BEHOLDER Project
Tampere
Who we are
Tampere is Finland’s third-largest city and one of the fastest-growing urban hubs in the country. Recognised as the most liveable city in the happiest country in the world, Tampere positions itself as an international frontrunner in smart city and citiverse development, with numerous awards and recognitions to its name. The city continuously seeks smart and innovative solutions in collaboration with European partners.
Why we joined BEHOLDER
The City of Tampere is committed to finding innovative solutions that improve the lives of its citizens across all domains, including safety and security. BEHOLDER is a natural next step in strengthening our preparedness for CBRN-E threats. The project’s collaborative and forward-looking approach resonates with Tampere’s values and ambition to lead by example in Europe.
Our role in BEHOLDER
As a pilot city, Tampere provides its existing smart city infrastructure and IoT systems as a testing ground for innovative BEHOLDER solutions. This real-world environment will allow partners to validate, refine, and scale their technologies in an active urban setting.
How we collaborate
Collaboration is at the core of Tampere’s smart city development. With a strong history of working on European innovation projects, Tampere embraces partnerships as the key to creating smarter, better solutions. We actively participate in global networks such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the UN Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI – Discovering the Citiverse. Through joint development and shared learning, Tampere builds resilient, inclusive, and forward-thinking urban systems.
Our innovation
By leveraging Tampere’s advanced smart city infrastructure, BEHOLDER solutions can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems — creating a living laboratory for next-generation safety innovations.
What we expect from BEHOLDER
We hope the project strengthens Tampere’s bonds with European partners and showcases the success of piloting advanced security solutions in a real city environment. Our ambition is that Tampere’s example will inspire other European cities to follow suit.
Our future vision
By 2030, Tampere envisions itself as a dynamic, inclusive, and climate-resilient city, shaped by citizen participation, sustainable growth, and smart innovation. Safety and security are integral to this vision. Projects like BEHOLDER ensure that our public spaces remain resilient and trustworthy, while reinforcing citizen well-being through collaborative, technology-driven approaches.
Other relevant projects
The City of Tampere collaborates with public authorities in regulatory and operational work related to CBRN-E. Beyond this, Tampere is deeply engaged in a range of innovative safety and security initiatives. BEHOLDER is a strategic opportunity to extend these capabilities and strengthen our role in European CBRN-E preparedness.
Staff involved
Dr. Anniina Autero
Anniina is Head of Development for the City of Tampere and a leading expert in smart city resilience, sustainability and digital innovation. She leads a Horizon Europe project developing digital twins for urban environments, engaging citizens and businesses in co-creating safer and more sustainable cities. In BEHOLDER, she is responsible for the project, advancing the use of data-driven foresight and resilience tools. Previously, she directed the Smart Urban Security and Event Resilience project, introducing situational intelligence tools for the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship at Nokia Arena. In 2024, Silicon Leaders Magazine recognized her among the most influential leaders shaping the future of smart cities.
Nooa Donesteve
Nooa serves as a project coordinator for the City of Tampere. He has studied a Master’s in International Security at Sciences Po Paris, with specialisms in European Politics and Intelligence studies. A skilled communicator, he is fluent in most major European languages, enabling effective collaboration across international partners. Nooa contributes to the BEHOLDER project with his expertise in CBRN-E, safety and security. His background combines operational risk management and resilience planning, supporting the project’s mission to enhance urban preparedness and integrated situational awareness.
Dr. Anniina Autero
Anniina is Head of Development for the City of Tampere and a leading expert in smart city resilience, sustainability and digital innovation. She leads a Horizon Europe project developing digital twins for urban environments, engaging citizens and businesses in co-creating safer and more sustainable cities. In BEHOLDER, she is responsible for the project, advancing the use of data-driven foresight and resilience tools. Previously, she directed the Smart Urban Security and Event Resilience project, introducing situational intelligence tools for the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship at Nokia Arena. In 2024, Silicon Leaders Magazine recognized her among the most influential leaders shaping the future of smart cities.
Nooa Donesteve
Nooa serves as a project coordinator for the City of Tampere. He has studied a Master’s in International Security at Sciences Po Paris, with specialisms in European Politics and Intelligence studies. A skilled communicator, he is fluent in most major European languages, enabling effective collaboration across international partners. Nooa contributes to the BEHOLDER project with his expertise in CBRN-E, safety and security. His background combines operational risk management and resilience planning, supporting the project’s mission to enhance urban preparedness and integrated situational awareness.