Finland has announced its ambitious goal to set the pace as a global leader in the rapidly evolving Metaverse – a plan showcased in their recently published strategy called ‘Metaverse Initiative of the Finnish Ecosystem: Virtual Potential in Real World Impact’. The move makes Finland the first EU country to formulate a comprehensive national metaverse strategy, aligning it with other countries such as China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the UAE, which have already started their Metaverse explorations.
Finland rejects the European Commission’s preference for ‘virtual worlds’ and has chosen to refer to ‘metaverse’ in its blueprint. This strategy defines the Metaverse as immersive, often integrating elements from both the physical and digital worlds. In particular, it discusses the Metaverse’s ability to remember users and their settings, interact with the real world, and its 3D spatial design.
Decoding the Metaverse: Finland’s Clear Choice
Patrick Grady, editor at Metaverse EU, appreciates Finland’s position on the term ‘Metaverse’. According to Grady, this term provides a clear framework for understanding this new immersive technology. In connection with this, the Finnish strategy emphasizes national values such as international cooperation. It cleverly uses Finland’s geopolitical positioning to balance the different interests of global players. Finland hopes to maintain a competitive advantage with a solid existing foundation in extended reality, telecommunications and other crucial metaverse technologies such as AI, fintech, gaming and software applications.
Building a green and hospitable metaverse ecosystem
Looking ahead to 2035, Finland aims to generate more than €30 billion per year from its booming Metaverse industry. This fits perfectly with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which promote sustainability, well-being and social unity. Finland aims to shape a dynamic, diverse metaverse ecosystem that prioritizes standardization, regulation, cybersecurity and education to ensure inclusivity and widespread access.
Furthermore, the Finnish Metaverse Strategy emphasizes a firm commitment to the protection of digital rights and ethics, where users’ privacy, security and independence are of paramount importance. The ‘Metaverse in Action Programs’ emphasize the value of general public education about the Metaverse. Suggestions include providing access to community centers and libraries and taking advantage of Finland’s robust education infrastructure. The Metaverse is seen by many as a path to improving healthcare and enabling remote work, and as a tool for improving collaborative robotics, AI initiatives and other applications.
