Pirita Ihamäki

Pirita Ihamäki, Ph.D., M.Sc is a Principal Lecturer in Innovation Management at Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), within the School of Industrial Engineering. She is leading Metaverse and Virtual World RDI team at School of Industrial Engineering. 

Dr. Ihamäki is a recognized authority in applied metaverse and virtual world technologies, specializing in innovation processes within metaverse environments and emerging technology platforms. Her expertise includes leveraging user experience design to develop advanced metaverse applications and creating innovative, sustainable digital business models. her work spans digital platforms, next-generation innovation ecosystems, and immersive virtual environments. Dr. Ihamäki also actively supports startup activities and entrepreneurial development around metaverse and virtual world ecosystems.

She applies futures research methodologies — such as scenario workshops – together with customer-driven, human-centred design approach in product and service development. In addition, she contributes to the developments of new research methods for exploring the metaverse and other emerging technologies environments.

With over 20 years of experience in various developmental roles across organizations, Dr. Ihamäki has honed her expertise in building innovation processes and ecosystems. Her goal is to bring together innovation management experts globally, who support SMEs in their innovation processes, technological advancements, and the emergence of radical innovations.

Dr. Ihamäki's research focuses on leadership and value creation in developing European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH). Her work emphasizes dilemma-based decision-making as a driver of innovation, integrating dynamic capability thinking. This research supports SMEs in their digital transformation and AI adoption, advancing the objectives of the Digital Europe program. Her work provides strategic tools for decision-makers, ecosystem leaders, and businesses. By applying dynamic capability leadership and dilemma theory, she brings new perspectives to building sustainable innovation ecosystems and value-creating leadership within EDIH networks.

🔹 Innovation Management | Digital Innovation Ecosystems | Co-creation | Cross-border Collaboration 
🔹 Sustainable Business Models | Open Innovation | Innovation Processes | Service Design 
🔹 Radical Digital Innovations | Metaverse | XR-Reality | Virtual World I Digital Twin I Human Digital Twin

🔹 Innovation Management | Digital Innovation Ecosystems | Co-creation | Cross-border Collaboration 
🔹 Sustainable Business Models | Open Innovation | Innovation Processes | Service Design 
🔹 Radical Digital Innovations | Digital Product Passport | Smart Cities | Metaverse

A4 Ihamäki, P, & Kaivo-Oja, J. (2024) Dynamic Capacities and Value Creation in Digital Innovation Ecosystems: An Empirical Study of European EDIHs, In ISPIM Innovation Symposium, (pp.1-23). The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM), 2024.

A4 Ihamäki, P & Kaivo-Oja, J. (2024) E-learning and Lifelong Learning Organizational Issues: Critical Success Factors as Identified by SME Practitioner’s Ensure Economic Growth in Europe, FICC 2024 Berlin, Germany.

A4 Ihamäki, P. & Koivisto, S. (2023) Digital “Hack Your Future” Event as Approach to Support Entrepreneurial Capacity of Students Through the Design Thinking Process. The IAFOR International Conference on Education in Hawaii 2023 Official Conference Proceedings.

A4 Heljakka, K., Lamminen, A., Ihamäki, P. (2021) A Model for Enhancing Emotional Literacy through Playful Learning with a Robot Dog, In Proc. of the International Conference on Electrical, Computer, Communications and Mechatronics Engineering (ICECCME), 7-8 October 2021, Mauritus.

A3 Ihamäki P., Heljakka K. (2021) Internet of Toys and Forms of Play in Early Education: A Longitudinal Study of Preschoolers’ Toy-Based Learning Experiences. In: (eds.) Holloway D., Willson M., Murcia K., Archer C., Stocco F. (2021) Young Children’s Rights in a Digital World. Children’s Well-Being: Indicators and Research, vol 23. pp. 193–204, Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65916-5_15

A1 Ihamäki, P & Heljakka, P. (2021) Robot Pets as ”Serious Toys” - Activating Social and Emotional Experiences of Elderly People, In Special Issue: Social Robotics Business and Computing, Information Systems Frontiers, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-021-10175-z

A3 Heljakka, K. & Ihamäki, P. (2021) Toy tourism: from Travel Bugs to characters with wanderlust. In (Eds.) Nicky van Es, Stijn Reinders, Leonike Bolderman and Abby Waysdorf (2021) Locating Imagination in Popular Culture, Place, Tourism and Belonging, 183–199, Roudledge Taylor & Francis Group. https://urly.fi/290q

A4 Ihamäki, P. & Heljakka, K. (2021) Developing Interactive Company Presentations in the 3D Glue Virtual Reality Environments: A Collaborative Educational Approach, In Proceedings of the AHFE 2021 Virtual Conference on Usability and User Experience, Human Factors and Wearable Technologies, Human factors in virtual Environments and Game Design, and Human Factors and Assistive Technology, July 25–29, 2021, 185-196, USA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80091-8_22

A4 Heljakka, K. & Ihamäki, P. (2020) Internet of Art – Exploring Mobility, AR and Connectedness in geocaching through a Collaborative Art Experience, In FTC 2020 – Future Technologies Conference, 5–6.11.2020, Ottawa, Canada. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63089-8_18

A4 Heljakka, K., Ihamäki, P. and Lamminen, A. (2020) Playing with the opposite of uncanny: Empathic responses to Learning with a Companion–Technology Robot Dog vs. Real Dog, In CHI PLAY 2020, 2–4.11.2020 Ottawa, Canada. https://doi.org/10.1145/3383668.3419900