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City of Vantaa joins ARCTIC15’s 15th Anniversary Edition as Main Partner to highlight its role in high technology, industrial innovation, airport-connected business, and future growth.
Helsinki, Finland — 3 June 2026 — The City of Vantaa will present its long-term innovation and growth positioning at ARCTIC15 Startup Conference 2026, taking place in Helsinki on 11–12 June 2026.
As part of the partnership, Vantaa joins ARCTIC15 as a Main Partner, bringing forward a city-level vision focused on future technologies, advanced manufacturing, industrial innovation, logistics, semiconductors, energy, airport-connected business, and collaboration between startups and established industry.
Vantaa is positioning itself as a practical growth environment for technology companies, startups, investors, public sector actors, and industrial players. This approach builds on the city’s existing strengths, including its high-tech industrial base, Aviapolis business area, Helsinki Airport connectivity, logistics infrastructure, and expanding innovation ecosystem.
The positioning reflects Vantaa’s broader 2026–2029 City Strategy, which emphasizes the city’s role as a “Runway for International Growth” through innovation environments, international business services, talent attraction, and technology-driven development.
Building Innovation Environments for Growth
Within this framework, Vantaa continues to develop innovation-oriented environments that support entrepreneurship, experimentation, and workforce development. These include Startup Runway in Aviapolis, a coworking and support hub for growth startups located near Helsinki Airport; the Vantaa Future Hub initiative focused on enabling testing of emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and IoT in applied environments; and the Tikkurila Competence Campus, which aims to strengthen collaboration between educational institutions and employers to support talent development and innovation.
“Future technologies are not built only in laboratories, universities, or investor meetings. They also need cities that provide real operating environments, infrastructure, companies, talent, and international access,” said Vedat Öndas, CEO of ArcticStartup. “Vantaa has a practical and credible foundation for this story. The Future Tech City concept gives that foundation a clear direction.”
Vantaa is also strengthening its focus on specialized business clusters, particularly in high technology, sustainable food innovation, and logistics. The city aims to further develop the Vehkala area as a hub for deep-tech and industrial innovation, while leveraging its role as Finland’s primary logistics gateway and its growing reputation in sustainable food systems and food waste reduction.
On Stage at ARCTIC15
At ARCTIC15 2026, Vantaa will present its future-tech positioning to international investors, startups, corporations, public sector leaders, and innovation ecosystem actors. The city will also participate in the conference program through discussions on how cities can support the next generation of technology companies, industrial renewal, and innovation-driven growth.
“City of Vantaa joins Arctic15 for a reason: Located at the heart of the Helsinki Metropolitan Region, having a world-class airport, thriving business community and plenty of labour, Vantaa offers startups and scaleups an opportunity to grow faster and smarter. Arctic15 provides the perfect setting to showcase our vision and build new opportunities, bringing together stakeholders we want to work with,” says Tommo Koivusalo, Director, Economic Development and Business Services, City of Vantaa.
In addition to infrastructure and industry development, Vantaa continues expanding dedicated services for international founders and companies. Through Business Vantaa and Talent Vantaa initiatives, the city supports international entrepreneurs with relocation guidance, startup advisory services, talent recruitment, and integration support for global professionals and their families.
The partnership comes as ARCTIC15 prepares its 15th Anniversary Edition, with a stronger focus on curated matchmaking, investor-startup meetings, startup showcases, Experience Zones, and future-oriented innovation themes.
“ARCTIC15 has always been about connecting people to make deals. For the 15th anniversary, we want to highlight not only startups and investors, but also the cities and public actors that create the conditions for innovation to happen,” Öndas added. “Vantaa’s participation is important because it shows that cities can be more than supporters. They can be active platforms for future industries.”
Through the Future Tech City concept, the City of Vantaa aims to strengthen its international visibility as a location for technology-driven business, industrial growth, deep tech collaboration, and startup development.
The concept will be visible at ARCTIC15 through conference programming, discussions, and partner activities connected to future technologies and city-led innovation.
About Vantaa | Future Tech City
Vantaa | Future Tech City is a strategic positioning concept presenting Vantaa as a city for future technologies, industrial innovation, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, energy, logistics, airport-connected business, and startup-industry collaboration. The concept builds on Vantaa’s existing business strengths, international connectivity, and ambition to support technology-driven growth.
About ARCTIC15
ARCTIC15 is a startup and investor conference based in Helsinki, Finland. Known for its curated matchmaking and deal-focused format, ARCTIC15 connects startups, investors, corporates, LPs, ecosystem builders, and public sector leaders. The 2026 edition marks the 15th Anniversary Edition of the conference and will take place in Helsinki on 11–12 June 2026.
Media Contact
ArcticStartup & ARCTIC15
Nurçin Metingil
Editor, ArcticStartup
nurcin.metingil@arcticstartup.com
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Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/vantaa-main-partner-at-arctic15/
