate the formation of new industrial hubs that will strengthen innovation collaboration and spur new initiatives becoming the next generation of tiger leaps that will bring about future growth.
Those interested in attending the event can contact Jussi Hulkkonen.
Agenda
13:00 Opening
Teija Lahti-Nuuttila, Executive Director, Customers and Networks, Business Finland
13:10 Leveraging ecosystems to deliver value and systemic solutions,
Professor Michael G. Jacobides, London Business School
13:40 Companies engaging ecosystems for sustainable growth,
panel discussion moderated by Johan Wallin
Mervi Airaksinen, Managing Director, Microsoft Finland
Christine George, Executive Vice President, Konecranes
Pekka Tiitinen, Managing Director, ABB Finland; Chair of the VTT Board
14:10 Reflections and comments on the panel discussion
Professor Michael G. Jacobides
14:30 Coffee break
14:45 Springboards, capabilities and mycelia; building blocks for transformative ecosystems,
Mikko Kosonen, Senior Advisor, and Johan Wallin, Managing Partner, Synocus
15:00 Universities ensuring excellence in ecosystems,
panel discussion moderated by Mikko Kosonen
Jorma Eloranta, Chair, Tampere University
Teresa Kemppi-Vasama, Chair, LUT University
Tero Ojanperä, Chair, Aalto University
15:30 Reflections and comments on the panel discussion,
Professor Michael G. Jacobides
15:50 Ideas for continuing the Excellence Through Ecosystems dialogue Discussion
16:00 Event concludes