The year 2023 was a time of success and growth for the Visitor Centre Joki. 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 were some of the most important milestones for the Visitor Centre Joki in 2023. Last year, over 3,200 events were held at Joki, attracting a total of more than 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 continue to offer unforgettable moments for our partners and customers,” summarizes Community Manager of Joki and CEO of SHIFT Carita Varjonen.
Joki has grown into 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 more important than ever for many.
“Companies no longer have their own premises that could accommodate, for example, the entire staff at once, and there is no constant need for such spaces either. That is why it is important that you can easily rent a suitable place when needed,” says Varjonen.
Joki’s facilities are flexible for many kinds of occasions and events, which has become clear to many visitors through Joki’s own events, such as Joki Forums and SHIFT. Varjonen is pleased that more and more companies now see Joki and its possibilities in a new way and understand how the facilities can be adapted to suit different needs.
SHIFT brings the business community together
One of the biggest changes in 2023 was that the majority ownership of SHIFT Business Festival transferred to Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt. The goal is to make 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 parties in the Science Park, held in the courtyard next to Joki, which were attended by Joki’s stakeholders, members of the business community, and guests of the SHIFT business festival. The super-popular JVG shone as the star of the party.
“You no longer need to look far for what you need.” Carita Varjonen
– SHIFT offers companies operating in our area the opportunity to do business in a completely different environment. You no longer have to go far – for example, to business events in the capital region – to attend 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, Showroom, was introduced at Joki. It is an immersive and spectacular presentation space where the audience is immersed in the presentation through a visual LED wall and sound system.
“In the Showroom, we were able to carry out 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 to host a Christmas porridge event for their clients, where they also introduced artificial intelligence. In the Showroom, people have also sung karaoke and held cocktail events,” says Varjonen.
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.
“For example, we have an ice cream bike, a beer bike, a donut wall, and a popcorn machine – they are available to our customers when they hold an event with us. They easily provide a wow-element that adds a nice extra touch to the customers’ events,” Varjonen says.
Joki’s year-end was topped off by the sympathetic Joki Christmas car, which captured people’s hearts. Parked in the Joki lobby and decorated for Christmas, the red vehicle was a joy for many parties, and a huge number of Christmas card photos were taken around it. The car delighted both guests and passers-by at Joki for about a month.
Interested in Joki’s operations? Get in touch and we’ll tell you more!