At Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland, Living Labs are more than just a method—they’re a mindset embedded into the very fabric of education, research, and innovation. As one of the pioneering members of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL), Laurea’s journey with the Living Lab approach is deeply rooted in the Finnish culture of openness, collaboration, and trust.
The story of Laurea Living Labs is inseparable from the broader history of the Living Lab movement in Europe. It was during Finland’s EU presidency in the mid-2000s that the European Network of Living Labs was established, propelled by national efforts to promote new, inclusive ways of innovating. Although Laurea wasn’t part of the first wave of ENoLL members, the university joined shortly thereafter, catalysed by a growing recognition that its way of working naturally aligned with the Living Lab methodology.
“Collaborative approaches have long been part of how we work in Finland,” says Teemu Santonen, Principal Lecturer at Laurea. “There’s a deep societal commitment to participation and co-creation here as we are one of the most democratic, inclusive and open countries in the world. From citizen engagement in urban planning to the strong role of NGOs in shaping everyday life, it’s in our DNA.”
The success of Living Labs in Finland is intimately connected to the country’s societal values:
As Santonen puts it, “We take many things as granted… It’s natural for us; we don’t think about it anymore.”
What truly distinguishes Laurea is its pedagogical model: learning by developing. This approach ensures that students engage in real-life projects from the very start of their studies, working alongside businesses, public institutions, and communities.
“We don’t simulate reality in a classroom. We immerse our students in it,” explains Santonen. “They learn through doing, by solving real problems with real people. That’s what makes Laurea and our Living Labs so dynamic.”
This model has given rise to a diverse ecosystem of Living Labs within the university, spanning sectors like health and social care, sustainability, language integration, and even security management.
Whether it’s a Finnish language Living Lab supporting immigrant workforce integration, or a student-run restaurant tackling food waste, each lab embodies the ethos of iterative, user-driven innovation.
A standout example of Laurea’s educational innovation is BarLaurea, a campus restaurant that serves both as a practical training ground and a Living Lab.
Students studying hospitality management run the restaurant, manage menus, and implement sustainability measures such as reducing food waste and sourcing locally. It’s not just a place to eat—it’s a co-creation space where students and researchers test behavioural nudges, communication strategies, and circular food practices.
BarLaurea is also involved in EU-funded research, including an upcoming Horizon project that explores how marketing messaging can influence diners’ waste behaviours.
Among Laurea’s most notable contributions is its work on the ProVaHealth and VITALISE projects. ProVaHealth, focused on helping SMEs access Living Lab infrastructure across the Baltic Sea region, laid the foundation for VITALISE, which expanded the model to a pan-European scale in the health and well-being domain.
“The success of VITALISE, now recognised as a Horizon Europe best practice, was possible because of the groundwork we did with ProVaHealth,” notes Santonen. “We developed business models, mapped services, and piloted cross-border collaborations. VITALISE built on that to refine the Living Lab service offering for the research community.”
As a direct outcome of these projects, the Harmonization Working Group within ENoLL was established—bringing together Living Lab practitioners to consolidate learnings, align methodologies, and extend the harmonization efforts beyond health into other domains such as agriculture, energy, and the circular economy. Laurea plays an active leadership role in this group, continuing to drive the evolution of Living Lab practices across Europe.
These projects didn’t just strengthen Laurea’s Living Labs—they helped shape how Living Labs are understood and practised across the globe.
While frameworks and methodologies matter, Santonen emphasises that relationships are at the heart of successful Living Labs. Passionate individuals, whether public servants or NGO workers, often determine a project’s success more than organisational charts do.
But collaboration also comes with challenges. “Sometimes we’re advisors without decision-making power,” he explains. “We can suggest changes, but if the stakeholders don’t adopt them, the process stalls.” This underscores the need for long-term commitment, mutual trust, and clearly defined roles within projects.
Living Labs are open innovation ecosystems where users, researchers, businesses, and public authorities co-create and test solutions covering all innovation process phases and especially real-life settings. Yet, as Santonen reflects, defining Living Labs can be elusive.
“Living Labs are not just about engaging users; they’re about creating genuine learning experiences and solving real-world problems through collaboration.”
He offers a compelling analogy: Living Labs should be like McDonald’s. “Wherever you go, you know what to expect—the core services are recognisable, but there’s always a local twist.” For Santonen, this is the future of harmonization: a shared set of tools and standards that allow local adaptation without losing coherence.
Of course, establishing and maintaining a Living Lab is not without its difficulties. Santonen notes that Living Labs require a long-term vision, dedicated teams, and sustained resources. They must also strike a balance between methodological rigour and practical flexibility.
From engaging stakeholders at all levels, to aligning with the specific demands of sectors like agriculture or security, the challenges are significant—but so are the opportunities.
“You need to understand both the Living Lab methodology and the domain you’re working in,” says Santonen. “It takes time to build trust, networks, and impact. But once you do, the potential is enormous.”
Being part of ENoLL has significantly bolstered Laurea’s capacity to innovate and lead. It has enabled the university to forge international partnerships, contribute to groundbreaking projects, and remain at the forefront of the Living Lab movement.
As Santonen highlights: “Being part of ENoLL has allowed us to share best practices, connect with international partners, and position ourselves at the forefront of applied innovation.”
From its grassroots engagement to its leadership in European innovation, Laurea continues to push the boundaries of what Living Labs can achieve. New initiatives in fields like security management, cultural creativity, and municipal innovation are already in motion.
“Living Labs are now part of our DNA,” Santonen concludes. “We don’t think about them anymore—they’re just how we work.”
By blending Finland’s collaborative ethos with rigorous pedagogy and forward-looking projects, Laurea is not just teaching innovation—it’s living it.
The interview has been taken by Andrada Barață, Head of Communications at ENoLL with Teemu Santonen, Principal Lecturer at Laurea.
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