Jyvaskyla Protomo: creating new jobs

Jyvaskyla Protomo is a concrete way of improving business operations and creating new jobs, despite the economic recession. The new operating model has been prepared nationally and, locally in four different towns in Finland. The operations of Jyvaskyla Protomo are coordinated by Jyvaskyla Innovation Oy, which is a subsidiary of Jykes Oy, a company specialised in developing the Jyvaskyla region. Jyvaskyla Protomo is an environment based on interaction, where professionals with a university-level degree, graduating or recently-graduated young people, and companies can process ideas into business operations. The aim is to create products and business ideas that

new or existing companies can commercialise, while creating jobs for the developers. "Protomo organises networking events for those considering entrepreneurship. At these events different ideas and networking possibilities compiled together are presented for development, through which those interested can recognise their competence areas and find encouragement for further improvement. People can also present their own ideas at the events, convince others and, in the best possible scenario, identify supplementing ideas, partners, competence areas and networks for reducing the risk of becoming an entrepreneur,"says Kari Halttunen, who is responsible for the Jyvaskyla Protomo project.

The Human Technology website is a versatile promotion channel for Central Finland, serving e.g. international companies, investors, students, potential new inhabitants and tourists.

User friendliness and humane attitudes drive the operations forward, reflecting the values prevailing in the region. Central Finland is a competence centre for human-oriented technology. It combines high technology with the human perspective. Human Technology is, for example, about user-friendly IT, technology developed for the needs of the elderly, making communication between school and parents easier or measuring and promoting people's physical well-being. Human Technology is also a larger, more universal concept. It embraces the notion of a safe, human-scale living environment with excellent services in all walks of life.