A free public Wi-Fi network will open in Helsinki in the beginning March, reports Helsingin Sanomat today. The network will cover the cafés and boutiques around the central Esplanadi park.

This good news to anyone wishing to access the internet wirelessly in Helsinki, where free Wi-Fi is practically nonexistent. In a surprising departure from the open access approach of neighboring cities Turku, Tampere, and Tallinn, the mayor of Helsinki has taken a stand against open wireless networks.

The open network is the accomplishment of a private individual, former Nokia CEO Kalle Isokallio, who grew frustrated with Helsinki’s Wi-Fi aversion. Isokallio funds the operation together with a restaurant chain and Fujitsu.

“I wanted to show that this can be built as a one-man operation. It’s not a question of money, it’s a question of will”, Isokallio is quoted saying.

Ulla and I are both speaking at the Mobtagging workshop, organized by Mediamatic in Amsterdam today and tomorrow. Ulla will also deliver an open lecture on the Crafter Manifesto tonight at 8pm.

Paul Fisher compared VC funding for Web 2.0 startups in the U.S. and Europe. As one would assume Europe lags behind, but the discrepancy he reports is pretty startling:

In 2005, US-based Web2.0 companies reported raising £200mn whilst European businesses raised just £24mn.

This is in line with my anecdotal experience. A local entrepreneur / angel investor friend of mine recently asked a number of the local VCs if they’re getting much Web 2.0 dealflow. The major VC firm said they hadn’t received any business plans.

Fisher ends on a positive note, though:

Frequently, we see European VC software investment trends trailing the US by anywhere from 3 – 12 months. I’m pretty excited by the range of European Web2.0 entrepreneurs that I’m meeting today. I also know there are some interesting deals currently “in process” at many VC houses. I’m looking forward to seeing the European numbers catch-up.

Again, my anecdotal experience from recent Euro events (DLD, LIFT) suggests there are some cool startups in the process of landing VC investment. Perhaps characteristically of Europe, they seem to have more of a mobile angle.