Green Skills Week 21-24 September, 2026

Welcome to join a week full of seminars, case examples and workshops in Finnish, Swedish and English!

During the week we will dive in to four themes: Green Transition, Circular Economy, Voices of the Future, and Green Technology. The event week is designed for students and teachers in the Vaasa region.

Learn from experts and innovators driving sustainability and digital transformation
Discover new ways of thinking and explore the future of entrepreneurship
Network with local companies and like-minded students
Participate in an the Vaasa Future City Ideathon, where digital ideas are turned into real life green solutions.

Note that the timetable of each day is preliminary and there might still be changes.

Monday 21st September at 12:00–15:30 at Vaasa City Council Chamber (Vaasanpuistikko 10)
Green Transition: innovative strategies and practical solutions for achieving a sustainable green transition across industries and communities.

12.00 Opening of Green Skills Week 2026, Eva Bligt-Lindén, Vaasa Green Leaf
12.15 Green Transition in the Construction Business, Marcus Jansson, Kronqvist
12.45 Turning Sustainability into Action, Sanna Mari Kaakinen & Johanna Keturi, ABB
13.15 COFFEE BREAK
13.45 Finding a Job and Planning a Career – Recruiters’ Tips, Jonathan Rasmus / Viivi Vehkaoja, MPS
14.30 Game Show panel, Vaasa Green Leaf
15.25 Wrapping up
15.30 End of seminar

Tuesday 22nd September at 8:45–12:00 at Yrkesakademin i Österbotten (Auditorium, Kuninkaankartanontie 30 A)
Circular Economy: How to rethink the existing way of designing, producing and consuming goods

8.50 Opening of the day, Sanna Hautamaa, Westenergy
9.00 Circular Economy: Systemchange, not trashcan optimization, Emma Karlsson, Stormossen
9.30 Återbruksgallerian Minimossen, Nina Hägen, Minimossen
9.50 Startia’s Services, Tommi Virkama, Startia
10.15 COFFEE BREAK
10.30 Fix It, Rent It, Resell It — and Invoice for It, Nena Lillemägi, ukko.fi
10.50 Circular Business Model in Practice, Andreas Åsvik, Fire Fries
11.10 Nio Liv and the need of change in fashion industry, Hanna Enlund & Ulrika Fougstedt, Nio Liv
11.30 Rätt från början, Tomas Knuts, SÖFUK
12.00 End of seminar

Wednesday 23rd September at 8.45-12.00 and & at 9.00-15.00 at Vamia (Sampo Campus, Auditorium, L Buidling L105, Sepänkyläntie 16 & ATM hall, Dammbrunnsbrinken 1) 
Voices of the Future: entrepreneurship and innovative thinking, empowering the next generation of professionals to shape a more sustainable and forward-looking world (8.45-12, Auditorium)

8.50 Opening of the day, Ronja Löfholm, VASEK
9.00 Competences of the Future, Emma Westerlund, Novia
9.45 COFFEE BREAK
10.00 WORKSHOP: Green Education Path, Josefin Stolpe, VASEK
11.00 Våga Vara Företagsam, Axel Thors & Robin Elenius, Nova Nightz
11.30 Uuden idean toteuttaminen, Pekka Purtanen, PackNBale
11.55 Wrap Up
12.00 End of Seminar

Future Mobility: Explore sustainable vehicles, modern automotive maintenance, VR-training, and innovative business models.
(9.00-15.00, ATM hall)

What will the workplace of tomorrow look like? What kinds of vehicles, machinery and technologies will we be using in the future?

Voices of the Future & Future Mobility brings together companies, experts, students and educators to showcase the latest solutions of the green transition in practice. During the event, you can explore electric vehicles and machinery, discover learning environments of the future, and hear from leading experts about how technological change is transforming future skills and competence needs.

Explore the latest automotive technology: The auto hall will feature a wide range of the latest vehicle technology and electric mobility solutions

Thursday 24th September at 9.30-14.30 at Alere (Auditorium Florence, Wolffintie 31) and Technobothnia (Puuvillakuja 3)
Green Technology: Ideathon results presentations, vote for your own favourite!
Different practical workshops at Technobothnia.

9.30 Opening of the day, Josefin Stolpe, VASEK
9.45 Ideathon Presentations, @ Auditorium Florence
11.00 LUNCH BREAK
12.00 Workshops, @ Technobothnia
13.15 COFFEE BREAK
13.30 Ideathon Price Award, @ Auditorium Florence
14.30 End of Seminar

Vaasa Future City – Green Skills Ideathon

by Vaasa IoT & Vaasa Climate Commitment

How can we best utilize Vaasa’s IoT platform, with digital sensors around the whole city, to make Vaasa greener and better? Brainstorm and come up with ideas on how digital tools could be used to make real life solutions that impact your environment!

Teams will be formed from students across different institutes – all you need to do is register.

No previous experience nor specialized skill set needed, creativity, teamwork and fresh ideas matter most!

Kickoff at Monday sept 21st at 9:00-11:00: break the ice, find your group and get your assignment
Location: Vaasa Startup Factory, at Fabriikki/Vaasan yliopisto, Yliopistonranta 10, 2nd floor
The student teams can use the spaces at Vaasa Startup Factory, to work on their ideas, Monday – Wednesday between 8:00-16:00.
Workshop on how to successfully pitch your ideas, Tuesday afternoon at Vaasa Startup Factory.
All participants get a Vaasa Goodie Bag.
Idea Pitches and Award Ceremony on Thursday September 24th at Alere (Wolffintie 31), Auditorium Florence. All team members in the winning team will receive a Vaasa Weekend Package - gift bundle each (worth approx. 150€)! There will also be a price for the group voted as the audience’s favorite!

The Green Skills Week Ideathon is a co-operation between Green Skills Vaasa, Vaasa IoT -hanke, Vaasa Climate Commitment, and Green Leaf City Vaasa.