Their main research focus is on governance and societal innovation for the development of a democratic and environmentally sustainable society.

[3] Internationally, Demos Helsinki remains one of Finland's most prominent advocates of social change, receiving regular coverage from notable English-language newspapers, including The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Economist.

[4][5][6][7] Demos Helsinki was founded in 2005 to conduct research for the Finnish innovation fund Sitra about the future of public services and quality of life in Finland.

At their annual conference in 2013, the World Resources Forum crowned Demos Helsinki's ideas for a resource-sustainable economy the best presentation in the Sustainable Business and Industry category.

[20][9] Their collaboration is aimed at improving the societal impacts of Paris's public transport infrastructure, whilst decreasing its environmental footprint.