Demola
Demola is an international innovation challenge platform, which brings together university students and local, European, and international companies to work together on co-creation of different projects, service concepts and demos. The aim of the initiative is solving real social challenges in an impactful way, by ensuring every project leads to a concrete result (whether it is a new concept, demo or prototype). The initiative was launched in Tampere, Finland, in 2008 as a response to a call for a more practical, multidisciplinary and co-creation type of overall ecosystem by industry leaders and decision-makers, with part of the initial development enabled by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Demola attracts major actors and stakeholders from industry and academia, such as Nokia and many local and regional universities.
Demola's co-creation concept was developed based on research and analysis of leading innovation centres, with the goal of delivering concrete results in a more customer-focused, agile, cost efficient and effective way. The projects, developed via the platform apply this methodology as well to maximise the impact of using innovative methods and collaboration between talented students, companies, business executives and universities. Project topics vary - from areas dealing with the implication of different emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, or the Internet of Things (IoT) on industrial sectors, to innovation challenges related to sustainability, society, culture or future markets.
Since its inception in 2008, the innovation platform has grown, with innovation challenges currently involving more than 50 universities, 750,000 students, and some of the world's leading companies, businesses, and institutions. The Demola trademark and innovation platform is owned by Demola Global, active in 18 countries: Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Portugal, Mexico, Namibia, South Africa, Slovenia, Japan, China, Nepal and Tunisia.
