Launched in 2022 by the University of Helsinki with backing from the City of Helsinki, the Helsinki Incubators has been an ambitious project at the University: to build from scratch a full suite of entrepreneurship services and programmes dedicated to encouraging and supporting university community members to explore entrepreneurship and set up their own businesses.
Now, some three years after the start of the programmes, the Helsinki Incubators has reached a milestone worth celebrating: 100 new companies registered by programme participants. This milestone is a testament to how the Helsinki Incubators community has grown and thrived, with hundreds of University students, researchers, staff members, and alumni having gone through idea-stage pre-incubator and more advanced incubator programmes.
“This milestone is a testament to the drive of our founders and community members, the valuable guidance of our mentors, and the support our brilliant incubator team is able to provide the University community,” said Irina Blomqvist, Head of the Helsinki Incubators.
“It is also proof of the entrepreneurial drive that exists among members of the university community, with each new company reflecting the deep knowhow, courage, and vision of the people behind it,” Blomqvist continued. “These ambitious founders are determined to create real-world impact by finding practical applications for their passion, research, or expertise with the help of entrepreneurship, and we couldn’t be happier to have been a part of their journeys.”
A diverse community and wide range of startups
As a platform for the creation of university-born startups, the Helsinki Incubators has been fostering a diverse community of doers. Of the 600+ teams that have taken part in the programmes since 2022, nearly 60% had a female founder, nearly 70% had international members, and roughly one third involved University of Helsinki researchers. This diversity in participant backgrounds, reflective of the University ecosystem more broadly, has led to a wide range of startups being born.
From small researcher-led consultancies providing deep subject-matter expertise, to community well-being oriented organisations, to science-backed projects aiming for global impact, the Helsinki Incubators has been focused on promoting the kind of entrepreneurship that aligns with the University’s values of truth, bildung, freedom, and inclusivity.
Examples of startups include ReMinded, a growth company well covered by Finnish media seeking to help with mental health started by master's student Annika Lundström, or Seatom, an ambitious venture founded by doctoral researcher Roope Marttila leading a Business Finland funded consortium seeking to decarbonise freight shipping and cement Finland’s status as a leader in next generation shipbuilding.
Other picks from the 100 established companies include Sustafe, founded by post-doctoral researcher Kashif Muhammad, which aims to make research laboratories safer and more sustainable; Kwizie, a learning tool co-developed by alumni and former educator Chris Petrie; and DoraCollar, a pet health monitoring device company founded by student Max Ahonen and alumni Anmol Kumar, which was featured on Finland’s version of the popular TV show Shark Tank.
“A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey, we couldn’t have done it without you,” Blomqvist said, before concluding “here’s to the next 100 companies shaping a more innovative and sustainable future!”