Author : Esther T. Hedman

Launching a new yacht is a cause for celebration on Finland’s west coast. A brass band plays, local business leaders gather, and even the mayor may attend. But above all, the spotlight is on the...

When your client is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world’s greatest footballers, there’s no room for error. But Finnish chef and restaurateur Arto Rastas is not easily shaken. He has cooked for royalty, presidents and...

Samu Hällfors and Vesa-Matti Marjamäki were annoyed at their boss. He had a habit of making loud phone calls in their company’s open plan office, disturbing everyone as they worked. “Vesa-Matti complained about the noise...

It’s not easy being the CEO of a Finnish swimwear brand. Both Salla Maisonlahti, cofounder of Halla Halla, and Laura Saarinen, founder of Lilja the Label, have the same question topping their FAQ lists: Aren’t...

Flowers and fashion both bloom in Finland when the snow melts and the days get longer and warmer, giving people a great reason to dress up and celebrate. Dressing up, the Finnish way 1. Blazer,...

People in Finland build community is built through shared activities like talkoot – neighbours helping out together, for instance spring cleaning gardens and courtyards after the snow has melted – and hobbies that act as...

In a study conducted at the University of Helsinki, AI was trained to classify bird sounds with increasing accuracy. The results of the study have been used, among others, in the Muuttolintujen kevät (Spring of...

Helsinki has earmarked nearly 700 million euros for infrastructure projects in 2026 alone and will invest several billion euros over the next ten years. The plans include major street renovations in the city centre, expanded...

The heavy door opens, and a rush of cool air greets us.  “This is my favourite place in our offices during summer,” says Mika Hovilainen with a grin. He is CEO of Aker Arctic, an icebreaker design company.  Small red boats are...

If you have ever walked barefoot along a beach at night, you will have noticed that the sand stays warm even after the sun goes down. A Finnish company is using the thermal properties of...