Today, hundreds of millions of terabytes of data are generated by users everyday. On top of that, extra space and computational power are needed to store, pull, and process said data to generate the information, utilities, and entertainment we take advantage of daily. As consumers, we often don’t worry about the physical location of our data and depend on the “cloud.” The unfortunate truth is that the cloud actually looks something like this:
The magic of the cloud resides in these mazes of servers called data centers. Coincidentally, Scandinavia serves as one primary data center location for many large technology companies due to the benefits of Scandinavia’s climate and green revolution.
Our tour to CSC, Finland’s IT Center for Science, shined a light on their premier publicly funded data center/supercomputer – Lumi. Lumi serves as Europe’s flagship supercomputer and supports many tech giants and startups alike to meet their computing needs. It has been used for folding proteins, detecting diseases, training AI’s, and even tracking climate changes. Lumi’s home in Finland is particularly significant in empowering its technological advances.
Finland has set an ambitious goal to become carbon neutral by the year 2035. This commitment reflects a comprehensive approach that goes beyond simply adopting green energy sources. The Finnish government and private sector are working together to ensure that the transition to renewable energy is also cost-effective, making clean energy accessible and affordable. This strategy includes investments in wind, solar, and bioenergy, as well as advancements in energy efficiency and technology to reduce overall consumption and costs. In our visit to Business Finland, we learned that only about ⅓ of energy will be generated via nuclear energy, with the rest being from natural and renewable sources.
Scandinavia’s unique climate, characterized by cold temperatures for the majority of the year, offers a distinct advantage for data centers and super computers. With frigid conditions persisting for about ten months annually, the natural environment provides an efficient and sustainable method for cooling. This significantly reduces the need for artificial cooling systems, which are both energy-intensive and costly. As a result, Finland has become an attractive location for tech companies looking to minimize their environmental footprint and operational expenses through innovative use of its cold climate.
Finland boasts a vibrant startup culture deeply intertwined with technological innovation and development. This small yet dynamic country is home to a thriving ecosystem of entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts who continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible. Business Finland showcased world-renowned conferences like Slush and Urban Tech Helsinki, which bring together people and ideas in Helsinki. Finland’s notable contributions to the tech world include being the birthplace of Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux operating system, which has had a profound impact on global software development and is used as the primary operating system of nearly 90% of all servers in the world. Additionally, Finland serves as the home base of Supercell and Rovio, trailblazers in mobile gaming and software development. The strong emphasis on education, research, and collaboration within the tech community fosters an environment where startups can flourish, contributing to Finland’s reputation as a hub of technological advancement and creativity.
