What Location Innovation Hub does

Location Innovation Hub is a non-profit European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) founded in 2023 and headquartered in Espoo, Finland. It is coordinated by the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI), which operates under the National Land Survey of Finland, and is embedded in the EU-wide network of 170+ EDIHs. The hub's mandate is to accelerate digital adoption among Finnish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and public administration bodies by offering free coaching, applied test environments, and educational programs in geospatial and location technologies.

The hub delivers a portfolio of services including one-on-one coaching, test environments for emerging geospatial technologies, the Location Innovation Academy with online courses in Location & AI, a Digital Maturity Assessment (DMAT) tool, the Location Finland and Location Europe platforms, a GeoAI Solution Catalogue, the Geospatial Challenge Camp, and various publications and guides. Technical focus areas span GeoAI, precise positioning, digital twins, data integration, high-performance computing (HPC), cybersecurity, and data spaces. Operational scale signals include 700+ coached clients, 5,000+ event participants, 6,700+ monthly users on the Location Finland platform, and 309 Location & AI course participants. The organization has 15 main partners spanning research institutions, public agencies, and private-sector firms.

The business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating: Location Innovation Hub is co-funded by the European Union and the Finnish government, supplemented by project-specific funding such as the DATASTEP initiative covering 2026–2028. With approximately 9 employees, the organization operates as a lean, publicly-funded innovation accelerator focused on ecosystem building, partner enablement, and capability diffusion rather than direct monetization. Industry recognition includes a 2024 WDBE Best Use of Location Information Award, a 2026 EDIH Special Mention for Best Green Initiative, and a 2026 Data Economy Spotlight.

Name

Location Innovation Hub

Legal name

Location Innovation Hub

Website

https://locationinnovationhub.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Location Innovation Hub is a non-profit European Digital Innovation Hub founded in 2023 in Espoo, Finland. Coordinated by the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute, it provides free coaching, training, and digital maturity services in geospatial technologies to Finnish SMEs and public administrations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geospatial Innovation and Location Data Services

NAICS

Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE)

Keywords

• Geospatial innovation services
• Location data coaching
• GeoAI training
• Digital twin advisory
• European Digital Innovation Hub

Headquarters

HQ city

Espoo

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Funding / EU Co-funding: The Location Innovation Hub is co-funded by the European Union and operates as a free service for its target customers (SMEs and public administrations). The organization does not generate commercial revenue but is sustained through EU and public funding mechanisms as part of the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Location Innovation Hub provides free coaching and advisory services to European start-ups, SMEs, and public administrations, helping them develop their business using location information and geospatial technology. Its core offerings include business-development coaching, technology-adoption support (GeoAI, precise positioning, digital twins), access to test environments for digital services, expert consultation via 'Chat with a Pro', free training courses through the Location Innovation Academy, and the Location Finland and Location Europe data platforms for geospatial data access.

Product overview

Location Innovation Hub is a centre of expertise for location information and technology, offering free coaching services for SMEs and public administrations across Finland and Europe. The core offering is advisory and support services coordinated by the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) and delivered through an extensive network of partners. The portfolio includes test environments for product testing, expert consultation via 'Chat with a Pro', and the Digital Maturity Assessment (DMAT) tool. Educational offerings through the Location Innovation Academy include Location & AI online courses, GeoE3 courses, and DIS4SME courses. The Location Finland Platform provides access to geospatial datasets including 3D building data, while the Location Europe Platform offers cross-border data integration via API. Supporting initiatives include the Geospatial Challenge Camp innovation programme, the DATASTEP project for data economy capabilities, guides and best practice publications, and services for cybersecurity and data spaces. All services aim to help clients develop business, adopt future technologies, and find funding opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Location Innovation Academy: A platform offering free courses on GeoAI, geospatial interoperability, and spatial data management to support the integration and use of location data and services.
• Location Finland

Products and services

• Location Innovation Hub Coaching Services Free coaching and advisory services for European start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and public administration organisations to develop business, adopt future technologies, and find funding opportunities; coordinated by FGI and delivered through the partner network.
• Test Environments Testing facilities where businesses can test their digital services and products before making major investments, enabling experimentation with new technologies and data-driven solutions.
• Chat with a Pro Expert consultation service connecting clients with geospatial and location data specialists for technical advice and guidance.
• Digital Maturity Assessment (DMAT) Free assessment tool helping companies and public sector organisations evaluate their current level of digital maturity, covering digital strategy, information management, automation and use of artificial intelligence.
• Location Innovation Academy Learning platform offering free courses on GeoAI, geospatial interoperability and spatial data management, including Location & AI courses, GeoE3 courses (spatial data infrastructures, interoperability, geospatial data management), and DIS4SME courses (integrating geospatial data using OGC APIs).
• Location & AI Online Courses Two-course series teaching how artificial intelligence combined with location data can support business planning, decision-making, and innovation; 'The Basics' targets managers without prior experience while 'Deep Dive' targets professionals with AI or geospatial knowledge.
• Location Finland Platform Information platform providing access to geospatial datasets including 3D building data, used by more than 6,700 monthly users and recognized in the Data Economy Spotlight 2026 list of Finland's most inspiring data-economy solutions.
• Location Europe Platform Data integration platform offering unified access to high-value geospatial datasets and services across Europe, enabling cross-border data sharing and the development of location-based services; API key access is available for testing.
• Geospatial Challenge Camp Ten-week innovation programme in which multidisciplinary teams of researchers and students work on real-world challenges using open data and location technologies, including themes such as health and well-being and sustainable mobility.
• GeoAI Solution Catalogue Catalogue of solutions related to GeoAI (Geographic Artificial Intelligence) helping businesses understand opportunities created by combining location data and AI.
• Data Spaces Services Services related to European Data Spaces enabling cross-border and cross-sector data sharing and interoperability.
• Location Data Cybersecurity Services Expert services helping organisations strengthen the security of their location data and geospatial infrastructure, including free location data cybersecurity services for public administrations such as the City of Varkaus.
• DroneMaster Online Course Free and open online course on DigiCampus covering unmanned aviation for work, study or hobby, suitable for professional drone operators and the broader public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ clients coached across Europe
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DATASTEP Project PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partners include: National Land Survey of Finland/FGI, City of Helsinki/Business Helsinki, Foundation for Finnish Inventions, TIEKE Finnish Information Society Development Centre, and Arcada University of Applied Sciences. Project runs from 1.1.2026 to 30.4.2028.
• Centria University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the main partner network contributing expertise in geospatial education, research and development. Developed the DroneMaster online course for professional drone operators.
• GispocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading technology company providing expertise in open-source geospatial software, QGIS, data visualization, and consulting services. Key contributor to guide development and training materials.
• IntellisyscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert service provider in technology management focusing on intellectual property management, patent landscaping, and trademark analysis. Provides business consultation services.
• KIRAhubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports data visualization in built environment through forums and tools. Promotes adoption of building-related product passports and new planning tools.
• Oulu University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes expertise in drone operations (DroneMaster course), ICT education, data visualization, and asset management solutions. Partner in Arctic Drone Labs initiative.
• University of TurkucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey academic partner providing expertise in geospatial data, open data, web mapping, and AI. Leads the Geospatial Challenge Camp initiative.
• Tampere University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes to education and research in geospatial technologies and related fields within the partner network.
• Forum Virium HelsinkiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner contributing expertise in urban innovation and smart city solutions, including tools for traffic data analysis.
• GeoportticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch infrastructure providing geospatial research and education resources. Co-organizer of Geospatial Challenge Camp and Geoinformatics Research Days.
• Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute contributing expertise in natural resources and environmental data to the partner network.
• Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey collaboration partner for the Location Innovation Academy. OGC hosts the academy platform and provides expertise in geospatial standards and interoperability.
• Regional Council of Southwest FinlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner contributing expertise in regional planning and development initiatives.
• University of Eastern FinlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing expertise in geospatial research and education.
• Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates the work of Location Innovation Hub. Part of National Land Survey of Finland. Provides world-class expertise in geospatial research and location technology.
• European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPan-European partnership of almost 170 European Digital Innovation Hubs. Location Innovation Hub works closely with other Finnish EDIHs and connects clients to wider European network.
• HealthHub FinlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish EDIH focused on health sector. Joint exhibition and collaboration on healthcare digitalization, including participation in Radical Health Festival.
• Finnish AI Region (FAIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish EDIH focused on AI. Collaborates on AI training and skills development through FAIR platform.
• RobocoastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish EDIH focused on robotics and digitalization. Part of the Finnish EDIH ecosystem.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Business Finland: Business Finland is the Finnish national innovation funding agency that channels public funding and internationalization services to SMEs. It sits one layer above LIH and addresses overlapping client needs (adoption, funding, international growth), making it a broader incumbent peer.

Direct peers

• Forum Virium Helsinki: Forum Virium Helsinki is a smart city innovation unit of the City of Helsinki and an associated LIH partner. It works with public administrations and SMEs on data-driven urban services (e.g., traffic data), aligning with LIH's civic-tech and location-data mandate.
• HERE Technologies: HERE is a global location data and technology company and a minor LIH partner. It operates in the same location intelligence and geospatial API/data space, providing datasets and expertise that LIH channels into SME and public-sector adoption projects.
• Vaisala: Vaisala is a Finnish environmental and industrial measurement company whose GNSS-based weather measurement technology was leveraged by LIH client Skyfora. It operates in the same precise positioning, GNSS signal processing, and environmental geospatial space, anchored in Finland.
• Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC): OGC is a core strategic partner of LIH and hosts the Location Innovation Academy on academy.ogc.org. It operates the same geospatial standards and interoperability space (OGC APIs, data spaces), serving overlapping communities of public administrations and SMEs.
• Finnish AI Region (FAIR) EDIH: FAIR is the Finnish EDIH focused on AI and a named LIH partner. It shares LIH's target segments, EU funding logic, and academy-style training delivery (notably the FAIR platform), making it a directly comparable innovation hub peer.
• European Digital Innovation Hubs Network (EDIH Network): EDIH Network is the umbrella of ~170 publicly-funded European Digital Innovation Hubs that LIH is a member of. Sister hubs (HealthHub Finland, FAIR, Robocoast) deliver parallel free coaching and digital adoption services to SMEs and public administrations, making them the most directly comparable peer set.
• HealthHub Finland EDIH: HealthHub Finland is a sister Finnish EDIH focused on health-sector digitalization. It operates the same free coaching, training, and test-environment model for SMEs and public bodies, making it a near-clone peer in structure and funding logic.
• KIRAHub: KIRAHub is a core LIH partner focused on the built environment, building information modeling, and data visualization. It mirrors LIH's free public-interest innovation model for a related vertical, supporting SMEs and municipalities with data-driven tools.
• Geoportti: Geoportti is a Finnish geospatial research infrastructure and a core LIH partner, co-organizing the Geospatial Challenge Camp and Geoinformatics Research Days. It serves an overlapping academic and SME audience with geospatial data, training, and compute resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/locationinnovationhub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Location Innovation Hub