We hope you had a great summer and time to rest and refresh your brain. Perhaps you even came up with a great idea that you want to develop into a business. Or maybe you already have a business and need some help moving it forward. Luckily you are in the right place because Helsinki is now the center of incubation activities for almost any industry you can think of.
Most incubators are batch-based programs lasting from several weeks to several months that help you at the very first steps of developing your idea or an early-stage business. They offer personalized mentoring, coaching, training on essential business subjects, networks and communities, and sometimes even funding!
So if you feel that you could do with a bit of help, here is a list of all the incubators in the Helsinki region that now have an open call and are free to participate. Just head over to the website of the incubator that matches your current needs and press that apply button!
Aalto Digital Creatives
Aalto Digital Creatives is a pre-incubation program for the creative industries. No previous business experience is necessary, but your idea needs to be inspired by:
- new methods and formats for audiovisual storytelling,
- technology-enhanced art, design, and entertainment,
- augmentation of human creativity through computational methods,
- creation of novel interactive experiences,
- or any other creative and digital concept.
Apply by 11 September 2022 here: https://digitalcreatives.aalto.fi/
Urban Tech Helsinki
Urban Tech Helsinki is an incubator for clean and sustainable urban solutions. They help you turn your business idea into a growth-oriented startup that focuses on solving the challenges of modern cities. It is also a great community with the possibility to test your solution in the City of Helsinki.
Apply by 28 August 2022 here: https://urbantechhelsinki.fi/
ESA BIC Finland
Are you a huge fan of sci-fi and have an idea to help us get where no one has gone before? Then the space tech incubator ESA BIC Finland is for you. Not only do they offer business support and relevant networks, but you can even get funding for turning your idea into a reality!
You can apply any time, but hurry if you want to join the Fall batch: https://esabic.fi/
NEXUS
NEXUS is a Helsinki University-based incubator for researchers, innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs in the field of AI & Deep Tech with answers to society’s sustainability-related wicked problems. The program will help you create a scalable and fundable start-up based on real innovation.
Apply by 2 September 2022 here: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/networks/helsinki-incubators/incubators/nexus-deep-tech-ai-sustainability
SÄRÖ/FRACTURE
The greatest changes start from the tiniest systemic fractures. SÄRÖ/FRACTURE is a pre-incubator for all of us who want to change society and its institutions for the better and investigate just how great of an impact even the smallest of ideas can have. If your idea is in the fields of Society, Education, Communities & Law, then SÄRÖ is the place for you.
Apply from 28 August to 25 September 2022 here: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/networks/helsinki-incubators/pre-incubators/sarofracture-society-education-communities-law
Terkko Health X
The health industry needs innovative solutions — is your team the one to provide them? Terkko Health X is a pre-incubator program for health and life sciences that will help you build up the right skills and capabilities to take your health and life science concept into the market.
Apply from 15 August to 11 September here: https://terkko.fi/x/
LGIN Game Incubation Track
LGIN Game Incubation Track is a structured program for early-stage game teams and companies. In addition to fun and games, you’ll get shared office space, community, coaching, and monthly workshops.
The application will open in Fall 2022 here: https://www.lgin.fi/game-incubation/
(Re-)StartUp
All of the programs mentioned above run in the English language. However, if you feel that your business English skills are not too strong and you’d like to get support in Finnish, then Haaga-Helia’s (Re-)StartUp Incubator is for you. Any industry and any stage of the business are accepted; the important criterium is that you want to develop something in your business and welcome personalized coaching.
Apply by 31 August 2022 here: https://www.haaga-helia.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/uutiset/startup-schoolin-esihautomo-ohjelma-jatkuu-syksylla-2022
Turbiini
Metropolia’s Turbiini Incubator is another program where you can get business support in the Finnish language and even get study credits if you are a student. Check out and apply to their Fall 2022 programs here: https://turbiini.metropolia.fi/kampushautomo/
Impact Studio
If you missed an application deadline or did not get accepted, no worries! AVP’s Impact Studio is an incubation program with ongoing acceptance. Apply any time, and get in! The Studio doesn’t have any strict application criteria either, so you can be sure to be accepted.
Impact studio is:
- a community of like-minded people interested in sustainability and entrepreneurship and eager to share with and support their peers
- an online self-paced program that teaches you the essentials of entrepreneurship via a set of practical tasks to complete
- an ongoing curation of ecosystem players, organizations, events, programs, funding calls, and seminars that you should know about and that can help you to take your idea forward
The Studio can also support you while engaging with another incubator or even before applying to a batch-based incubator to prepare you better for the selection.
Apply any time here: https://avp.aalto.fi/impact-studio/
If you don’t have an idea or business yet to incubate, you can still develop your business and self-management skills via AVP courses, such as Startup Experience, Good Life Engine, or the newest addition SDGs as Entrepreneurial Business Opportunities. All university students need entrepreneurial skills. That doesn’t mean that every student needs to become an entrepreneur, but the skills and mindsets of successful entrepreneurs are beneficial to everyone. Anyone can be a builder. We’re here to help you find your tools.
Good luck with your applications!
P.S. Before applying to any incubator, make sure to read our blog post about what to do first: https://avp.aalto.fi/making-the-most-of-accelerators-before-the-program/
