Held on November 1st, the event brought together energy professionals united by a shared mission: positioning Finland as a global frontrunner in energy efficiency and carbon neutrality.
The event was facilitated by Domenico “Dom” Dargenio, Leadership & Culture Transformation Lead at Fortum and Senior Advisor at Aalto EE.
Dargenio’s opening words emphasized that true change requires collective action across all fronts:
“We’ve set the bar high for ourselves: empowering industries to work together towards a decarbonized future. This is an incredibly important mission.”
When people think of Finland, they think of clean nature and clean tech. We have the brand, what we need is more collaboration.
Nearly all companies are willing to invest in sustainability, shows a survey
After Dargenio’s welcome, Lisa Bounoure from the Energy Efficiency Movement shared inspiring results from a recent survey, showing that 93% of companies worldwide are willing to invest in sustainability.
Bounoure emphasized the substantial return on investment on the horizon for these companies, explaining that enhancing energy efficiency could save global industries an estimated $437 billion annually from 2030 onward.
Local Business Manager of ABB’s Motion business in Finland, Mika Männistö, encouraged energy professionals to unite and push forward shared goals.
“When people think of Finland, they think of clean nature and clean tech. We have the brand, what we need is more collaboration.”
“I’m also here because I am a father. When I was growing up, playing ice hockey outside was a favorite pastime. Now, I have to explain to my son why he and his friends can’t do the same.”
Männistö drew from both professional and personal motivation to inspire the audience:
“I am here today for two reasons. At ABB, we know that carbon neutrality is possible, and we believe it will happen,” he stated.
“I’m also here because I am a father. When I was growing up, playing ice hockey outside was a favorite pastime. Now, I have to explain to my son why he and his friends can’t do the same. It’s clear to me that we need to do something drastic, fast.”
Männistö emphasized that while we need to move forward rapidly, we need to make better decisions while implementing change and focus on systemic thinking:
“Many companies are tempted to jump straight to selecting the technology they feel is best for energy savings and skip building a roadmap. To me, this sounds like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without following the instructions – you’re bound to waste time and risk costly mistakes.”
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How to increase collaboration between all sectors?
After the opening remarks, the event shifted to an interactive workshop addressing what Dom called “the BIG question”: how might we increase collaboration between all sectors for a decarbonized Finland?
Discussions among industry professionals, startups, public sector representatives, and academics surfaced a wealth of insights. Attendees highlighted that while Finland has a collaborative culture, we need to build ecosystems where everyone prioritizes long-term impact to establish our position as a frontrunner.
Progress also demands stronger regulatory support to move ideas to action – and several participants highlighted the need to make partnerships between startups and larger corporations more seamless. Ideas like a curated matchmaking organization or dedicated events were suggested as ways to foster relationships across sectors.
A particularly thought-provoking discussion centered around systemic thinking. As one participant put it, “we need to stop thinking only in terms of business cases. This is a shared mission. We’re not playing the end game if we’re just solving one piece of the puzzle.”
“Startups are here to challenge us”
Aalto EE’s Account Director Laura Carnicelli noted that when it comes to green transition, we have a common goal and no time for foot-dragging.
“Not everyone needs to know everything, but everyone needs to contribute. That’s why there are so many different industries and sectors here today – we want everyone to think about how they can pitch in. We have a shared responsibility. Let’s seize it and act as bridge builders,” she said.
The event also included a rapid-fire session introducing startups and research-to-business teams. Each company had just two minutes to present their ideas, and they seized the opportunity with enthusiasm.
This is a shared mission. We’re not playing the end game if we’re just solving one piece of the puzzle.
The energy in the room was palpable as NeGenYasa, CuRen, Amertat Energy, Benerg, Ekotekt, WasteLocker, and Winse Power shared their innovations.
The presentations sparked genuine excitement.
As Mika Männistö from ABB remarked, “Startups are here to challenge us. They’re here to ask: ‘Why not? Why can’t you do this?’ This kind of questioning pushes us to evolve. We need that to keep moving forward."
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Finland can lead the change
As the event drew to an end, Dargenio posed one final question: what focus should Aalto EE’s next workshop take to empower a green future?
Attendees proposed a variety of topics, from learning from success stories to developing a green-tech accelerator. Some even suggested exploring ambitious concepts like turning carbon emissions into a currency to ensure it’s always considered in decision-making.
As participants headed to the networking lunch, a shared sense of purpose filled the room. There was a clear consensus that Finland is well-positioned to lead in energy efficiency, with a strong foundation and collective commitment to drive change.
The event closed with a motivating remark from Männistö: “Let’s lead the change and make things better.”
