“Helsinki is a welcome guest at events that highlight sustainable urban development, and it is a pleasure to share our expertise in this area with the world. It is also extremely important that we are constantly learning from others. For this reason, maintaining an active dialogue with our colleagues from around the globe is valuable. This trip to Tokyo provides an excellent opportunity for us to deepen our relationship with Tokyo, as well as many other cities. The startup convention, on the other hand, allows us to showcase Helsinki’s strengths to Japanese startups and investors. It is always an honour to represent Finland’s capital and attract foreign companies to learn more about our fair city. In comparisons of startup ecosystems the world over, Helsinki’s startup scene is larger than its size would suggest. In Europe, Helsinki has the fourth largest growth in capital investments, so even by that measure, Helsinki’s appeal is undeniable,” says Helsinki's Mayor Juhana Vartiainen.
Mayor Vartiainen’s presentation at the first-ever meeting of the G-NETS city network will focus in particular on the development of safe and secure cities. Other themes of the Leaders Summit include sustainability, inclusivity and justice, with the aim to jointly find solutions to global challenges associated with these themes. From Helsinki’s point of view, summits like this make it possible to not only learn from other cities, but also create new contacts and deepen relationships with numerous urban leaders.
On 28 February, Mayor Vartiainen presented the Helsinki startup ecosystem and the opportunities the city offers to international startups and employees at the first-ever City-Tech.Tokyo convention. The City-Tech.Tokyo event is one of the world’s leading events for startups, investors and other stakeholders in the growth business sector. In particular, the convention offers support for startups that develop solutions that promote a sustainable society.