IMAGINE

Imagine the citiverse

Stay tuned, something new is coming in 2025!

27-28 May 2025
Tampere, Finland,
Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre

Imagine the Citiverse

City Representatives. Companies. Startups. Investors. Join the transformation.

The Cityverse Challenge

Nine Cities. Nine Urban Challenges. Four Themes. Bold companies with innovative solutions wanted. 

At IMAGINE the Citiverse, companies showcase their solutions to urban challenges directly to city leaders and engaged audience.

The event’s themes and challenges focus on:

Seamless Solutions for Cities. The Citiverse shapes how we move, connect, and experience urban life.How can growing cities create the future of mobility—respecting the environment while making everyday life smoother for residents?

A resilient city provides its residents with a sense of security. Smart solutions help anticipate different scenarios and plan for a city that remains liveable and pleasant for all. The Citiverse brings new solutions within reach for vibrant and enjoyable urban spaces.

New ways to create an interactive city where everyone has a voice in decision-making—fostering belonging, social connection, and overall well-being. Let’s harness smart solutions to build future cities that are more inclusive, equitable, and participatory.

When harnessed innovatively, smart technologies and data provide cities with solutions to protect our shared planet. Let’s get empowered by the citiverse to strengthen sustainable cities and their vibrant biodiversity. The seeds of solutions are planted here.

Speakers

Enter the world of Citiverse and explore our exciting line-up of speakers. Keep an eye out for the upcoming schedule, coming soon.

Roland van der Heijden

Program manager Rotterdam Citiverse& Program manager Digital City (Netherlands)

Michael Peques

CIO, City of Aurora, Illinois (USA)

Alfredo Viglienzoni

ICT and Innovation Expert for the City of Genova (Italy)

Erdem Samut

CTO, Isbak Istanbul It and Smart City Technologies Inc. (Turkey)

Dr. Naim Erol Özgüner

Head of Technology Group, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (Turkey)

Dr. Anniina Autero

Development Manager at the City of Tampere (Finland)

Vesa-Matti Ruottinen

Development Manager at the City of Tampere (Finland) ​

Martin Whiteley​

CEO of London's Thames Freeport (UK)

Arturo Castelló

Deputy Technical Director of Valencia Innovation Capital (Spain)

Teppo Rantanen

Executive Director at the City of Tampere (Finland)

Michael Hammet

Director, Office of Innovation and Performance at the City of Phoenix (USA)

Alba Monteiro de Oliveira Gil​

Councillor for Economy at Las Rozas de Madrid (Spain)

Cristina Álvarez Requena

CEO at Las Rozas Innova (Spain)

Ingmar Kasser

CEO at Random Forest and angel investor (Estonia)

Miika Salmi Lipiäinen

Co-Founder of Kyrö Distillery Company and Professor of Practice at Tampere University (Finland)

Sanna Laitinen

Event moderator

Kaisa Väänänen

Professor of human-technology interaction at the Tampere University (Finland)

The Digital Shift is Here—Be the One Who Steers It

We are on the edge of a new, digitally infused era that seamlessly integrates into our lives, businesses, and cities. Metaverse, AI, digital twins, immersive tech, citiverse… Do you feel lost in the jungle of all the tech terminology? Or do you already speak this language fluently? Either way, Imagine the Citiverse is the place for you.

This is where cities’ challenges meet the solutions of businesses, with people at the very heartbeat of digital transformation. At this event, you’ll hear the most innovative companies pitch their solutions to smart city challenges, gain insights from cutting-edge talks and network with the right people. IMAGINE the Citiverse is the one you can’t afford to miss! 

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Partner Cities

City of Aurora.
Comune di Genova.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
Logo of Las Rozas de Madrid.
City of Phoenix.
City of Rotterdam.
Thames Freeport.
Valencia.

Content Partners

Urban Innovators Global.
Business Tampere.
Startup.Tampere.
Platform 6.
Tampere University.
Artic Start up events logo.

Accommodation Partner

Unity.

What’s this frog thing about?

Imagine the frog’s life cycle: It begins with a silent transformation—starting as tiny eggs in water, which hatch into swimming tadpoles. Over time, they lose their tails, sprout legs, and develop the ability to navigate both land and water. By the end of this transformation, the adult frog has reached its full form. With its strong hind legs, it leaps out of the pond, feeling the ground beneath its feet—ready for the world with its flies, ecosystems and adventures.

Amid the digital transformation, just a few years ago we were still in the murky frogspawn, unsure of what might emerge from it. From that uncertain mass has sprung something entirely new: a city where a digital layer runs parallel to the physical one, full of opportunities. We want to understand what’s happening before we end up like frogs in a pot, and leap forward in a smoothly functioning and safe city, while also protecting its delicate ecosystems and our shared planet.

An illustration of a frog wearing a suit.

Exhibitors

Innofactor's logo.
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