2023 was a time of success and growth for the Joki Visitor Centre. The number of events rose significantly, visitor numbers exceeded expectations and, above all, Joki established its position as a popular event and meeting venue.
Showroom, SHIFT and JVG – these are some of the key milestones for the Joki Visitor Centre in 2023. Last year, over 3,200 events were held at Joki, attracting a total of over 87,000 visitors.
“We are proud of how Joki has developed during 2023. We strongly believe that 2024 will bring even more opportunities, and Joki will offer unforgettable moments for our partners and customers,” says Joki’s Community Manager and CEO of SHIFT, Carita Varjonen.
Joki has become an important meeting place
During 2023, Joki grew into an even more significant meeting place in the Science Park area. Since many companies do a lot of remote work, both community events and, for example, internal team days are even more important to many.
“Companies no longer have their own premises that can accommodate the entire staff at once, and there isn't a constant need for such spaces either. That is why it is important that a suitable venue can be rented conveniently when needed,” says Varjonen.
Joki’s premises are flexible for many types of occasions and events, which has been concretized for many visitors through Joki’s own events, such as Joki Forums and SHIFT. Varjonen is happy that more and more companies now see Joki and its possibilities in a new way and understand how the spaces can be adapted to suit different needs.
SHIFT brings the business community together
One of the biggest changes in 2023 was the transfer of the majority ownership of the SHIFT Business Festival to Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt. The goal is to make the SHIFT Business Festival an even more impactful event in the future, increasing the appeal of the Turku Science Park and the entire city of Turku.
Highlights of SHIFT 2023 included the best party in the Science Park, held in the courtyard next to Joki, which invited both Joki’s stakeholders and members of the business community, as well as guests of the SHIFT business festival. The stars of the party were the super-popular JVG.
“You no longer need to look too far for what you need.” Carita Varjonen
“SHIFT offers companies operating in our region the opportunity to conduct business in a completely different environment. You no longer have to go far—such as to business events in the capital region—to participate in a high-quality corporate event. In fact, you don't even have to leave your own area anymore.”
The unique Showroom is perfect for launches and streams
During 2023, a new space, the Showroom, was introduced at Joki. It is an experiential and impressive showcase space where the viewer becomes immersed in the presentation through a visual LED wall and sound system.
“In the Showroom, we were able to host impressive launches and streams during 2023, such as the SomeCoffee event organized by LM Someco, which was attended by over a thousand guests remotely. Another partner of ours, Avidly, utilized the space while organizing a Christmas porridge event for their customers, where they also introduced artificial intelligence. Karaoke has also been sung and cocktail events have been held in the Showroom,” Varjonen says.
Joki wants to exceed expectations
Joki always wants to exceed customer expectations by offering memorable experiences. This can be achieved, for example, through unique event catering and the opportunity to create stylish social media photos.
“We have, for example, an ice cream bike, a beer bike, a donut wall, and a popcorn machine – they are at our customers' disposal when they host an event with us. They easily provide a 'wow' element that adds a nice extra touch to the customers' events,” Varjonen says.
The end of the year at Joki was topped off by the charming Joki Christmas car, which captured people's hearts. Parked in the Joki lobby and decorated for Christmas, the red vehicle was a highlight of many parties, and a huge number of Christmas card photos were taken around it. The car delighted both guests and passersby at Joki for about a month.
Interested in Joki's activities? Contact us and we'll tell you more!