Anita Ahlstrand appointed as Innovation Director
Anita Ahlstrand, M.SC (Sport and Health Sciences) and doctoral researcher in health sciences, has been appointed as Innovation Director of Metropolia’s Future-Proof Health and Wellbeing innovation hub. Ahlstrand will assume the position on 1 May 2026.
Ahlstrand has extensive and diverse experience in developing the social and healthcare sector, education, and innovation activities. Throughout her career, she has developed practical operating models in close collaboration with various stakeholders. At Metropolia, she has served as lecturer, development manager, and deputy innovation director. She has led the development of multidisciplinary entities such as HyMy Village and the Metropolia Smart Care collaboration platform. She is also actively involved in international projects and networks, including the U!REKA alliance.
“The best solutions emerge when people work boldly together across traditional boundaries. Building future-proof solutions for the social and healthcare sector requires exactly this kind of multidisciplinary collaboration”, says Ahlstrand.
“I feel privileged to do this work together with the top experts at Metropolia and with our partners. It is important to me that collaboration is visible in practice and truly drives things forward.”
Ahlstrand leads the Future-Proof Health and Wellbeing innovation hub, where solutions are developed to promote planetary health and holistic wellbeing, and to support the building of a good and meaningful life.
Innovation activities drive societal development
Metropolia’s innovation hubs bring together experts, students, and partners to develop solutions to current societal challenges and the needs of businesses.
Collaboration is based on an ecosystem model, where expertise is combined and solutions are created through experimentation, piloting, and co-creation.
More information
Anita Ahlstrand
Innovation Director, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
+358 40 641 8140
Miimu Airaksinen
Vice President for RDI, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
+358 40 770 4832
firstname.lastname [at] metropolia.fi (firstname[dot]lastname[at]metropolia[dot]fi)