“Helsinki aims is to be one of Europe’s most attractive locations for innovation in business. We want to offer startups in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area long-term support to achieve growth in this challenging economic situation,” says Timo Helenius, Service Manager at the City of Helsinki.
Business Helsinki Accelerator supports startups and teams in the incubation and acceleration phases that have progressed beyond the conceptual development of a product or service. The aim is to provide long-term support and personal coaching to companies aiming for international growth. The service also offers personalised coaching to startups that are yet to meet the criteria for actual acceleration coaching.
The participants receive support from the city for building a team, planning business growth and applying for funding
The companies participating in Business Helsinki Accelerator are given a personal and experienced business adviser to support them. The participants also receive support from the city for building a team, planning business growth and applying for funding, among other things. In addition to personal coaching, Business Helsinki Accelerator offers extensive networking opportunities with investors and other innovative entrepreneurs.
The aim of the customised and long-term coaching is to develop the startups’ business skills and improve their chances of survival in a more challenging economic environment.
Helsinki region’s startup ecosystem thriving in international comparison
Supporting growth companies and helping them succeed also attracts domestic and foreign investment capital, talent and other growth companies to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.
Therefore, Business Helsinki Accelerator also serves foreign startups, some of which are thinking of moving to Helsinki. Multinational teams account for around 50% of the regularly coached customers.
Business Helsinki Accelerator was established in December 2020. So far, it has already served around 500 companies or teams, about 160 of which received regular personal coaching last year. The accelerator has been a success so far as the customer companies have raised more than €15 million in external funding during the coaching.
Helsinki has an internationally attractive ecosystem for startups in an even broader context. For example, in the Global Startup Ecosystem report published in summer 2022, Helsinki ranked among the top four urban regions in Europe in terms of the size and performance of their startup ecosystem based on the value of funding and corporate sales. The GSER report is the most comprehensive and widely read startup study in the world.
How to join Business Helsinki Accelerator:
All startups in Helsinki can join the services and programme of Business Helsinki Accelerator at any time.
Book an appointment with a business adviser at Business Helsinki website or send an email to startup@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program). Please include your contact details in the email and briefly describe the stage of your business and what kind of support you hope to get from the programme.
Business Helsinki Accelerator offers entrepreneurs:
- Regular coaching sessions with experienced personal business advisers
- Help in validating your problem/solution fit
- Support for preparing a growth plan and choosing a business model
- Introduction to early-stage funding possibilities
- Access to Helsinki ecosystem services and a wide range of testbeds
- Opportunities to network with investors, industry experts and other entrepreneurs
The article was originally published in Yritystä Stadiin magazine on April 28, 2023.