Rewarding co-operation in multidisciplinary Demola teams

Demola is one of the leading global innovation ecosystems in the world. Demola facilitates hundreds of co-creation projects all over the globe. Last autumn Demola expanded its operations to Helsinki and during the spring of 2017 the first Arcada students participated in innovation projects lead by Demola.

Arcada’s Entrepreneurship coach Mervi Hernberg was the driving force behind the UAS’s collaboration with Demola.

”Demola is the largest and fastest growing global innovation platform today, consisting of over 900 companies and organisations and over 50 universities and universities of applied sciences. We are thrilled that we at Arcada got the opportunity to join the network as soon as Demola, with its roots in Tampere, established themselves in Helsinki,” Hernberg says.

Innovation and co-creation are two of Demola’s cornerstones, and innovations are born when different ideas, competences and perspectives meet and combine. Demola works towards open innovation and promotes innovation-based competences both on an individual and organizational level. Demola is founded on co-operation, creativity, openness and diversity.

”The requirements on the students is engagement and openness to a new way of co-operating in an international network, which brings together people and organizations from different fields.”

During this spring Arcada’s students worked together with students from the University of Helsinki and Metropolia, with e.g. the Ministry of Education and Culture, Nokia and FINEEC as clients.

”The students describe the Demola process as a rewarding and inspiring learning project. The appreciate the opportunity to work with real cases and the clients’ professional support, commitment and know-how.”

In addition to a project’s kick-off a wide range of joint events are arranged during the three-month innovation process – events that strengthens e.g. teamwork, creativity and presentation techniques. In the end all projects are presented and a jury selects the best presentation and the best innovation.

This spring’s project descriptions can be found at Demola Helsinki External link.

Are you interested in participating?

The next Demola innovation process in Helsinki begins during the autumn of 2017. Do you and your company/organization want to try out working together with a university/UAS? You have the opportunity to co-create new innovations and solutions with students and experts from the academic world. Please get in contact with our Entrepreneurship coach Mervi Hernberg to find out more.