Key talking points
- Service design & data-driven innovation – Eliisa has led projects at the EU level, working on data utilization, regulations, and AI-driven service design across multiple industries, including transport and logistics.
- Being the head judge at Grand One 2025 – Eliisa will evaluate groundbreaking digital projects, with a focus on accessibility, AI, service development, and data innovation.
- Accessibility & AI in design – Eliisa highlights the importance of the European Accessibility Act and AI’s growing role in shaping user experiences.
- Eliisa's key role in Virtual Port Arrival (VPA) – Eliisa led a pioneering project that reduces CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption in shipping through data-driven collaboration. The solution has the potential to cut emissions by 24%, translating to €45 million in annual fuel savings in Finland alone. The project was nominated as a key initiative in the Global Green Shipping Challenge at the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference.
Beyond service design, Eliisa has been deeply involved in data space and data utilization projects, particularly at the EU level. She was just recently honored to share her ideas at the Data Spaces Symposium 2025, invited by OECD, where she talked about data space business models and the role of public policies. For more context, visit → Data Spaces Symposium Program.
She has worked alongside international stakeholders to advance European regulations and drive innovation in data-driven ecosystems. With projects spanning multiple industries—including transport and logistics—her impact extends far beyond digital service design.
Now, Eliisa is taking on a new challenge, both as one of the head judges for Grand One 2025, Finland’s premier digital design and creativity competition, and as a service manager in the healthcare sector as part of a new project.
Eliisa on being a head judge at Grand One
The previous year was very dynamic for me. Organizing SDGC24 was definitely a highlight. It was amazing to see the global service design community come together and exchange ideas. And now, being selected as a head judge for Grand One 2025 feels like a great way to cap off the year. It’s an exciting time for digital creativity in Finland.
Katariina Harteela (left) and Eliisa Sarkkinen are the main judges of the next Grand One competition.
Photo: Valtteri Kantanen
At Grand One, I will join my fellow head judge, Katariina Harteela, Creative Lead at Reaktor Creative, to evaluate groundbreaking digital projects across 20 categories. The categories I’ll be judging—Service Development and Design, Data and Innovation, Best Use of Data, and Best Use of Data and Technology—highlight how data and AI are becoming key drivers of digital transformation. AI-powered solutions are reshaping industries, from improving customer experiences to optimizing operations. I’m eager to see how teams are leveraging AI and data in ways that are not just innovative but also ethical, responsible, and human-centered.
On new categories at Grand One: Accessible Digital Service and Best Freelancer Work
This year’s competition introduces some exciting new categories, like Most Accessible Digital Service and Best Freelancer Work, reflecting how the industry continues to evolve. Accessibility, in particular, is close to my heart because it’s about creating better digital experiences for everyone. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which will be fully implemented by 2025, is a major milestone. It aligns with the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and pushes businesses to embrace "Design for All" principles.
Grand One has always been a showcase of cutting-edge digital work, and I expect this year to be no different. It’s an exciting time to be involved in the competition!
I’m excited to judge all the categories. AI, UX, and strategic design playing a bigger role in digital projects than ever before. I’ve been involved in AI-driven projects, and I’m fascinated by how AI and data are shaping the next generation of digital services. Seeing how teams use these technologies in creative and meaningful ways will be a highlight of the competition.
On the Virtual Port Arrival initiative
I see service design as a strategic enabler that drives transformation across services, processes, ecosystems, data-sharing, and digital holistic solutions, aligning stakeholders to create meaningful and lasting impact. Essentially, it’s a melting pot of existing disciplines and principles, offering a fresh approach to improving our daily lifes.
The Virtual Port Arrival (VPA) project is a good example here. It showcases the transformative power of service design and collaboration. Led by Siili Solutions, in partnership with Fintraffic and around 30 key maritime stakeholders, VPA aims to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption in shipping through data-driven collaboration and strategic design.
The maritime industry faces immense pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. The "hurry to wait" phenomenon, where vessels rush to ports only to wait for an available berth, contributes significantly to unnecessary fuel consumption and emissions. VPA addresses this inefficiency by integrating data from port operators, shipping companies, and traffic management systems to share accurate, real-time information. This helps optimize vessel speed and arrival times, eliminating idle waiting time and reducing emissions. To enable this we created a contractual framework to support the change.
The results proven by ESL shipping, Port of Oxelösund, SSAB and Yara, have been remarkable. ESL has tested the idea for some time already and according to trials, VPA has achieved a 24% reduction in CO2 emissions and a 20% reduction in energy consumption. In Finland alone, changing the process and using VPA for a year would save over €45 million in fuel costs and emissions trading expenses, eliminating more than 135,000 metric tons of CO2—the equivalent of over 230,000 round-trip flights between Helsinki and Munich.
What could this be when scaled globally? I truly hope this inspires the maritime ecosystem to change their operations together which is the only way to create the savings for all.
This project aligns with the European Gaia-X data space initiative and contributes to global sustainability goals. The Virtual Port Arrival project has garnered significant attention and was nominated as a key initiative in the Global Green Shipping Challenge at the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference. Also, as part of the Green Shipping Challenge at COP27, VPA has set a new benchmark for how service design can drive impactful and sustainable change in industries.
I led the project as the Delivery Lead and Lead Business and Service Designer for VPA. My role was to unite stakeholders across the maritime ecosystem, integrating data, business, legal, and strategic design to ensure the project’s success. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to see how collaboration and service design principles can create such impactful solutions.
But this wouldn’t have been possible without the expertise and dedication of the Siili team: Andrea Vianello (Lead Service & UX Designer), Timo Kostamo (Principal Consultant, Lead Data Architect), Sabine Nieminen (UX & UI Designer), Ivo Kinnunen (Software Developer), and Teijo Aliranta (Lead Data Architect, Data Space project).
What can we expect from you in 2025, both professionally and personally?
Professionally, I’m looking forward to continuing my work in leading the business and service design team at Siili and contributing to meaningful projects. Being part of Grand One 2025 will undoubtedly inspire new ideas and directions. Supporting others succeed has always been important to me at work and also on my free time as the Head of Service Design Network Finland.
Personally, I hope to carve out more time for adventure. I like taking some time on my own and do things that bring me balance. I’ve always felt drawn to the sea and in winter, you’ll find me downhill skiing. Beyond that, time with friends and family is really important to me. I’m a mother of two teenagers, and I love to be present in their lives. And when I want some cozy moments or energy, I turn to music. I also play the cello, which has been a part of my life for years. I have really lovely colleagues at work and the design community at Siili is important to me.
About
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Eliisa Sarkkinen Business and Service Design Team Lead at Siili Solutions |
Eliisa Sarkkinen is the Business and Service Design Team Lead at Siili Solutions and the Head of Service Design Network Finland. With a deep expertise in service design, strategy, and user-centered innovation, she helps organizations create impactful and sustainable solutions. At Siili, Eliisa leads teams in designing seamless digital experiences that bridge business goals with human needs. Her passion lies in facilitating cross-disciplinary collaboration and integrating AI-driven service design to enhance customer and employee experiences. Beyond her professional work, Eliisa is passionate about mentorship, design leadership, and driving the future of service design in Finland.