William tries out virtual reality Hercules plane at Finnish tech festival
The Duke of Cambridge has taken a tour of a virtual cockpit as he met tech start-ups at a global festival in Helsinki.
William first listened to former US vice president and environmental campaigner Al Gore, who gave an impassioned speech to open the Splash event and called on delegates to become recruits for the "sustainability revolution".
Day 2 of The Duke's visit to Finland kicks of at the opening ceremony of @SlushHQ - Europe's largest annual technology event which celebrates startups and tech talent.#RoyalVisitFinland#Slush17pic.twitter.com/lm8Ot7ST1v
-- Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 30, 2017
From the quirky to the cutting edge, @SlushHQ was founded by Helsinki students in 2008 and now attracts around 20,000 people each year. #Finland100#Slush17pic.twitter.com/5untDDoio5
-- Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 30, 2017
In a vast arena that was darkly lit and had a nightclub atmosphere, the duke toured the stands showcasing the work of young entrepreneurs networking with potential investors.
Splash has grown from a few hundred people attending the gathering to a two-day festival attracting thousands of business people from across the world.
The Duke tests out Finnish startup @Varjodotcom VR Goggle's which create the experience of floating in space. #RoyalVisitFinland#Slush17#Finland100pic.twitter.com/kvEy1E27nr
-- Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 30, 2017
Urho Konttori, chief executive of a tech company just 15 months old, gave William a pair of virtually reality goggles to try on.
His company has recreated the cockpit of a Hercules transport plane and the duke marvelled at the digital world created around him as he looked left and right.
Mr Konttori said: "The prince said it was absolutely amazing and he joked that everyone will be a pilot soon because they can get access to proper training."