Growth factors

Kuopio aims to be a centre of sustainable growth for one million people. Sustainable growth is based on progressive business life and job growth. The high-quality services and unique environment of Kuopio are some of the features that the city is known for, also serving as pull factors for newcomers.

Kuopio aims to be a centre of 200,000 inhabitants in 2040. The top-priority projects of Kuopio facilitate the growth of the city. Among these is the strategic top-priority project of Savilahti, the development of a new, innovative urban area and the most captivating learning and innovation environment in Europe, a complex where 35,000 people work, study and live in a district of smart solutions.

Savilahti is a strong hub of expertise with existing networks, operating environments and cutting-edge, multidisciplinary expertise that also open doors to the world. The main partners of Savilahti are the University of Eastern Finland, Savonia University of Applied Sciences and Savo Vocational College. The campus area provides a venue for internationally acknowledged research in disciplines such as health and wellbeing, environmental fields and applied physics.

A key factor of growth is also labour immigration and connecting international students to local job opportunities. In terms of tourism, growth is propelled by the construction of a congress hotel in Kuopionlahti as well as the development of the Tahko and Puijo areas.