Research and development
Laurea Living Labs
From customer needs to impactful innovation – together with users.
What does Living Lab mean?
A Living Lab is a user-centred innovation platform where customer needs and ideas are transformed into tested, market-driven solutions together with users. We provide holistic and agile support for all phases of the innovation process through iterative RDI activities.
Our services include:
- Mapping of user needs and early-stage studies, which help identify real user- and market-driven development needs
- Co-development of concepts and prototypes with users, so that solutions are usable, impactful and meet real needs
- Testing of Proof of Concept (PoC) solutions and prototypes in controlled and simulated environments, to assess technical functionality and usability before moving to real operational environments.
- Piloting in real and realistic operational environments, ensuring solutions’ functionality, impact and scalability before large-scale deployment
- Facilitation of a multi-actor innovation ecosystem, where we combine the expertise and perspectives of different actors
- Support for considering ethical, regulatory and sustainable development perspectives, so that innovations are responsible and sustainable for the future
- Support in preparing grant applications, including funding calls from Business Finland, Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY centres) and Horizon programmes, as well as opportunities to participate in domestic and international project consortia
What do you gain from Living Lab collaboration?
Laurea Living Labs helps you move innovations forward faster and more reliably. You receive early and reliable evidence of solution functionality, user needs and market fit, which reduces risks and supports decision-making. Thanks to continuous user feedback and testing in real environments, development accelerates and results in responsible, impactful and deployment-ready solutions.
Contact us
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Teemu Santonen
Principal Lecturer
teemu.santonen@laurea.fi
+358 9 886 874 87
Publications and guides
Publications by Laurea authors
Juujärvi, S. & Pesso, K. (2013). Actor Roles in an Urban Living Lab: What Can We Learn from Suurpelto, Finland?. Technology Innovation Management Review, 3(11), 22-27.
Kantola, T. & Hirvikoski, T. (2012). Living Lab monitasoisena oppimisympäristönä [Living Lab as a multilevel learning environment]. In K. Mäki & H. Kotila (eds.) Ammattikorkeakoulupedagogiikka 2, 35–52. Helsinki: Edita,
Lassila, S. & Rantanen, T (eds.) (2012). Käyttäjälähtöisyyttä oppimassa. SYMBIO Living Lab –hankkeen kokemuksia käyttäjälähtöisestä tapahtumatuotannosta [Learning user-centredness. Experiences from the SYMBIO Living Lab project] Haaga-Helia publication series. Development reports 1/2012. Helsinki, Finland. Käyttäjälähtöisyyttä oppimassa (pdf)
Lehto, P. & Leskelä, J. (2011). (eds.) Interaktiivinen HyvinvointiTV® ja käyttäjälähtöiset ePalvelut. Turvallinen Koti -hankkeen loppuraportti. Laurea University of Applied Sciences publication series B44. Vantaa: Laurea University of Applied Sciences. Ronkainen, K. & Silvennoinen, P. (eds.) (2015). Toimiva sairaala Living Lab. [Smart Hospital Living Lab] Laurea Publications 47. Vantaa, Finland. Toimiva sairaala -publication on Theseus.
Living Lab guides
Living Lab in a university of applied sciences
Handbook for municipality-based Living Lab activities for small municipalities – Building the living countryside of the future
News
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Lue lisää: “Your network is your net worth” – empowering international talent at collaborative alumni event“Your network is your net worth” – empowering international talent at collaborative alumni event
International alumni event Build Your Network, Build Your Career – From Breaking In to Moving Up at Helsinki City Hall brought together international alumni…
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Lue lisää: Internationally recognised Living Lab Handbook helps create business and innovation opportunities in rural areasInternationally recognised Living Lab Handbook helps create business and innovation opportunities in rural areas
The Living Lab Handbook for Small Municipalities sets out the principles of Living Labs and co-creation and offers tools and examples on developing municipalities.
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Lue lisää: Application period starts today – Get to know Laurea’s degree programmesApplication period starts today – Get to know Laurea’s degree programmes
The application period for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at Laurea is 8–22 January 2025.
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Lue lisää: Joint development days of the China Network at LaureaJoint development days of the China Network at Laurea
The Sino-Finnish Joint Development Days brought parties from China and Finland together, in order to jointly build cooperation projects between two countries. Over 20…
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Lue lisää: Laurea enhances its competence in Artificial Intelligence and Ethics ─ Z-Inspection® InitiativeLaurea enhances its competence in Artificial Intelligence and Ethics ─ Z-Inspection® Initiative
Laurea UAS will now utilise the Z-Inspection® process to evaluate the trustworthiness of real-world AI systems and applications.
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Lue lisää: Laurea’s Lohja campus opens a Living Lab for language learning and integrationLaurea’s Lohja campus opens a Living Lab for language learning and integration
A new Language Learning and Integration Living Lab (i4L) will be opened at Laurea’s Lohja campus on March 22nd.
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Lue lisää: Master’s degree graduate Gabriel: “The master’s degree will open new doors for me”Master’s degree graduate Gabriel: “The master’s degree will open new doors for me”
Gabriel Riako graduated from the Master’s Degree Programme in Global Health and Crisis Management.
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Lue lisää: Service design training as a way to promote the employment of immigrant women with higher educationService design training as a way to promote the employment of immigrant women with higher education
The DiversCity project coordinated by Laurea focused on the challenges faced by immigrant women in becoming employed in Finland.
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Lue lisää: Quality Label for Excellence granted as a recognition for Laurea’s high-quality development workQuality Label for Excellence granted as a recognition for Laurea’s high-quality development work
Laurea has in its activities demonstrated an innovative pioneering attitude, a long-term development approach and a participatory operating culture.
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Lue lisää: Laurea students developed an app that makes life easier for people who have moved to FinlandLaurea students developed an app that makes life easier for people who have moved to Finland
An international group of students from Laurea created a mobile app called HelpMe! that brings together information for foreigners living in Finland.