The cities of Tampere and Austin have formalized a five-year Memorandum of Understanding aimed at fostering economic links in areas of mutual interest that benefit both communities. The cooperation will focus on semiconductors and optoelectronics, startups and scaleups, resilience, defense and dual-use technologies, advanced manufacturing and physical AI, innovation ecosystems, and the experience economy.
The agreement, signed by Mayor of Tampere Ilmari Nurminen and Mayor of Austin Kirk Watson at Austin City Hall, also encourages building business networks, advancing research and talent collaboration, and promoting joint projects.
– By bringing together the expertise of Tampere’s and Austin’s ecosystems, we can create new opportunities for businesses, talent and innovators while accelerating economic growth and investment. Our goal is a practical partnership with an impact that extends beyond both cities. I would like to thank Mayor Kirk Watson and the City of Austin for their trust and excellent cooperation, said Mayor of Tampere Ilmari Nurminen.
– Austin, long known as a technology, innovation and talent epicenter, is a city where ideas and partnerships come to thrive, said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. – I’m proud of today’s cooperation agreement with the city of Tampere, which leans into the collaborative spirit Austin is known for and lays a solid foundation for ongoing mutual growth that improves the lives of the people who call our cities home, and beyond.
In addition, the agreement encourages the cities’ organizations, companies, higher education institutions and other communities to cooperate directly. To evaluate the agreement’s success, the cities will set annual objectives for the partnership and monitor progress on joint measures.
From Tampere’s perspective, the partnership places particular emphasis on supporting companies’ international growth. The aim is to build practical links between the cities’ innovation and business ecosystems and make it easier for companies to enter new markets.
– We want to create concrete pathways for Tampere-based companies to enter the U.S. market. At the same time, we will raise awareness among companies in Austin and across Texas of the opportunities available in Tampere and Europe more broadly, said Irene Vekkeli, Director of Economic Development and Innovation at the City of Tampere.
– What has impressed me in Austin is the openness to new ideas and the readiness to move quickly from discussion to action. This way of working feels very familiar in Tampere and provides an excellent foundation for our cooperation, Vekkeli adds.
