NEWS

On 23-24 September, representatives from the WeGenerate project visited Tampere, Finland, for a Fellow Cities Study Visit and Digital Twins Training, gaining first-hand insights into one of Europe’s leading smart city ecosystems.

 

Hosted by the City of Tampere and co-organised by the WeGenerate Fellow Cities Exchange Programme, the two-day event brought together city representatives from Cartagena, Kadıköy, Zagreb, Szombathely, and Liepaja, alongside project partners and digital innovation experts.

 

The study visit focused on learning about Tampere’s Citiverse initiative and how a suite of data-driven applications and tools, including Digital Twins, are being used to  support local businesses, sustainable urban development and citizen engagement. Participants learned how Tampere’s award-winning people-centred Digital Twin for the Central Train Station District was developed and how similar tools can be adapted in other European cities.

 

Discussions featured Finnish experts including Salla Eckhardt (SEEBright), Juri Pelkonen and the team from SARA Oy, and Jenna-Riia Oldenburg (Sitowise), who shared insights on creating secure, efficient, and community-driven digital ecosystems.

 

As one of Europe’s digital frontrunners, Tampere offered valuable lessons on the importance of a clear digital framework, purpose-built integrations, and maintaining a balance between digital and analogue engagement methods to maintain trust between the city and its residents and Tampere grows. 

 

The visit marked an important milestone for WeGenerate Fellow Cities, strengthening their digital capacities and supporting their next steps toward more connected, sustainable, and people-focused urban transformation.