The history of Kites

Cultural differences and multilingualism have started to steal time in many work communities. Because of the global markets, people face bigger and bigger challenges in their companies. Dealing with foreign languages and cultures has become a close part of the ordinary working day. E-mails, Wiki applications, blogs, and social media have contributed to speeding up the process of change. This has led to many duties previously managed by language professionals being passed to others, for instance sales representatives, lawyers, accountants, and product managers. This is why the Kites Association was created.

The association is born

The first public appearance of the cluster took place at the closing seminar of the TEKES Fenix technology programme at the Wanha Satama exhibition centre in Helsinki on 24 April 2007.

The Kites Association was created to serve as the core and coordinator of the cluster. The association was officially established at Hotel Arthur in Helsinki on 20 June 2007.

The Kites cluster and the expertise centre programme were introduced at a personnel management fair in the Wanha Satama exhibition centre in Helsinki on 26–27 September 2007 together with five member companies at a shared stand.

The annual Kites Symposium is the main event arranged every autumn to serve as a strategy forum for service providers and customers operating within the field.

The DigiBusiness cluster programme, which is working in the Kouvola region and concentrating on digital contents, is an important driving force for both the Kites cluster and the Kites Association.