Tampere Aviation Forum
Tampere Aviation Forum will take place on October 1, 2025, at the Tampere Exhibition & Sports Centre. The one-day seminar will last from 9:00-17:00 and feature a range of keynotes and panels hosted by aviation experts.
On the wings of Industry
This year, the Forum – titled ‘On the wings of Industry’ – will center around aviation’s impact on industrial growth, resilience, and sustainability. Industry experts and stakeholders will come together to explore how regional airports and their development strengthen regional competitiveness, how new innovations like sustainable fuels, electrification, and automation are reshaping the aviation industry, and more.
Tampere Aviation Forum is part of Business Tampere’s ongoing effort to champion the development of the Tampere-Pirkkala airport and position it as a center of passenger transport and logistics in the region.
The event will be held at Subcontracting Fair Finland, a 3-day event that will bring together more than 23,000 professionals and 1,000 exhibitors for the most influential industrial event in the Nordics.
Program
The program is updated as the event approaches. Changes possible.
The event is hosted by Salla Paajanen.
9.00 Coffee and networking
9.30 Opening words: Harri Ojala, CEO, Business Tampere
9.40 Keynote: Mantas Vrubliauskas, VP Network Management, airBaltic: The Future of Regional Air Traffic in Europe / The Finnish Market
Mantas Vrubliauskas is VP Network Management at airBaltic, with over 14 years of experience in the airline industry and extensive expertise in route development, fleet planning, and network strategy. In his keynote, he will explore why regional airports are vital for flight connections and accessibility, and how airBaltic is strengthening its role in Finland and Northern Europe.
10.15 Dr. Max Hirsh, Managing Director, Airport City Academy: What’s the Future of Aviation — and Why Does it Matter for Tampere?
Dr. Max Hirsh (PhD, Harvard) is a leading global expert on airports and urban development, and pioneer of the Airport Urbanism method. Drawing on 15 years of industry experience, he serves as technical advisor on a variety of airport-led development projects and regional masterplans. His keynote focuses on the role of regional airports in economic development, the effect of climate change and emergence of new technologies, and future opportunities for development of the Tampere-Pirkkala airport and the surrounding region.
10.50 Panel discussion 1 (in English)
Regional Airports as Enablers of Industrial Growth (Alueelliset lentoasemat mahdollistavat teollisuuden kasvun)
The panel will examine how regional airports support the growth of exports, security of supply, and industrial competitiveness across different parts of Finland. Key themes of the discussion include connectivity, air cargo, the development of regional feeder traffic, and integration into international value chains.
Participants: Timo Rissanen, Port Experience – Ding Ma, Lappeenrannan kaupunki – Juuso Rönnholm, BusinessOulu – Elisabet Kivimäki, Into Seinäjoki – Markus Sjölund, Tampereen Kauppakamari
11.55 Lunch break
Afternoon (13–17)
13.00 Keynote: Aivars Starikovs, member of the board of Hydrogen Europe
In his speech, Aivars Starikovs will discuss the European hydrogen and fuel cell sector, in which he has had an remarkable career. He currently serves as a board member of Hydrogen Europe, a board member of the Latvian Hydrogen Association, and an advisor on energy and alternative fuels to the president of the Latvian Academy of Sciences.
13.30 Case-speeches: eSAF, hydrogen & the fuels of the future (SAF, vety & tulevaisuuden polttoaineet)
In the case presentations, experts will share their insights on topics such as value chains, investments, and green fuels in both passenger transport and logistics.
- LiquidSun, Pasi Keinänen
- SAF & Lufthansa
Lufthansa, Markus Issakainen
Approx. 14.30 Small refreshments break
14.45 Panel discussion 2 (in Finnish)
Tampere-Pirkkala – logistiikan kiitotie teollisuudelle?
Paneelissa pohditaan mm.:
- Mitä seuraavia askelia tarvitaan, jotta Tampere-Pirkkala vahvistuu lentorahdin solmukohtana?
- Miten varaosalogistiikka, vientiyritysten tarpeet ja lentoyhtiöiden ruumarahti kytkeytyvät yhteen?
- Miten lentoasema integroidaan tehokkaasti osaksi teollisuuden toimitusketjuja?
- Miten vihreä siirtymä ja uudet kuljetusratkaisut huomioidaan?
Participants: Marita Jaatinen, Business Tampere – Heikki Nikamaa, Cargo Flight Service Finland – Tuukka Inkinen, AirPro Oy – Eveliina Ojala, DANX – Tomi Viitanen, Joen Service Oy
15.50 Panel discussion 3 (in Finnish)
Syöttöliikenne 2.0 – Suomen sisäinen lentoverkosto 2030
Keskustelussa pureudutaan mm.:
- Kotimaan lentoverkoston uudistumiseen ja syöttöliikenteen rooliin
- Yhteyksiin kansainvälisiin reitteihin ja matkaketjujen sujuvuuteen
- Vihreisiin teknologioihin ja uuteen kalustoon Alueelliseen yhteistyöhön ja Suomen sisäiseen liikkumiseen osana kokonaisvaltaista liikennejärjestelmää
Participants: Riku Huhta, Destia Oy – Joonas Nurmi, Helsinki City Copter – Ruut-Maria Rissanen, Pirkanmaan liitto – Seppo Tossavainen, Joensuun kaupunki
16.50 Seminar ends
Speakers
Keynote
Dr. Max Hirsh
Dr. Max Hirsh, Managing Director, Airport City Academy.
Keynote
Mantas Vrubliauskas
Mantas Vrubliauskas is VP Network Management at airBaltic.
Keynote
Aivars Starikovs
Aivars Starikovs is Member of the Board of Hydrogen Europe.
Host
Salla Paajanen
Salla Paajanen is a media professional from Tampere.
Riku Huhta
Riku Huhta, MSc (Tech.), works as Team Lead for Strategic Transport Systems at Destia.
Ding Ma
Ding Ma serves as Head of Economic Development for the City of Lappeenranta and General Manager of the Saimaa Airport Foundation.
Markus Sjölund
Markus Sjölund is a Director at the Tampere Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Juuso Rönnholm
Juuso Rönnholm is the Head of Public Affairs and data analysis at BusinessOulu.
Timo Rissanen
Timo Rissanen is an experienced tourism and transport expert who, through his company Port Experience, focuses on the development of regional air and cruise traffic.
Joonas Nurmi
Joonas Nurmi is the co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of the airline Aerocom Aviation and Helsinki Citycopter.
Eveliina Ojala
Eveliina Ojala serves as the Operations & Linehaul Manager at DANX Oy.
Seppo Tossavainen
Seppo Tossavainen is a seasoned professional in international business, with over 30 years of experience in exports, growth strategies, and innovation ecosystems.
Markus Issakainen
Markus Issakainen works as Key Account Manager for Lufthansa Group airlines.
Elisabet Kivimäki
Elisabet Kivimäki works as Business Development Manager at Into Seinäjoki.
Marita Jaatinen
Marita Jaatinen serves as Chief Business Development Officer at Business Tampere.
Ruut-Maaria Rissanen
Ruut-Maaria Rissanen works as a director for regional planning at the Council of Tampere Region.
Marja Aalto
Marja Aalto works at Business Tampere, where she is responsible for developing air traffic connectivity and accessibility in the Tampere Region.
Tuukka Inkinen
Tuukka Inkinen serves as Head of Commercial Strategy & Partnerships at Airpro Oy and has over 20 years of experience in the ground handling industry.
Pasi Keinänen
Pasi Keinänen is a founder and CEO of Liquid Sun, driving the commercialization of electrochemical CO₂ conversion technologies for sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF).
Tomi Viitanen
Tomi Viitanen is CEO of Joen Service Oy and a business transformation expert with deep experience in the aviation and service industries.
Heikki Nikamaa
Heikki Nikamaa is the founder of Cargo Flight Service Finland Oy, which specializes in cargo flight services and critical shipments.
Speakers
Harri Ojala is the CEO of Business Tampere
Registration
Participation in the event requires registration for the Subcontracting Fair. We will register participants who have registered for the Tampere Aviation Forum also to the Subcontracting Fair.