Juha Alakarhu, VP of Imaging, Axon

Tell us briefly about your background in Tampere, your career and your current work

I moved to Tampere in 1995 to study. After completing my doctoral thesis, I joined Nokia’s camera team in 2004. I have researched and developed different kinds of cameras for a few different companies in Tampere across my career, and my latest employer is an American company, Axon, with a team in Tampere responsible for their cameras. I feel privileged that I have always had the opportunity to play a role in camera innovation at the forefront of development, and as part of a brilliant team!

What did you especially appreciate at your own higher education institution?

High-quality teaching, especially in signal processing and software technology, has provided me with a solid basis for developing Tampere to become one of the best places in the world to develop cameras.

How would you describe Tampere as a city, what makes it special?

The tram and the tunnel. :) Just kidding. The best thing about Tampere is the spirit of solidarity and cooperation between people and companies. Perhaps Tampere is the perfect size to create a genuine feeling of togetherness.