IST 2006 Helsinki

Dear Madam/Sir, The Finnish Government Information Society Programme, in cooperation with the European Commission and the Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research (CKIR) of the Helsinki School of Economics, has the pleasure of inviting you to the Finnish Presidency conference:

Launching of the European Network of Living Labs: A Step towards a European Innovation System. Date: 20 November 2006. Venue: TKK Dipoli, Otakaari 24, Espoo, Finland. The conference focuses on boosting European competitiveness through innovation. It discusses the European innovation strategy and consequent dynamic structural, financial and institutional changes needed to improve Europe’s global competitiveness. With the launch of European Network of Living Labs, Finland’s EU Presidency lays a foundation for broad-based co-creative open innovation process in Europe.

The European Network of Living Labs is an undergoing structural and institutional change that promotes European global competitiveness through public-private-citizen partnership (PPCP) in research for innovation. Many EU member states already have several Living Labs and, in a few years time, the network will consist of 50-100 Living Labs.

Living Labs are open and user-centric real-life contexts for research and innovation. They improve and accelerate the transfer of R&D results into new products, services, markets and even industries. They also stimulate societal innovation by mobilising the collective creativity for innovation. The conference is a part of the official programme of Finland’s EU Presidency.

Among the distinguished speakers are:

• Mr Matti Vanhanen, Prime Minister of Finland (tbc)

1. Mr Esko Aho, Chairman of the Expert Group (Hampton Court Report)
2. Mr Hans-Ulrich Maerki, Chairman of the Board, IBM EMEA
3. Mr Ulf Dahlsten, Director, Information Society and Media DG, European Commission

The conference programme contains also presentations of concrete Living Labs cases from various European countries. Attendance is by invitation only . There is no conference fee, but participants will have to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. As the number of participants is limited, early registration is necessary via an on-line registration form:

http://www.tietoyhteiskuntaohjelma.fi/lomakkeet/en_GB/1160131538149/. We kindly ask you to register as soon as possible. You will find the conference programme on www.infosoc.fi (events). You are warmly welcome to attend this interactive conference.

Yours sincerely,

Matti Vanhanen
Prime Minister of Finland

Katrina Harjuhahto-Madetoja
Programme Director, Information Society Programme
Prime Minister’s Office