[Date of Affiliation] November 3, 2005

Reason for Affiliation

The City of Oulu, Oulu Innovation, Ltd., Sendai City and the Sendai City Industrial Promotion Organization signed a four-party agreement for industry promotion focused on high-tech industries. The agreement was a new collaborative endeavor to promote local industries in both cities through various methods, such as exchanging information about industrial cluster policies.

Overview

Oulu is located 600 km north of Helsinki, Finland’s capital. Originally a town known for tar and salmon, Oulu has developed into the largest city in northern Finland and is now known as a major technopolis in Europe. Information and communication technology industries such as Nokia, and biotechnology industries thrive in Oulu today, through strong cooperation from Oulu University, various industries, academia, and the government. The current population is approximately 130,000.

Industrial Cluster in the Oulu Region

The following Science Parks were created in the main areas of northern Finland:

• 1) Technopolis, where IT related companies are accumulated.
• 2) Micropolis, targeting semiconductor related companies.
• 3) Medipolis for medical/welfare related companies in cooperation with the Faculty of Medicine at Oulu University and the University Hospital.

The population of northern Finland, which is closer to the Arctic Circle, continues to decline. On the other hand, the population of Oulu City is growing due to industrial promotion.

Japanese
Photos
Official Website of the City of Oulu(External link)
Industrial Promotion in Oulu, Finland(Japanese)