Rewarding Paths: Technology, Creativity and Movement Intersect in the Latest Challenge from CREATIVITY X TECH X CITY

Photo: Jussi Hellsten

The multidisciplinary event series CREATIVITY X TECH X CITY brings together researchers, companies, city developers, higher education institutions, and startups from across the creative, technological, and urban development fields. The event started a new cross-sector RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) projects that transcend traditional industry boundaries in January. The second event focuses on spatial solutions in urban environments and features a series of real-world challenges, presented by cities and businesses, that will be further developed in co-creation workshops during and after the event.

The third official challenge, titled “Rewarding Paths,” which is presented by Finnish tech company Resolud. This challenge invites participants to design location-based, app-powered concepts that encourage people to move. Challenge builds creative ways to walk, explore, and interact in physical environment.

The Challenge: Rewarding Real-World Movement

Resolud’s existing technology platform already supports map-based navigation, task completion, and reward activation. Now, the company is looking for new types of content to power the platform: engaging, story-driven experiences that inspire people to move through urban space in playful, meaningful ways.

Instead of asking people to click or scroll, the platform encourages movement as interaction. Imagine:

  • A marketing campaign where a QR code at a shop counter opens a short challenge that rewards the user with a sample or discount.
  • A city-wide event mapped across physical locations, where people unlock story fragments or puzzle pieces as they walk.
  • A tourist route packed with local stories and digital discoveries.
  • A way to gamify daily routines, with small digital rewards waiting around the corner.

 

The solution could be useful for a wide range of sectors, like event organizers, tourism operators, commercial brands, and cultural content providers. What they all share is a desire to activate people in physical space while offering engaging digital layers.

A Platform for Creativity and Urban Interaction

“Rewarding Paths” fits seamlessly into the broader CREATIVITY X TECH X CITY vision, which is to showcase the innovative potential of the creative industries when working in tandem with urban development and technological tools.

The challenge encourages participants to consider how urban space, storytelling, and digital tools can be combined to create immersive, scalable and inclusive experiences.

Submissions should aim for:

  • Simplicity: easily accessible with a smartphone – no complex technological skills required.
  • Creativity: compelling storytelling, puzzles, or visuals that reward exploration.
  • Scalability: adaptable to different events, cities, or user groups.
  • Real-world impact: solutions that promote physical activity and local discovery.

Part of the Digital Creative Industries & Beyond Project

CREATIVITY X TECH X CITY is part of the Digital Creative Industries & Beyond (DCIB) project, operated by the City of Helsinki in partnership with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and Aalto University. The project supports sustainable growth, expertise, and innovation in the creative industries, including fields like audiovisual production, XR, gaming, and design.

DCIB provides a platform for cross-sector collaboration and co-creation and offers concrete support measures to help emerging and internationally oriented creative companies scale their operations. The project is co-funded by the European Union.

Read more about the event and register now.

Contact us

Taina Seitsara kuva

Taina Seitsara

Project Manager

Business Helsinki

taina.seitsara@hel.fi

 

Sinna Marjamaa

Project Specialist

Business Helsinki

sinna.marjamaa@hel.fi