IMAGINE
Imagine the citiverse
Stay tuned, something new is coming in 2025!
27-28 May 2025
Tampere, Finland,
Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre
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.
The event app
Get Ready for Imagine 2025: Download the Event App for Program and Networking!
To ensure you have the best experience possible, we invite you to download our event app. With the app, you’ll have access to the full program and the ability to connect with fellow attendees.
Stay informed, stay connected, and make the most out of Imagine 2025 with only three easy steps:
- Register for the event
- Check your email
- Download the app using the link in your email
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)
Pasi Pohjala
Partner at Nordic Startup Ventures, angel investor (Finland)
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. Anniina Autero
Development Manager at the City of Tampere (Finland)
Tana Torrano
Founder of Nordic Business Exchange (USA)
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)
Sini Pankka
Managing Director of UNITY Finland (Finland)
Minna Levine
SMART Community Council (SCC) USA (USA)
Kaisa Herne
Professor at the Tampere University (Finland)
Youssef Zad
Chief Economist, Finnish Startup Community (Finland)
Henna Paakinaho
Innovation Specialist, Tampere University (Finland)
Jalmari Nevanlinna
Medical Doctor and Researcher at Tampere University (Finland)
Maria Åkerman
Principal Lecturer at Tampere University of Applied Sciences
Ksenia Stark
Chaos Architect & Co-founder at ⅄Oᒋ⅋NOISՈᖵNOϽ (Spain)
Stewart Rogers
Darketing Illuminator & Co-founder at ⅄Oᒋ⅋NOISՈᖵNOϽ (Spain)
Jonne Kuittinen
Deputy Chief Executive of the Finnish Venture Capital Association (Finland)
John Penney
Global Head of Growth and Business Development at CoMotion (USA)
Juho Väisänen
Head of Innovation Services at Tampere University (Finland)
Jakub Florczak
Event Manager at ArcticStartup (Finland)
Abhishek Kumar Devjibhai
Founder & CEO at Ekotekt (Finland)
Aseem Shakuntal
Co-Founder & CEO at Codemenders (Finland)
Angeliki Papagiannopoulou
Ecosystem and Programme Manager at Tech Nordic Advocates (Finland)
Burak Gedik
Co-Founder and CEO, Benerg (Finland)
Sonja Sirviö
Founder & CEO at Ekotekt (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!
Blog posts
SmartCity.exe – Update Required
Joe Appleton “We have no need of other worlds. We need mirrors.” — Stanisław Lem, Solaris When Stanisław Lem wrote
Pioneering the Unexplored: The Host-City Tampere’s Hands-On Approach to the Citiverse
Outi Valkama Imagine always having a clever but invisible assistant by your side. It would understand your daily needs and
Why does the Citiverse Matter?
Bas Boorsma Several decades of digitally powered change has resulted in a system shift in the way we work, live,
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Exhibitors
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.
Exhibitors
