The Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) of the National Land Survey of Finland (NLS) coordinates the Location Innovation Hub, a centre of excellence for location data, which started operating at the beginning of this year. It provides coaching for companies and public organisations to use location data more efficiently.
"80 per cent of all data contains location data. We can improve the efficiency of many functions and help solve various societal problems by using location data more efficiently. However, competence and good examples are needed first. Not many companies may have noticed that location data also plays a major role in their operations," says Project Manager Antti Jakobsson.
Agriculture and forestry gain significant benefits from the opportunities precise positioning can offer. In the forest sector, precise positioning can be used in such areas as forest inventories, harvesting and forest machine monitoring, to name a few. In agriculture, farming plans, production chain monitoring and even pest control can be intensified and developed using precise positioning.
"Only a few years ago, technologies such as these were expensive and difficult to use, but now the opportunities offered by precise positioning are available to almost everyone. We can help companies seize these opportunities," Jakobsson says.
The forestry network has attracted interest
Various thematic networks have been established as part of the Location Innovation Hub to highlight the opportunities offered by location data and host various events and courses. In addition, the networks investigate funding options.
The Location Innovation Hub’s forestry network is currently starting its operations. It will hold webinars to convey information about research results related to location data and about new applications.
"The webinar series has attracted significant interest, and the large number of represented organisations has been a particular surprise. There are representatives from almost 30 different organisations," says Jukka Malinen, Research Director at the wood procurement development company Metsäteho. Metsäteho coordinates the activities of the Location Innovation Hub’s forestry network.
Companies served by almost 40 partners
At the Location Innovation Hub, a large network provides services for companies, including large leading technology and location data companies, data providers in the public sector, and the most significant research organisations and higher education institutions in the sector. Business Finland acts as the Location Innovation Hub’s funding partner.
"From the European perspective, we are a unique and strong centre of excellence in location data technologies, the data economy, and location data cybersecurity," Jakobsson says.
The Location Innovation Hub started operating at the beginning of this year. The first customers have already sought its services, and the goal is to help at least 200 companies during the first three years of operations. In addition to companies, the Location Innovation Hub provides services for public organisations. It currently operates in the Helsinki region, Turku and Oulu.
Further information
Antti Jakobsson, Project Manager, +358 50 599 4123, firstname.lastname@nls.fi
Location Innovation Hub in brief
- A centre of excellence specialising in location data, which provides free coaching for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and public organisations. Customers receive support for business development, the use of future technologies, and the procurement of funding.
- The Location Innovation Hub’s expertise focuses especially on the use of location data and technologies in the built environment sector, agriculture and forestry, traffic and transport, and the healthcare and welfare sector.
- The Location Innovation Hub is part of the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) network. It is funded by the European Union and Business Finland. Four innovation hubs operate in Finland.
- Operations are coordinated by the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) of the National Land Survey of Finland (NLS), and members include almost 40 partners and other organisations.