Behind Every Project There Is a Story to Tell

Discover our story: 3i Solutions for Public Services

What happens when creativity, technology, and the public sector collide? In 3i Solutions for PS, we dared to find out. Across borders and institutions, we set out to rethink how public services can become more responsive, inclusive and — yes — innovative. Two years later, we have not only built tools and delivered trainings, but sparked real change in cities across the Baltic Sea Region. This is our story.

It all started in Lappeenranta, Finland, in August 2023. The air was fresh, the ideas even fresher. Partners from LUT University, AR-GO lab Oy, Mazovia Development Agency, Kaunas Science and Technology Park, and Smiltene Municipality gathered to launch a project that was different by design. Public services often struggle with digital transition — not due to lack of interest, but due to structural constraints: limited resources, unclear roadmaps, and a culture risk-averse by necessity. We wanted to change that.

Our approach? Combine immersive technologies, like augmented and extended reality (AR/XR), with practical innovation methods and strong transnational collaboration. We weren’t just building solutions — we were building capacities.

By late autumn, we were already engaging with public stakeholders. A webinar hosted by Mazovia Development Agency introduced XR technologies to Polish local institutions, revealing their potential for resident engagement, tourism services, and public communication. In parallel, we launched an international survey mapping innovation readiness in local governments across five countries. The findings were telling: while many cities were experimenting with innovation, only a few had dedicated roles, resources, or clear strategies. Yet over 40% expressed strong interest in AI and immersive tools — if only they knew where to start!

So we started building.

In early 2024, partners began developing CITYA! — a user-friendly, AI-powered digital platform for modern municipalities. In Radom (Poland), the platform was piloted as a space for participatory budgeting and investment plan visualisation. In Smiltene (Latvia), CITYA! supported tourism services through outdoor displays and mobile-friendly design. Both versions aimed to make interaction with the city simple, intuitive and accessible — anytime, anywhere.

Meanwhile, we held a series of webinars, including “How to be an attractive city for citizens and guests through modern technologies?” and “How public services can benefit from using innovative solutions”. These events became key forums for exchanging good practices and ideas, connecting public officials with tech experts.

But the real breakthrough came in Kaunas in October 2024.

Hack the Future — our hackathon — brought together over ten interdisciplinary teams from Lithuania, Finland, Latvia and Poland. For 24 hours, they tackled real challenges submitted by public institutions across the region: from traffic congestion to smart fairs, forest maintenance to AI-based ice monitoring. Mentors from business, academia and the public sector guided participants to think beyond “tech-first” and focus on real user needs.

Winners included “Forest Brothers” with their digital forestry support tool, “Beetles/Bazaar Hub” for organising city fairs, and “Hydro Idea” for hydrometeorological monitoring. Some solutions have already moved into further development with support from public agencies.

This experience didn’t just deliver prototypes — it delivered insight. Innovation in public services works when there’s real dialogue between creators and users, when technology meets empathy. We documented the entire process in a Hackathon Manual that will help other cities replicate the model.

As 2025 began, we turned our focus to sustainability and dissemination. We organised the “CITYA! DEMO HOUR” webinar in February, showcasing how the platform could improve citizen engagement and the tourism experience. The feedback was clear: smart, simple, scalable — that’s what cities need.

Then came our flagship output: the Roadmap for Sustainable Innovation in Public Services. It combines three practical tools:

🔹 A practical handbook full of examples from small and medium-sized cities, showing how innovation can support mobility, sustainability, citizen inclusion, and economic resilience — even with limited budgets.

🔹 A hackathon guide helping public institutions plan effective innovation events that go beyond buzzwords and deliver real outcomes.

🔹 An online course (“Innovative Decision-Making in Public Services”), which equips professionals with tools like TRIZ, PM², open data applications, and systematic creativity techniques. Available freely and self-paced, this course is already empowering change agents across the region.

In March 2025, the course was officially launched — and its early participants are already applying their skills in local projects. The message is clear: innovation is not just for startups. With the right mindset and support, municipalities can lead change too.

In June 2025, we gathered once more — in Smiltene and online — for the final seminar “From Idea to Implementation”. We reflected on the journey: from Lappeenranta to Kaunas, Radom to Smiltene. From XR seminars and surveys to working prototypes and roadmaps. From ideas to systems.

Today, the 3i Solutions for PS toolbox is open to all:

• CITYA! – for cities ready to digitise engagement and tourism
• Hackathon model – for fostering co-creation and testing ideas
• Handbook + training – for embedding innovation into everyday public service

Together, they form a practical innovation ecosystem. One that is future-proof, citizen-focused, and deeply grounded in real local needs. Thanks to Interreg BSR, our work has reached across borders — but its impact will be most visible in the daily lives of residents.

And this is just the beginning.

Programme Manual Online

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