Plug and Play to Operate Tampere Innovation Hub and Global Startup Accelerator

Business Tampere will establish a new innovation hub in Tampere to support company internationalisation, growth and innovation. Plug and Play was chosen as the operator following a public procurement process, and the hub’s Global Startup Accelerator will be introduced on 16 June.

The hub is designed to bring together the region’s anchor companies, local firms and startups, research organisations, investors and international talent in a shared environment for co-creation. It is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The aim is to accelerate pilots, test technologies and open routes to international markets without each actor having to build those networks independently.

The procurement and funding bring "an internationally recognised operator to Tampere" and a permanent operating model intended to strengthen the local innovation ecosystem, Irene Vekkeli, director of economic development and innovation at the City of Tampere, said. She added that Plug and Play was chosen because "its model rapidly turns companies’ challenges into pilots and business."

Tampere’s industrial heritage and technological expertise make the region a natural fit for Plug and Play’s global network, Christian Johansson, managing partner for the Nordics at Plug and Play Europe, said. He described the goal as building "a bridge between local startups and international markets" and ensuring regional talent can access resources for global growth.

The hub will become a long-term growth platform for the region, operating alongside existing structures rather than replacing them and providing shared resources and direct links to international partners. The hub’s activities and global accelerator programme will be presented at the Global Startup Accelerator Launch on 16 June from 15:30 to 19:00 at Åkerlundinkatu 8 in Tampere.