Datafest 2027 – Practical Steps for Leveraging Data
Welcome to Datafest on 4 February 2027 in Kalasatama, Helsinki!
How could data help your business grow? And what’s your company’s next step towards making the most of data?
Across Europe, the data economy is taking shape, with business value increasingly being created through sharing, combining and making use of data. Finland has a strong group of companies at the forefront of this development. For many businesses, however, the opportunities offered by the data economy, data sharing and European data spaces are still somewhat difficult to grasp. This can slow down the development of new business and international growth.
Take the next step in the data economy with us
On 4 February 2027, we are bringing together SMEs and other organisations and actors interested in data to explore the business opportunities it creates. The free event will offer perspectives both for those taking their first steps towards becoming data-driven and for pioneers whose businesses are built around data infrastructure, analytics, data-driven products or AI applications.
At the event, we will gain new insights, learn from each other and receive practical guidance on how to turn data into real business opportunities and how interoperable data can help grow your existing business. The programme includes talks, short presentations and workshops, and you can choose the sessions that interest you most.
Datafest is created together with leading experts in the data economy! LUMI AI Factory is the event’s main partner, with IOXIO and VTT also joining us as event partners.
Why should you join?
This is the first event for companies where you can:
- receive practical guidance on how to make the most of the data economy
- strengthen your position and visibility in the increasingly international data economy
- network with researchers, developers and other data economy professionals
- discover new opportunities for collaboration and partnerships to support data-driven growth.
Register today and join us!
Events Details
Datafest 2027 – Practical Steps for Leveraging Data
Date and time: 4 February 2027, 9:00–17:00. Doors open at 8:15.
Venue: Työpajankatu 13 A, 00580 Helsinki
Price: Free of charge. A complimentary lunch is also included for participants.
Registration
Register for Datafest 2027 below by 25 January 2027.
If you are unable to attend, please cancel your registration. We reserve the right to charge a fee of €40 for no-shows who have not cancelled their registration.
Please note that the organizers do not provide invitation letters for visa applications.
Programme
Below you will find the event programme and four different programme tracks to choose from. The tracks 1-3 are in Finnish and track 4 in English.
We reserve the right to make changes to the programme.
- Track 1: Data muuttuvassa maailmassa (in Finnish)
- Track 2: Data haltuun (in Finnish)
- Track 3: Datasta kasvua (in Finnish)
- Track 4: Data Beyond Borders (in English)
The sessions in this track will be held in Finnish. They are suitable for all participants, regardless of how much they already use data.
There is no programme in this track between 10:30 and 11:30. During this time, you can join a session in one of the other tracks based on your interests.
Please note that time has been specifically reserved in the programme for moving between sessions. We kindly ask participants to minimise moving between the different programme tracks at other times.
The sessions in Programme Track 1 will take place on the event’s main stage in the Auditorium.
Registration and networking, Networking Area opens
Introduction & welcome!
Liikenne näyttää mallia: miten jaettu data muuttuu liiketoiminnaksi
Janne Lautanala, Fintraffic
- Datan arvo syntyy yhdistämisestä. Oman datan ja ekosysteemin datan yhdistelmä luo palveluja, joita kukaan ei pysty tekemään yksin.
- Luottamus ja pelisäännöt ovat kilpailuetu. Sääntökirja, hallintomalli ja reilu arvonjako madaltavat kynnystä jakaa dataa.
- Eurooppalaiset data-avaruudet avaavat pk-yrityksille kansainvälisen skaalan, kun yhteentoimivuus on kunnossa alusta asti.
- Tekoäly kasvattaa laadukkaan ja jaetun datan arvoa entisestään. Ekosysteemissä toimiva yritys pääsee nopeammin käsiksi tekoälyn hyötyihin.
AI ready data ja LUMI Data Lab
Heidi Laine, CSC, LUMI AI Factory
LUMI Data Lab on dataan liittyvä osaamiskeskus ja palvelukokonaisuus osana LUMI AI Factoryä. Se kuuluu myös kaikkien eurooppalaisten AI Factoryjen Data Lab -verkostoon. Puheenvuorossa kerrotaan, miten AI ready data määritellään LUMI Data Labissa ja millaisia oppeja siihen liittyen CSC:llä on kertynyt matkan varrelta.
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LUMI AI Factory brings top expertise to Datafest also as the event’s main partner. Learn more about LUMI AI Factory.
Kun tuote lähtee tehtaalta, datan pitää lähteä mukaan – tuotedatan jakaminen teollisuudessa ja rahtikäytävissä
Pirkka Frosti, IOXIO
Tuote kulkee tehtaalta toimittajien, satamien ja kuljetusten kautta asiakkaalle, huoltoon ja lopulta kierrätykseen, mutta sen tiedot jäävät yleensä yrityksen omiin järjestelmiin. Puheenvuoro näyttää konkreettisin esimerkein, miten suomalaiset valmistajat, niiden toimittajat ja logistiikkakumppanit jo nyt rakentavat yksilöidyille tuotteille ja komponenteille tietoa, joka kulkee tuotteen mukana. Esimerkkeinä ovat digitaaliset tuotepassit ja kansallinen digitaalisten rahtikäytävien NJORD-aloite, jossa teollisuus, satamat, logistiikka ja pankit sopivat yhteisistä tavoista jakaa tuote- ja rahtidataa luotettavasti Suomesta Eurooppaan. Lisäksi käydään läpi, mitä tämä käytännössä muuttaa: miten tuote todistaa alkuperänsä ja hiilijalanjälkensä, miten toimitus etenee ilman manuaalista selvittelyä ja miten huolto ja uudelleenkäyttö perustuvat oikeaan tietoon.
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IOXIO brings top expertise to Datafest also as the event’s partner. Learn more about IOXIO.
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Transition and opportunity to visit the event networking area
Programme available in other tracks
Lunch and networking
Tekoälyagentit ja asiakasdatan laatu
Terho Norja, Roger Studio Oy
Miten tekoälyagenttien kykyä tuottaa arvoa saadaan saadaan parannettua, kun niille tarjotaan asiastieto laatutarkistettuna ja eri asiakastietolähteet yhdistettynä? Pohjalla on tekemämme tutkimus AI-agenttien hyödyntämisestä syksyllä 2026 suomalaisissa organisaatioissa sekä ratkaisumalliskenaariot eri organisaatioiden kanssa toteutetuista ratkaisuista.
Fyysinen tekoäly
Teemu Heikkilä, Emblica Oy
Teemu avaa sitä, mitä fyysinen tekoäly on teknologiaa kehittävin silmin. Esitys tarjoaa käytännön esimerkkejä esimerkiksi autonomisista työkoneista, teollisuuden ratkaisuista ja helpottaa jäsentelemään koko fyysisen tekoälyn kenttää. Esitys sopii sekä niille jotka ovat vielä alkuvaiheessa että jo edistyneemmille.
Kun data katoaa, katoaa myös liiketoiminta – kuka oikeasti suojaa Microsoft-pilvesi?
Henry Liukko-Sipi, Nexetic Oy
Coffee break and networking
Datasuvereniteetti – kuka hallitsee dataasi?
Janne Kalliola, Coonti
Transition
Paneelikeskustelu: Tekoälyä hyödyntävien sovellusten turvallisuus
Janne Lautanala, Fintraffic
Heidi Laine, CSC, LUMI AI Factory
Pirkka Frosti, IOXIO
Tuomo Tuikka, VTT
Janne Kalliola, Coonti
Juontajana paneelissa toimii Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts, TIEKE
—
LUMI AI Factory, IOXIO ja VTT tuovat Datafestiin datatalouden huippuosaamista myös tapahtuman kumppaneina.

Key takeaways of the day
Afterwork and networking in the Networking Area
Afterparty at Satama Bar & Bistro
The sessions in this track will be held in Finnish. This track is particularly suitable for participants who are just getting started with using data and are interested in learning about the basics and opportunities of data use.
However, everyone interested in the topic is welcome to join the sessions in this track.
Please note that time has been specifically reserved in the programme for moving between sessions. We kindly ask participants to minimise moving between the different programme tracks at other times.
Registration and networking, Networking Area opens
Introduction & welcome!
Programme on the main stage (Track 1).
Transition and opportunity to visit the event networking area
Datan hyödyntäminen on kiinni organisaation kyvystä lukea dataa
Tiina Soininen, Karelia-ammattikorkeakoulu
Idea oli loistava – data ei. Yrityksen omasta datasta kilpailuetua!
Tuuli Aalto, Ambientia
Minun datakarttani
Mikko Eloholma, TIEKE
Esityksessä kartoitetaan yrityksen datapääomia ja pohditaan, miten niitä voisi käyttää.
Lunch and networking
Tekoäly käyttöön ihminen edellä
Annukka Jussila, Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu & Merja Sjöblom, TIEKE
Työkalut ovat jo olemassa. Suurin haaste on löytää tapa hyödyntää niitä niin, että ihmiset, työhyvinvointi ja liiketoiminta kehittyvät yhdessä. AI-askelia-hanke auttaa organisaatioita ottamaan tekoälyn käyttöön hallitusti, vastuullisesti ja ennen kaikkea ihmislähtöisesti. Tervetuloa kuulemaan miten voimme tukea teidän organisaatiotanne tekoälyn käyttöönotossa.
AI rakentaa datatuotteita, mutta kuka vastaa laadusta?
Taina Lepistö, Loihde
Tekoäly kirjoittaa jo datan latauksia, ehdottaa tietomalleja ja rakentaa raportteja minuuteissa. Datatuote on valmis, uudelleenkäytettävä tietokokonaisuus tai raportti, jonka varaan päätöksiä tehdään. Kun AI tekee niitä nopeammin kuin ihminen ehtii tarkistaa, kysymys kääntyy: kuka vastaa siitä, että tulos on oikein?
Tässä puheenvuoro- ja työpajasessiossa käydään läpi data-alustan peruspalikat (lähteet, tallennus, mallinnus, käyttö ja hallinta) ja katsotaan, missä AI jo auttaa ja missä vastuu pysyy ihmisellä. Työpajaosuudessa pöytäryhmät arvioivat oman organisaationsa datatehtäviä.
Kuulijan keskeiset opit:
- Data-alustan perusteet ymmärrettävästi
- Mitkä datatyön osat AI nopeuttaa jo nyt ja mitkä vaativat edelleen ihmisen arvion
- Datatuotteelle tarvitaan omistaja, laatusäännöt ja kuvaus
Sessio sopii erityisesti niille, jotka ovat vasta aloittamassa datan hyödyntämistä. Aiempi tekninen osaaminen ei ole tarpeen.
Coffee break and networking
Tekoälyagenttien etiikan kysymykset konkreettisen tapausesimerkin kautta
Mikko Eloholma, TIEKE
Esityksessä tutustutaan tekoälyagenttien etiikan kysymyksiin konkreettisen tapausesimerkin kautta.
Esityksen pohjalta ymmärrät, miksi tekoälyagenttien etiikkaa kannattaa pohtia eri roolien, kuten tietohallinnon, tietosuoja-asiantuntijoiden, tuotekehityksen sekä palveluiden käyttäjien näkökulmista. Riskit ja hyvät ratkaisut tunnistetaan, kun asiasta kyetään puhumaan yhteisellä kielellä.
Transition
Paneelikeskustelu: Tekoälyä hyödyntävien sovellusten turvallisuus
Janne Lautanala, Fintraffic
Heidi Laine, CSC, LUMI AI Factory
Pirkka Frosti, IOXIO
Tuomo Tuikka, VTT
Janne Kalliola, Coonti
Juontajana paneelissa toimii Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts, TIEKE
—
LUMI AI Factory, IOXIO ja VTT tuovat Datafestiin datatalouden huippuosaamista myös tapahtuman kumppaneina.

Key takeaways of the day
Afterwork and networking in the Networking Area
Afterparty at Satama Bar & Bistro
The sessions in this track will be held in Finnish. This track is particularly suitable for participants whose organisations are looking for growth and who may be interested in new business models enabled by data.
However, everyone interested in the topic is welcome to join the sessions in this track.
Please note that time has been specifically reserved in the programme for moving between sessions. We kindly ask participants to minimise moving between the different programme tracks at other times.
Registration and networking, Networking Area opens
Introduction & welcome!
Programme on the main stage (Track 1).
Transition and opportunity to visit the event networking area
Miten hyödynnät julkista rahoitusta yrityksesi tutkimus- ja kehittämisprojekteissa?
Miikka Liimatainen, Grants Funding Oy
Miikka Liimatainen, Grants Funding Oy:stä avaa sitä, miten ja mihin pk-yritys voi hyödyntää julkista tukea.
EDIH- ja HRI-palvelut liiketoimintasi tukena
Olli Rantanen, Location Innovation Hub
Teemu Moilanen, Finnish AI Region
Kati Kiljunen, Robocoast EDIH
Hami Kekkonen, Helsinki Region Infoshare
EDIH-keskukset auttavat yrityksiä kehittämään digitaalisia valmiuksiaan ja ottamaan uusia teknologioita käyttöön liiketoiminta- ja tuotantoprosesseissa, tuotteissa ja palveluissa. Ne tarjoavat pääsyn tekniseen asiantuntemukseen ja testausympäristöihin, joissa yritykset voivat kokeilla konsepteja, innovaatioita ja prototyyppejä ennen varsinaisia investointeja. Suomen EDIH-hubit valmentavat maksutta start-upeja, pieniä ja keskisuuria yrityksiä sekä julkishallintoa. Saat tukea liiketoimintasi kehittämiseen, tulevaisuuden teknologioiden hyödyntämiseen ja rahoituksen hankintaan. Helsinki Region Infoshare (HRI) -palvelu taas on Helsingin, Espoon, Vantaan ja Kauniaisten kaupunkien yhteinen avoimen datan palvelu. Palvelusta löytyy pääkaupunkiseudun kaupunkeja ja koko seutua koskevaa dataa kaikkien vapaasti ja maksutta hyödynnettäväksi. Tässä sessiossa kuulet kiteytettynä eri palvelujen mahdollisuudet liiketoimintaasi!
Tuotepassien mahdollisuudet yrityksille: käytännön esimerkkejä eri toimialoilta
Henna Suomi, IOXIO
Vuorovaikutteisessa esityksessä käydään läpi esimerkkejä tuotepassien hyödyistä ja käytännön toteutuksista.
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IOXIO brings top expertise to Datafest also as the event’s partner. Learn more about IOXIO.
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Lunch and Networking
Datasta tekoälyn supervoimiksi: käytännön esimerkkejä tekoälyn mahdollisuuksista
Pauli Hemmi, Keksintösäätiö
Mitä kaikkea omasta datasta voi saada irti tekoälyn avulla? Tässä esityksessä tutustutaan käytännön demojen kautta siihen, miten tekoälyllä voidaan muuttaa dataa älykkäiksi työkaluiksi, sovelluksiksi ja uusiksi mahdollisuuksiksi. Esimerkkien avulla nähdään, mitä kaikkea nykyaikaisilla AI-työkaluilla voidaan toteuttaa ja miten niitä voi hyödyntää omassa työssä ja liiketoiminnassa.
Datasta tulovirtaa pienissä yrityksissä, kansainvälisissä verkostoissa
Leena Toivonen, Centria-ammattikorkeakoulu
Miten yrityksesi voisi hyödyntää nykyisiä datalähteitään paremmin? Tässä käytännönläheisessä työpajassa tutustutaan Centrian kehittämään Datapääoma-työkaluun, jonka avulla tunnistetaan datan liiketoimintapotentiaalia, ideoidaan uusia palveluita, löydetään yhteistyökumppaneita ja hahmotetaan oma paikka datatalouden arvoketjussa. Osallistujat pääsevät työskentelemään omien liiketoimintatapaustensa parissa työkalun avulla. Tämä käytännönläheinen työpaja on suunnattu yrityksille toimialasta riippumatta – mukaan ovat tervetulleita kaikki yritykset, jotka haluavat ymmärtää paremmin datan arvoa omassa liiketoiminnassaan. Työpajan aikana osallistujat pääsevät käyttämään työkalua omien liiketoimintatapauksien pohjalta. Työskentelyn tukena ovat myös valmiit esimerkkikeissit. Työpajasta lähdet mukanasi konkreettinen näkemys siitä, miten yrityksesi data voidaan muuttaa uusiksi palveluiksi, kumppanuuksiksi ja kilpailueduksi.
Coffee break and networking
VastuullisuusOptimi-verkkopalvelu: tunnista toimialasi ja yrityksesi vastuullisuuteen liittyviä kehityskohteita/kilpailuvaltteja
Otso Valta, Avoin ry
VastuullisuusOptimi on ilmainen verkkopalvelu, joka auttaa yrityksiä tunnistamaan toimialansa ja oman datansa vastuullisuuteen liittyviä tärkeimpiä kehityskohteita/kilpailuvaltteja.
Transition
Paneelikeskustelu: Tekoälyä hyödyntävien sovellusten turvallisuus
Janne Lautanala, Fintraffic
Heidi Laine, CSC, LUMI AI Factory
Pirkka Frosti, IOXIO
Tuomo Tuikka, VTT
Janne Kalliola, Coonti
Juontajana paneelissa toimii Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts, TIEKE
—
LUMI AI Factory, IOXIO ja VTT tuovat Datafestiin datatalouden huippuosaamista myös tapahtuman kumppaneina.

Key takeaways of the day
Afterwork and networking in the Networking Area
Afterparty at Satama Bar & Bistro
The sessions in this track are in English.
This track is particularly suitable for participants who are already advanced in their use of data and may be interested in internationalisation and data sharing.
However, everyone interested in the topic is welcome to join the sessions in this track.
Please note that time has been specifically reserved in the programme for moving between sessions. We kindly ask participants to minimise moving between the different programme tracks at other times.
Registration and networking, Networking Area opens
Introduction & welcome!
Programme on the main stage (Track 1, in Finnish)
Transition and opportunity to visit the event networking area
Data spaces as drivers of urban competitiveness and business collaboration
Ilkka Niskanen, VTT
The presentation shares practical experiences from data spaces developed for the cities of Oulu and Tampere. The aim of these solutions is to create a trusted and standardised model that enables public organisations, companies and other regional actors to share and use data in a controlled way across organisational boundaries.
The presentation explores how data spaces can support the development of new services, innovations and business models. It also looks at how local data spaces can be connected to European data space networks, creating new opportunities for international collaboration and business.
Participants will gain a practical understanding of what data spaces are, what benefits they can offer to cities and businesses, and what technical capabilities are needed to participate in data spaces. The presentation is based on practical use cases implemented in Finland and the experiences gained from them.
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VTT brings top expertise to Datafest also as the event’s partner. Learn more about VTT.
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Requirements for sharing digital product information in the EU and Finland
Tomi Dahlberg, DBE Core Oy
Customers increasingly require information about the composition and other characteristics of the products they purchase. Sharing this information on paper, by email or as PDF files is expensive and prone to errors.
In addition, regulatory developments in the EU and Finland, including regulations concerning ecodesign, product information, the use of raw materials, freight and waste transport, require companies to share digital information about their products, either themselves or through information service providers. Companies need to be able to share this information with customers, recycling and maintenance companies, tax and customs authorities, other public authorities and other relevant parties.
For consumers, the information must be accessible (on a smartphone) without the need to purchase separate software, applications or devices. Product information and related information services must also be registered in national and/or EU registers.
These requirements create significant challenges for companies of all sizes, but particularly for SMEs and their IT service providers. The presentation will give you an overview of the requirements for sharing product information and guidance on how to meet them while strengthening your company’s value creation and competitiveness.
How do intellectual property rights affect the use of data?
Juhani Talvela, The Foundation for Finnish Inventions
When navigating the data economy, a company must shift its mindset from traditional intellectual property rights (IPR)—which mostly protect tangible inventions or creative works—to a framework that addresses data ownership, control, and commercialization.
Lunch and Networking
AI pilots are easy. Scaling AI and data across an organization is not
Samuli Pöntinen, Arked Oy
- What “AI-ready data” actually means in practice
- The architecture and governance capabilities needed to scale AI
- Common bottlenecks when moving from pilots to production
- Real-world examples and lessons from AI and data transformations
Co-creation and purposeful HRI deployments in the service sector
Christa Tigerstedt and Dennis Biström, Arcada University of Applied Sciences
We see an increasing amount of service robot deployments within care, education, hospitality and retail, yet the transition from controlled environments to real-world service settings remains underexplored. Prior trials demonstrate the potential of humanoids across diverse contexts but less attention has been paid to how these technologies are integrated into everyday operational environments.
Our presentation is about service robot deployments in Finnish contexts as an iterative context-sensitive process rather than a one-time technological integration. We present co-creation and human-centrism, using design thinking as an enabler when it comes to involving end-users throughout any deployment initiative or use-case.
Successful deployment depends on aligning technological capabilities with service demands, incorporating end-user feedback, and maintaining flexibility under real-world operational conditions. This presentation highlights implications for researchers, developers, and practitioners seeking to move beyond experimental validation toward sustainable and purposeful adoption of humanoid service robots.
Coffee break and networking
Green ICT, data and AI
Antti Sipilä, TIEKE
We are hoarding data, the oil of the digital age, like there’s no tomorrow, and the trend is only accelerating with the rise of AI.
Data seems pleasantly intangible and abstract, almost harmless from an environmental and climate perspective. Unfortunately, the cloud where it is stored is not made of water vapour, nor does it run on the Holy Spirit. Scratch the surface, and behind the data infrastructure you will find hardware and electricity.
Of course, data also has positive impacts. It can replace many more polluting and waste-intensive ways of doing things.
Join us to explore what the environmental balance looks like when the entire value chain is taken into account, and how data can also help us move towards a more environmentally sustainable world.
Transition
Panel Discussion (in Finnish): Tekoälyä hyödyntävien sovellusten turvallisuus
Janne Lautanala, Fintraffic
Heidi Laine, CSC, LUMI AI Factory
Pirkka Frosti, IOXIO
Tuomo Tuikka, VTT
Janne Kalliola, Coonti
Juontajana paneelissa toimii Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts, TIEKE
—
LUMI AI Factory, IOXIO ja VTT tuovat Datafestiin datatalouden huippuosaamista myös tapahtuman kumppaneina.

Key takeaways of the day (in Finnish)
Afterwork and networking in the Networking Area
Afterparty at Satama Bar & Bistro
Speakers
We will be publishing more speaker profiles on this page soon. Keep an eye on the page and get to know the speakers as profiles are published!

Janne Lautanala
Chief Ecosystem and Technology Officer | Fintraffic | >>

Janne Lautanala
Chief Ecosystem and Technology Officer | Fintraffic | >>
Janne has over 30 years of experience in digital business across various industries. He has held roles including Nordic Innovation Director at Avanade and Director responsible for Wärtsilä’s Acceleration Centres. He currently serves as Chief Ecosystem and Technology Officer at Fintraffic.

Heidi Laine
Senior Specialist | CSC – IT Center for Science | >>

Heidi Laine
Senior Specialist | CSC – IT Center for Science | >>
Heidi Laine is a Senior Specialist at CSC – IT Center for Science. She leads the Data Access & Integration work package in the LUMI AI Factory Service Center project and contributes to the OpenWebSearch.eu project, which develops open and transparent web data infrastructure for Europe. Her expertise spans data governance and management, research integrity and ethics, and European data and AI infrastructure development. Heidi is particularly interested in how European values and regulatory frameworks could be transformed into a competitive advantage in emerging technologies, ensuring innovation aligns with societal trust and fundamental rights.

Pirkka Frosti
CEO, Founder | IOXIO | >>

Pirkka Frosti
CEO, Founder | IOXIO | >>
Pirkka Frosti is the founder and CEO of IOXIO. IOXIO develops software and data ecosystems that enable the manufacturing and logistics sectors to share product, component and freight data reliably across organisational boundaries.
Pirkka leads the national NJORD programme, which is building digital freight corridors from Finland to Europe in collaboration with industry, ports, logistics companies, banks, research institutes and public authorities.

Terho Norja
Roger Studio | >>

Terho Norja
Roger Studio | >>
Terho Norja has worked with the design and implementation of data warehousing, analytics and customer relationship management systems, as well as related solutions that utilise metadata. Norja holds a Master of Science in Technology from Aalto University’s degree programme in Engineering Physics and Mathematics.

Teemu Heikkilä
CEO, co-founder | Emblica | >>

Teemu Heikkilä
CEO, co-founder | Emblica | >>
Teemu is the CEO and co-founder of the AI company Emblica. He has been working with physical AI for years, long before the term became an industry buzzword. With 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur, he operates at a rare intersection of deep tech, demanding industrial environments and business expertise.
At heart, Teemu is a builder. His expertise spans the entire spectrum, from synthetic data to the intricacies of hardware and edge computing. His track record in demanding environments speaks for itself: among other things, he has taken autonomous machinery from zero to production and developed AI systems that meet industrial requirements.

Henry Liukko-Sipi
CEO | Nexetic Oy | >>

Henry Liukko-Sipi
CEO | Nexetic Oy | >>
Henry Liukko-Sipi is the CEO of Nexetic Oy. He works with backup and business continuity solutions for Microsoft 365, Entra ID and Power Platform environments, bringing a practical perspective on how companies can prepare for data loss.

Janne Kalliola
Founder, lead consultant | Coonti | >>

Janne Kalliola
Founder, lead consultant | Coonti | >>
Janne Kalliola is the founder and lead consultant at Coonti. Coonti helps build future-proof IT solutions that take artificial intelligence, data sovereignty and sustainability into account throughout their entire lifecycle. Janne is also conducting doctoral research on the energy consumption of software at Aalto University.

Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts
Executive Director | TIEKE | >>

Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts
Executive Director | TIEKE | >>
Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts is the Executive Director of TIEKE and Chair of Data Spaces Alliance Finland. During her career, Hanna has worked in both public and private sector organisations, where she has had the opportunity to contribute to the development of the technology sector and the use of digitalisation across different areas of society. She has over ten years of experience in international development projects, through which she has built extensive networks.
Before serving as Director of the IoT programme at Forum Virium Helsinki, Hanna gained expertise in digital media, communications and network management in roles at organisations including the Finnish Meteorological Institute and digital agency Frantic.

Tiina Soininen
Lecturer in Knowledge Management | Karelia University of Applied Sciences | >>

Tiina Soininen
Lecturer in Knowledge Management | Karelia University of Applied Sciences | >>
Tiina Soininen (D.Soc.Sc., Vocational Teacher) works as a Lecturer in Knowledge Management at Karelia University of Applied Sciences. She has a diverse background in expert and senior specialist roles in knowledge management in the public sector, as well as experience as a university researcher in register-based research and data analysis.
Tiina is genuinely passionate about the opportunities offered by data and how information can be used more effectively in decision-making, service development and for the benefit of society. Her goal is to make data understandable, actionable and valuable.

Tuuli Aalto
Data & AI Director | Ambientia Oy | >>

Tuuli Aalto
Data & AI Director | Ambientia Oy | >>
Tuuli Aalto is Director of Data & AI at Ambientia. She has over 25 years of experience in developing digital services, technology and business. Tuuli’s strength lies in bringing together people, processes, data and technology to create solutions that work and deliver value.

Mikko Eloholma
Accelerator of Data Skills | TIEKE | >>

Mikko Eloholma
Accelerator of Data Skills | TIEKE | >>
Mikko Eloholma works at TIEKE as an Accelerator of Data Skills. He has worked on developing basic digital skills, particularly skills related to data protection and information security, among young people, teachers and SMEs. Mikko has also been involved in developing digital learning methods and solutions.
Mikko is an Open Data Institute certified Data Ethics Facilitator and helps organisations navigate ethical questions related to the use of data.

Merja Sjöblom
Accelerator of Digital Skills | TIEKE | >>

Merja Sjöblom
Accelerator of Digital Skills | TIEKE | >>

Taina Lepistö
Senior Consult | Loihde DDA | >>

Taina Lepistö
Senior Consult | Loihde DDA | >>
Taina Lepistö works as a consultant in Loihde’s data, digital and AI services unit. Her work covers data strategy, technology and customer projects, and she helps organisations build data platforms and use AI in data-related work to produce reliable results.
Taina has extensive experience in data management and regulatory requirements, such as Solvency II, and is also involved in organising TDWI Finland events.

Miikka Liimatainen

Miikka Liimatainen
Miikka Liimatainen has over two decades of experience in growth-oriented projects, particularly in the fields of corporate finance and business development. His expertise focuses on funding and working capital arrangements for growth initiatives, especially in research and development projects.
He has been involved in launching more than 500 publicly funded development projects and currently works as a partner at Grants Funding Oy.
Photo: Matias Ulfves/Kasvu Open

Hami Kekkonen
HRI | >>

Hami Kekkonen
HRI | >>
Hami Kekkonen works for the City of Helsinki and is responsible for Helsinki Region Infoshare (hri.fi), the open data service jointly provided by the cities of the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Olli Rantanen
Leading GIS Specialist | Location Innovation Hub | National Land Survey of Finland | >>

Olli Rantanen
Leading GIS Specialist | Location Innovation Hub | National Land Survey of Finland | >>
Olli Rantanen works as a GIS Specialist at Location Innovation Hub (LIH), focusing on networks and training. LIH is an EU co-funded competence centre that supports SMEs and the public sector in developing their geospatial capabilities and promotes the use of geospatial data, AI and digitalisation.
LIH provides free expert support, training and opportunities to test new technologies, as well as helping organisations develop their business.

Kati Kiljunen
Project Manager | Prizztech Oy | Robocoast EDIH | >>

Kati Kiljunen
Project Manager | Prizztech Oy | Robocoast EDIH | >>
Kati Kiljunen, M.Sc. (Tech.), works as a specialist in the Robocoast EDIH network at Prizztech Oy. She has extensive experience in the technology industry, international collaboration and business development. In her work, she supports SMEs in digitalisation, the use of AI and the adoption of new technologies.

Henna Suomi
COO | IOXIO | >>

Henna Suomi
COO | IOXIO | >>

Teemu Moilanen
AI Deployment Advisor & Ecosystem Lead | Finnish AI Region | >>

Teemu Moilanen
AI Deployment Advisor & Ecosystem Lead | Finnish AI Region | >>

Leena Toivonen
RDI Coordinator | Centria University of Applied Sciences | >>

Leena Toivonen
RDI Coordinator | Centria University of Applied Sciences | >>

Otso Valta
Chair | Avoin ry | >>

Otso Valta
Chair | Avoin ry | >>

Ilkka Niskanen
Senior Scientist | VTT | >>

Ilkka Niskanen
Senior Scientist | VTT | >>
Ilkka Niskanen is a Senior Scientist in the Advanced Data Spaces team at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. He received his PhD in Information Processing Science from the University of Oulu in 2018. He has authored or co-authored more than 25 scientific publications and has contributed to numerous national and international research and innovation projects. His work focuses on data spaces and data interoperability. He is particularly interested in enabling trusted data sharing and building interoperable digital ecosystems that support collaboration across organizational boundaries.

Tomi Dahlberg
DBE Core Oy | >>

Tomi Dahlberg
DBE Core Oy | >>

Juhani Talvela
CEO | Intellisys Oy and Chair | Keksintösäätiö | >>

Juhani Talvela
CEO | Intellisys Oy and Chair | Keksintösäätiö | >>
Tech.Lic. Juhani Talvela (Intellisys Oy) is an experienced entrepreneur, researcher, and thought leader. He has founded and led several companies for growth and expansion, secured VC funding, and completed successful exits. In his research, Talvela has focused on SMEs’ ability to use patenting and IP rights in their business operations. As Chair of the Foundation for Finnish Inventions, he supports the development of Finland’s innovation system and helps inventors and early-stage innovators find appropriate, well-founded solutions for developing their ideas.
Location Innovation Hub (LIH) is an EU Commission–supported European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), led by the National Land Survey of Finland. Intellisys Oy leads Work Package 3. Within the project, Intellisys develops the funding and IP/IPR capabilities of the target-group SMEs. The project runs for three years, from 2026 to 2028.

Samuli Pöntinen
Arked Oy | >>

Samuli Pöntinen
Arked Oy | >>
Samuli is a leading expert in data and AI leadership who has helped both Finnish and international organizations build AI and data capabilities that keep agents, costs, and security under control while making organizational data effectively available to both people and AI.
He has extensive experience leading data and AI initiatives both as a consultant and in in-house leadership roles. Samuli advocates a pragmatic and systemic approach to data and AI leadership, bringing together people, technology, and everyday ways of working. In his view, leading data and AI is not rocket science, but succeeding requires more than individual projects and technology solutions.
Samuli is a familiar face in university courses and professional training programs, where he shares his expertise in data and AI strategy by combining theory with practical experience. In 2023, Samuli was selected for Hyperight’s Nordic Top 100 list in the Data Management category.

Dr Christa Tigerstedt
Researcher and Principal Lecturer in Business at School of Business and Healthcare | Arcada University of Applied Sciences | >>

Dr Christa Tigerstedt
Researcher and Principal Lecturer in Business at School of Business and Healthcare | Arcada University of Applied Sciences | >>
Dr Christa Tigerstedt (orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1340-0217 ) is a researcher and principal lecturer in business at School of Business and Healthcare, Arcada UAS, Helsinki, Finland. She has a cross-disciplinary training: M.Sc.Econ (Organization and leadership, Hanken, Swedish School of Economics) and a PhD (Educational Leadership, Åbo Akademi University). She is leading cross-disciplinary research projects in the Arcada Human and AI interaction hub. She works on 1) HRI and AI powered solutions incl the deployment of social and service robots in the business, care and education sectors (BARTEK (BMR), Pålitlig AI (Kulturfonden) and DiscoRetail 2) LLM usage in higher education: Leading a Arcada Trustworthy AI education project/Pålitlig AI (ending 122026) (Kulturfonden, Z-Inspection). Christa is a design thinking educator and trained in UX (UX Design Institute). She is also the Degree program director for the Master program in Business Management and Transformation at Arcada.

Dennis Biström
IT-Lecturer | Arcada University of Applied Sciences | >>

Dennis Biström
IT-Lecturer | Arcada University of Applied Sciences | >>
Dennis Biström is an IT-Lecturer at Arcada UAS where he teaches full stack web programming and data managing, visualization and engineering. He has a master’s degree in embedded electronics and is working on a PhD at Åbo Akademi. He is currently researching human robot interaction in his role as the lead robot whisperer of Arcada AI and Human Interaction Hub.
Previously he worked on cyclic economies and plastic recycling as well as with digital twins, social agents and VR. He’s a tinkerer and maker with an interest in digital manufacturing including CAD and 3D printing. He’s also worked on design and manufacturing of embedded electronics for measuring heat loss as well as silicone robot grippers.

Antti Sipilä
Project Manager, Green ICT

Antti Sipilä
Project Manager, Green ICT
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Also supporting the event

Datafest 2027 is organised as part of the DATASTEP – Growth from the Data Economy in Uusimaa project, which aims to strengthen SMEs’ data economy skills and support the use of data to promote growth and internationalisation.
The project offers companies:
- practical training in data-driven business
- tools and methods for making use of data
- access to national and European test platforms and data environments.



