Ouluverse – Oulu Innovation Alliance Metaverse Program

The Metaverse is a combination of the virtual and real worlds (for example, digital twins) and is considered the next stage in the evolution of the internet. There are many different examples of how the Metaverse can be utilized. Digital twins can be used in education to improve teaching quality and enable learning from mistakes. They can be applied, for example, in industrial processes or nursing education. Virtual reality glasses can help identify an individual’s functional challenges and support needs.

Robotics will be integrated into cleaning, security, and more. There are numerous application areas, and their number is constantly growing.

Business related to the Metaverse is expected to grow explosively over the next ten years. According to Business Finland, by 2035 Finland’s share of the additional global revenue generated by the Metaverse will be €30 billion. The Oulu region’s ICT cluster currently includes about 300 companies, many of which have expertise in Metaverse-related areas.

This project will create PPPP models (Public-Private-People Partnership) to implement the national Metaverse strategy in the Oulu region, ensuring strong involvement from the city, companies, communities, and citizens. The conditions for co-development are strong because Oulu stakeholders have been very actively involved in drafting the national Metaverse strategy and the MIA (Metaverse in Action) programs implementing the strategy, which are themed:

1. Society
2. Health
3. Industry
4. Technology
5. Networks

Through these models, Oulu will strengthen its technological expertise in Metaverse technologies, positioning itself as a strong developer of various products and services. The goal of this project is to put into practice the results of previous Metaverse strategy work in the Oulu region and the outcomes of the Oulu Innovation Alliance’s project preparation based on its interim evaluation.

Project objectives

1. Prepare and implement the Oulu Metaverse development plan based on the regional Metaverse strategy and flagship project results (WS1)
2. Create collaboration models and structures related to the theme (WP1)
3. Build a functional Metaverse ecosystem in the Oulu region (WP2)
4. Conduct Metaverse standardization work and share it with the regional ecosystem (WP3)
5. Disseminate project results and carry out impact communication related to the theme (WP4)

The project is co-funded by the EU.

Participants

• City of Oulu / BusinessOulu (main coordinator)
• Oulu University of Applied Sciences
• University of Oulu

Contact information

Ari Saine
Liaison manager, Smartcity
+358 44 497 3117
ari.saine@businessoulu.com