About COSS
COSS – the Finnish Centre for Open Systems and Solutions is a non-profit association that promotes open source, open data, open standards and APIs. Internationally COSS is known as one of the oldest and most active centres for openness.
COSS operation is based on far-reaching cooperation, communication and creating networks.
The objective of COSS is to strengthen the competitiveness of Finland’s software intensive industries, promote the growth and internationalization of open source businesses and reinforce the development of the Finnish information society with the support of open technologies and communities.
International partners
APELL (Association Professionnelle Européenne du Logiciel Libre) is Europe’s Open Source Business Association. Founded in 2020 to bring national Open Source Software (‘OSS’) organisations together into a European network to provide them with peer support and collective marketing, as well as capacity building and policy support for public affairs, both nationally and on the EU-level. COSS is one of the founding members of APELL, together with the CNLL (France’s Free Software and Open Digital Enterprise Union) and The Open Source Business Alliance e.V.
Other European national open source organisations
Projects
COSS actively participates in various projects and collaborative initiatives. One of the main focuses of our work is the annual International Technology Conference Mindtrek, which we organize. In addition, we act as the coordinator for, among other things, the nationwide children’s coding club Koodikerho and the wireless network community roam.fi, and we maintain the Avoinkoodi.fi website.
We also take part as a neutral partner in changing collaborative initiatives in the role of an open source expert.
The goal of the different projects is to support activities of the members, increase the amount of knowledge concerning openness and developing ecosystems.
Voxit community is an open source community launched in 2025 with project funding from The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. Its mission is to systematically make the open source Voxit platform, designed to enable a constructive exchange of opinions around a given topic, available to Finland’s public sector, third sector, and private users, and to ensure that the platform is continuously developed in a transparent, cost-effective, and co-creative manner.
Mindtrek is an annually organized technology conference whose themes are observed from the eyes of openness. For its visitors, Mindtrek offers high-quality presentations, networking with state-of-the-art companies, between future talents and makers, trends of the future, and experiences.
Koodikerho is an after school club for children, organized once a week, where they learn the basics of programming. COSS works as a coordinator for the community.
Avoinkoodi.fi website gathers together Finland’s public administration IT-projects with open source code that is published on the internet. The purpose of the site is to make finding information easier and to map working solutions. Open sourcecode is a benefit for public administration and taxpayers.
Roam.fi is an open and wireless broadband community, which makes it possible for its user to have fast and secure internet access no matter the location or time. By sharing its own access point, users can visit other users access points free of charge.
Avoin kunta is a movement started by COSS and its members to improve functioning and data handling of the municipalities. The movement includes products and services from strategy to improvement projects, everyday actions and service production.
10/2022 – 12/2023: Open MemoryLab project, funded by the European Union, goal is to determine what support the companies of the Finnish South Savo region would need for adoption and use of Open Source Software (OSS). The project aims to foster systematic uptake of OSS and innovation as well as to improve collaboration between the public sector and businesses.
Activities concluded by the end of 2023: EduCloud Alliance (ECA) is a project started by Finland’s Ministry of education and culture for implementing educational cloud service standard (EduCloud). The goal of the alliance is to build state level and aim to be an international ecosystem that connects users of educational services such as buyers, developers and service providers.
8/2016 – 12/2017: Data Driven Business (Datasta oivalluksia ja bisnestä) project strengthens companies’ innovation activities by utilizing data analytics and service shaping. In the project, a developed innovation platform is being used for information driven services developing for traveling and assisted living facilities for seniors. In addition the project prepares IT companies for future data- and service economy.
11/2015 – 12/2018: The Adaptable Learning Paths (Poluttamo – oma digipolku oppimiseen) project goal is to offer support for secondary school students for clarifying his/hers future, progressing with studies, and professional growing and developing. The project uses possibilities offered by digital footprints and studying analytics, visual personal studying plans, and equal mentoring and -counseling methods.
Membership
COSS has 50+ members from open source service providers and retailers from both public and private organizations deploying open source solutions and innovation models. Since 2014, it has been possible for private person to join COSS as a supporting member.
COSS provides its members with high-quality business and competence development services and represents a growing business community. COSS, for example publishes news related to the member organizations, give free consultation on licensing matters or a free, or a cut-price, admission to several events throughout the year.
Our members are at the heart of openness creating change.
The membership fee depends on the number of personnel in the member organization. If you would like to join the network and support the evolution of the business ecosystem, please contact Timo Väliharju or Linda Lehto for further information (firstname.lastname@coss.fi).
Contact us
Personal email adresses are format: firstname.lastname@coss.fi
Linda Lehto
Memberships, marketing & projects
linda.lehto@coss.fi
+358 45 7870 4772
info. +358 40 933 2565
Sini Kilpinen
Financial administration
sini.kilpinen@coss.fi
+358 40 649 2922
Laura Ylöstalo
Koodikerho project
laura.ylostalo@koodikerho.fi
Billing Information
Suomen avoimien tietojärjestelmien keskus – COSS ry
Business ID: 2447953-8
We will primarily receive e-invoices
e-invoice address: 003724479538
Broker ID: OKOYFIHH
PDF-invoices via email to talous@coss.fi
Paper invoices to
PL 35
33101 Tampere
Bank account, IBAN: FI32 5730 0820 5162 72
Address Information
Postal address:
COSS ry
PL 35
33101 Tampere, Finland
Visiting address:
Erkkilänkatu 11
33100 Tampere, Finland
