Finnish city Tampere has set itself the goal of becoming a leading, human-centric metaverse. The city is collaborating with a number of companies including VTT, Microsoft and Nokia. It has also announced that it is promoting itself as a platform for smart city technology testing and development.

According to the city, it is in the process of creating a merger of digital and physical worlds designed to enhance the lives of citizens.

The city showcased its achievements recently at the Tampere Smart City Expo & Conference.

Tampere is the largest non-coastal city in Scandinavia, with a population of around 340,000. It is also the second largest city in Finland, after capital Helsinki. The city is the largest industrial base in Finland, and has become a centre for IT and biotechnology. However, as a former industrial powerhouse, the city has suffered from a shift away from manufacturing and from high unemployment.

The city wants companies to test their smart city solutions in Tampere. It seeks to be a smart city major testing platform and offers itself as “an open partner for businesses and research.”

“Through intelligent solutions, our goal is to enhance the well-being of citizens, provide a positive urban experience, and create favorable conditions for people’s everyday lives,” said Teppo Rantanen, the Executive Director of Growth, Innovation and Competitiveness at the City of Tampere. “Tampere’s metaverse-vision is driven by the belief that collaboration between cities, businesses, and ecosystem partners is essential to unlock the full potential of the metaverse. By embracing this collaborative approach, Tampere aims to inspire and invite other cities and organisations to join forces in shaping the future of urban, human-centric living.”