WP6 – Impact and Foresight for Economy and Welfare

Lead: University of Turku / Dr. Marikka Heikkilä

WP6 provides strategic foresight on the long-term economic and welfare impacts of Finland’s evolving space economy. Supporting WP4’s roadmap, it explores how EO, GNSS and AI-driven innovations can enable structural economic transformation, enhance public services and build long-term resilience in a complex global environment. 

WP6 applies interdisciplinary and interactive foresight methods, including Delphi panels, multi-round scenario development, sensemaking and stakeholder dialogues. AI is treated both as a transformative enabler and as a source of systemic risk requiring critical assessment. 

WP6 grounds its analysis in three strategic case studies: regional renewal and inclusive welfare through satellite-enabled services in Pori; environmental resilience through EO monitoring of ecosystem risks such as harmful algal blooms; and infrastructure continuity through satellite-based situational awareness and crisis response with WP5. These foresight testbeds generate actionable impact pathways tailored to local contexts and national policy priorities. 

WP6 ensures that Finland’s space economy strategy is future-ready, socially grounded and capable of anticipating both opportunities and risks.

Main deliverables:

* Delphi-based foresight studies and long-term scenario development
* AI-enhanced tools for modeling economic and welfare impacts
* Three strategic case-study foresight testbeds (Pori, environment, infrastructure)
* Scenario-based policy recommendations and impact pathways
* Future-oriented inputs supporting WP4 roadmap design