The City of Oulu will participate in World Expo 2025 as a partner of Business Finland. As an exhibition partner, Oulu will be able to showcase the innovation and uniqueness of the region to invited guests (e.g. Japanese companies), held on 4 Jun 2025 (week 23) at the Nordic Pavilion.

BusinessOulu invites Finnish companies in Oulu region to join the Oulu Business Delegation on week #23 (2–6 Jun 2025) for opportunities of showcasing, networking, meetings, and seeking business and research cooperations through our organised and coordinated event at the Nordic Pavilion in Expo 2025 Osaka and side events outside the Expo area in Osaka and Tokyo, aiming at supporting your business development in the Japanese market and fostering recognition of Oulu in Japan by the joint forces of our delegation members.

The next World Expo will take place in Osaka, Japan, from April to October 2025, with the Nordic countries (Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland) building a joint pavilion, unlike previous World Expos. Finland’s participation in the pavilion is being coordinated by Business Finland, the Expo partners of which include major Finnish companies.

Japan is the world’s fourth largest economy and a very important trading partner for all the Nordic countries. The joint Nordic Pavilion will strengthen the image of the Nordic countries as reliable trading partners and showcase their expertise to some 1.7 million visitors.

Check through the details and then let us know about your interest to join our Oulu Business Delegation!

Details of Oulu Business Delegation

Date: 2nd to 6th June, 2025

Theme: Connectivity in any kinds of industrial sectors (but not strict)

Participation fee of Oulu Business Delegation: Free

  • Participating Finnish companies need to cover:
    • Accommodation, flights and all transportation costs
    • Your own marketing materials and delivery costs
    • Interpreter costs (if needed)
    • Your personal expenses

Tentative programme of Oulu Business Delegation

(Note)

  • Programme contents of each day will be tailored together based on the needs and requests of participating Finnish companies and our idea
  • The language of the all events is English and NO interpreter will be arranged by BusinessOulu
  • Possibility to co-organise side events with Tromsø in Norway and Umeå in Sweden

Details of Oulu Business Delegation

    • Until the 1st side event: Time for yourself (e.g. meetings with customers, market research in Tokyo, Kanto area)
    • At 15:00–18:00 (TBD): 1st side event in Tokyo (networking with invited Japanese stakeholders) at the Embassy of Finland or other space in Tokyo

    After the event, move to Osaka by Shinkansen (2.5 hours by bullet train) or flight (1 hour)

     

    • Until the 2nd side event: Explore Expo 2025 Osaka at your own pace
      • Expo admission ticket ID offered to max 2 people per Finnish company
    • At 17:00–20:00 (TBD): 2nd side event in Osaka city centre (Mingle night between Nordics and Japan, “Pitching x Culture x Fun” day) outside Expo area in cooperation with a local business support provider in Osaka
      • Main participants from Japan would be local startups, large corporations and venture capitals in Kansai region and Japanese companies in your company list

    • At 10:30–19:00 (TBD): Main event “Oulu Day” at the Nordic Pavilion in Expo 2025 Osaka (showcase and networking with Japanese stakeholders)
      • Expo admission ticket ID offered to max 2 people per Finnish company as well as invited guests (e.g. Japanese companies)
      • Basically, invited guests based on the company list that each Finnish company makes

    • At 9:00–17:00: Possible opportunity for individual B-to-B meetings with Japanese stakeholders at meeting table offered by BusinessOulu
      • Meeting tables set in a big space located in Osaka city centre and rented by BusinessOulu
      • Meetings are pre-arranged by yourself or BusinessOulu based on the company list that each Finnish company makes

     

    • Or individual meetings at your customer sites or market study in Osaka, Kansai area.

    • At 10:00–11:30: Company visit and meeting possibilities in Kyoto (option)
      • Visit a visitor centre of global Japanese semiconductor related company (one visit for 30 mins, max 15 people x 2 times)
      • At 16:00–19:00 (TBD): 3rd side event in city centre, Osaka (Meet-up & evening networking especially with invited local Japanese SMEs in Osaka, Kansai) outside Expo area in cooperation with a local business support provider

    For your info, Finnair operates a daily flight between Kansai international airport in Osaka and Helsinki during summertime in 2025.

For your info, Finnair operates a daily flight between Kansai international airport in Osaka and Helsinki during summertime in 2025.

Before the travel to Japan

we are planning the following with participating Finnish companies:

  • kick-off meeting to discuss programme contents in March 2025
  • orientation to go through the entire programme in Apr or May 2025
  • More meetings are possible between March and May 2025

We are calling 5 to 8 Finnish companies (max 2 people per company).

What Finnish companies are we calling to join Oulu Business Delegation?

  1. Company in any kind of industrial sector with innovative products or technologies preferably related to our theme of “Connectivity”
  2. Your registered office is located in North Ostrobothnia (it does not matter if it is the head or branch office)
  3. Your company is enthusiastic about business development into Japanese market
  4. Your product or technology is ready for Japanese market (simply having an idea is not suitable)
  5. Your company needs to basically participate in the all main and side events during week #23 (2–6 Jun 2025)

Specifically

Participation in the main event at the Nordic Pavilion on 4 Jun is required unless there are special obstacles such as illness.

For the side events

If you have some other priorities, such as important meetings with customers, you could skip some or part of the side events, but you should inform us beforehand.

What does BusinessOulu offer in terms of costs and practicalities?

  • Main & side event opportunities (incl. coordinating, planning and organising the events, all event-related costs)
  • Foods & beverages served at event locations during our events
  • Expo 2025 admission ticket ID (worth about 46 euro per ID) for both 3 and 4 Jun (max 2 people per company for each day, max 4 per company in total)
  • Meeting table on 5 June for possible opportunities of individual B-to-B meetings (Meeting tables set in a big space located in Osaka city centre and rented by BusinessOulu)
  • On-site support
  • General travel information about Japan (if needed)
  • Introduction of consultants and JP-ENG interpreters / interpreter companies (if needed)

What does BusinessOulu offer in terms of marketing benefits?

  • Visibility for your company in joint marketing materials created by BusinessOulu:
    • BusinessOulu’s Expo 2025 web page on oulu.com: introduction and logo
    • Brochure for the Expo 2025 Osaka Oulu Business Delegation: introduction and logo
    • Possibility for other materials
  • Your company mentioned in our channels within news covering Oulu’s participation
    • Relevant channels: businessoulu.com, oulu.com, BusinessOulu’s Linkedin, BusinessOulu’s newsletter.

Related links

Contact for Oulu Business Delegation

Takako Uchida

Senior Advisor, International Affairs, Japan

+358 50 375 7948

Petri Karinen

Head of International Affairs

+358 44 703 1360

Auli Kangas

Head of Communications and Marketing

+358 50 588 7755