Venue & Travel
Venue, Travel & Oulu
The conference takes place at Rio Live, one of Oulu's most distinctive venues, right in the heart of the city and within walking distance of both partner hotels.
- Dates
- February 22–24, 2027
- Venue
- Rio Live
- City
- Oulu, Finland
- Format
- Two days of presentations, panels and meaningful connections
Rio Live · Oulu
Not your typical conference venue
UnlocFinland takes place at Rio Live, a historic theatre venue in the heart of Oulu. You'll experience the program seated around tables in small groups, with drinks and snacks available throughout the talks. It's a setting designed for conversation, connection and an atmosphere you'll remember long after the closing keynote.
Table seating
No rows of conference seating. You'll sit around tables in groups of 4–8, making it easier to connect, exchange ideas and join the conversation. The venue accommodates up to 250 guests.
Drinks & snacks
Drinks and snacks are available throughout the talks, so you can enjoy the program with the relaxed feel of an evening out.
Theatre-grade AV
Professional sound, lighting and stage technology meet the character and atmosphere of a much-loved former cinema.
Getting to Oulu
Via Helsinki
Fly into Helsinki (HEL), then take a one-hour connecting flight to Oulu (OUL), with multiple connections available daily.
Direct from Riga
airBaltic flies direct from Riga (RIX) to Oulu (OUL), offering an easy connection from the Baltics and Central Europe.
Via Rovaniemi (scenic)
Fly direct from London to Rovaniemi (RVN), then take a 2.5-hour train south to Oulu. Perfect if you're extending the trip into Lapland.
Where to stay
Both hotels are within walking distance of the venue.
Lapland Hotel Oulu
Design-forward Nordic hotel with a strong local restaurant. Special partner price available upon request for UnlocFinland attendees.
BookRadisson Blu Oulu
Reliable, central, and steps from Oulu's waterfront. Special partner price available upon request for UnlocFinland attendees.
BookWhy Oulu · 65°N
Why hold a global conference in the north of Finland — in the middle of winter?
Northern lights above the city
February is peak aurora season. Step out from an evening session and the sky over Oulu is often already doing the show for you.
Magical Finnish winter
Snow-covered market square, frozen sea, husky forests and Christmas-card streetscapes — the kind of winter international guests actually travel for.
The northern tech capital
Oulu is where Finland's deep-tech startups are born and scale, from Nokia's 5G roots to today's ICT, wireless and AI companies. One of Europe's densest engineering talent pools per capita.
Home to health pioneers
A globally recognised hub for health tech, medical devices and wellness innovation, powered by the University of Oulu, OYS test-bed hospital and a thriving startup scene.
Cold plunges & sauna culture
Ice swimming in the Bothnian Bay, wood-fired saunas by the sea, and the kind of after-hours program you can't book in a hotel spa.
A vibrant city with worldwide connections
Direct flights from Helsinki, Riga and — via Rovaniemi — London, plus a compact, walkable downtown full of restaurants, bars and a lively year-round cultural scene.
The dark winter is the point
This is not a conference you sit through and forget. February in Oulu is stark, beautiful and a little wild. And that's exactly why the conversations, the people and the ideas stick. Learn more from Visit Oulu and Business Oulu.
Three days in Oulu, February 22–24, 2027.
Early bird tickets are open until 30 November 2026.