The City of Jyväskylä and Demola bring together experts and companies for innovation projects – the application period for the first phase runs until February 15

The Future Expert Launchpad, which will be implemented during the spring, offers a concrete and internationally certified project work environment where participants work in multidisciplinary teams with companies on identified, topical working life challenges. The program combines service design, future work, and systemic thinking with practical work, emphasizing creativity, a culture of experimentation, and learning the skills that are currently needed in the labor market.

At the core of Demola's operating model is a clear, shared, and guided process that all teams go through. This makes the participants' skills recognizable and comparable: from a working life perspective, skills are not limited to a CV, but can be assessed through concrete project results and a verifiable operating environment.

— In Jyväskylä, we want to offer international experts, highly educated people, and graduating students the opportunity to showcase their skills and establish contacts with local companies. The program combines creativity, a culture of experimentation, and practical innovation work. The goal is for participants to gain experience and networks that will support their employment and settlement in the region, says Minna Laakso, Competence Coordinator for the City of Jyväskylä.

The Future Expert Launchpad program has also been successfully implemented at the national level in various Finnish cities, including Riihimäki and Tampere.

— The proven Future Expert Launchpad program is coming to Jyväskylä for the first time, and our expectations are high. In addition to teams of freelance experts, we want to involve local companies in our international innovation platform and make Jyväskylä a visible member of our partner network, comments Joonas Kemppainen, Chief Operating Officer at Demola.

Application period open for spring projects

The program is aimed specifically at highly educated international professionals, graduating students, and job seekers looking for a new direction in their careers. Applications for projects are accepted in two rounds in February and April. Demola projects last approximately two months, during which teams work independently and participate in joint events organized by Demola.

During the projects, participants receive support and coaching from Demola experts. Each team presents its final results to the business network at the end of the project. As the development work progresses, companies and startups in the region are invited to familiarize themselves with the teams' solutions, which can open up opportunities for participants in terms of recruitment (including the so-called hidden job market) and further development of ideas, for example, through entrepreneurship.

You can learn more about the projects in Jyväskylä and sign up at portal.demola.net.