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Startup Call invites new businesses and founders to set up base in Turku, Finland (Sponsored)

Turku Business Region is spearheading a programme to invite international startups to set up business in Southwest Finland. As part of the Startup Call, innovative startups will be able to take part in a 3-month programme and get support to make their startup hub.

Growing a startup isn’t an easy task, it requires grit, guts and determination. One thing that can make the difference, is choosing the right location. Europe is a thriving hub of startup activity and the Nordic region is a key player in fueling innovation.

Now, thanks to Startup Call, organised by Turku Business Region, you have the chance to set up startup roots in Finland. The city of Turku, located in the southwest of the country, has a lot to offer international talent. People who have moved there often talk about the attractive business environment, clean nature, good education opportunities, and relaxed work-life balance as their reasons for settling down in the region.

Startup Call Turku

Organised by Turku Business Region, Startup Call invites international startups to participate in an intensive three-month cost-free programme that highlights the advantages provided by the startup ecosystem in Turku and Finland.

Applying for the Startup Call programme is now open! Apply here for a #talentboost! 

The application period closes on 31 May, when an expert jury will select the teams that will be offered the opportunity to develop their business on-site in Turku. At the core of the three-month programme lies the local BusinessUp acceleration programme.  

SparkUp Community Manager Elias Savonlahti from Turku Business Region: “BusinessUp is an accelerator programme where early-stage startups receive eight weeks of guidance, support and contacts to get their businesses off the ground. The intensive coaching sharpens the business idea and crystallises the value proposition of the startup or aspiring team. Each team also has its own mentor.”

At the end of the accelerator programme, startups get to present their ideas to investors.

This is in addition to:

  • A workshop course on Finnish entrepreneurship
  • Startup and networking events
  • A workspace in the city’s high-tech cluster
  • Support with accommodation arrangements.

During the programme, international teams will have ample opportunities to get to know the support network of the local startup ecosystem and to build their own networks to kickstart their businesses. 

Turku: Gateway to the West

Turku has been establishing itself as a hive of activity in recent years, able to support and nurture up-and-coming startups and innovations. It benefits from a cultural appetite for entrepreneurship and innovation, good education opportunities and a work-life balance that prioritises wellbeing alongside success. It offers easy access not only to the rest of Finland but also to the West.

The region is on the hunt for new talent to ensure its economic growth continues, and for that, it’s looking internationally.

The competition for tech talent is fierce around the world. Both the Startup Call programme and the participating startups will bring great benefits to Turku and Finland by guiding new ideas and brave entrepreneurs to the region. The programme provides an opportunity to try out ground-breaking ideas that might be difficult, or even impossible, to implement without a strong support network. 

Megumi Hayashi, Specialist of Internationalisation Services at Turku Science Park Ltd: “We look forward to receiving Startup Call applications from innovative teams to whom we are pleased to showcase our region’s startup landscape. Many BusinessUp alumni are already well-established in Turku and have grown their businesses internationally from this home base. The programme is a win-win situation: participating teams get guidance and support, while the Turku startup community gets new entrants.”

ModularGreen: A Turku tale of success

In 2021, Samat Serimbetov, originally from Kazakhstan and previously living in Malaysia, moved to Turku together with his family. Once there, he got into the local business community, found out about Startup Call, and became the first entrepreneur to take part.

Business is business anywhere in the world, but there are always new things to learn when establishing a company in a new country and a new market. Taking part in the programme, Samat was able to get access to a workspace, support from the business community, chances to learn, and, a personal mentor.

Startup Call is like a shortcut to networking in a new business environment.”

His startup, ModularGreen, focuses on solving problems of food insecurity in the Nordic Countries. It develops self-sustained modular greenhouses, which will enable year-round production of fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish using an aquaponics system, pyrolysis heater, and solar energy.

Since taking part, GreenModular has been given a boost to kickstart the journey, and the future looks bright. Currently, Samat is looking for a place to set up a pilot project to demonstrate how a self-sustained, modular greenhouse works in practice, has been introduced to different partners and investors, and has been able to clarify the company’s growth strategy.

“For me as an experienced entrepreneur, this program gives a refreshed, updated view on the new approaches, tools, and techniques available.”

You could have a similar story. Apply here today for a #talentboost!

The application deadline is 31st May. The applications are evaluated by BusinessUp experts, and the winning teams will be announced in mid-June. The BusinessUp kick-off is on 24th September. The teams are expected to arrive in Turku around 15th September for the orientation and getting settled.

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Patricia Allen
Patricia Allen
is the Head of Content at EU-Startups. With a background in politics, Patricia has a real passion for how shared ideas across communities and cultures can bring new initiatives and innovations for the future. She spends her time bringing you the latest news and updates of startups across Europe, and curating our social media.
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