New University of Helsinki’s Entrepreneurship Programme, Journeys, Opens Call for Applications. Apply by 10 August!

 the Helsinki Incubators’ new intensive, four-month mentor-driven incubator programme is designed to help you transform your research, passion, or business concept into a venture with real growth potential and meaningful environmental or social impact. 

Building on three years of experience with other programmes, Journeys will be focused on the real hands-on work needed to build a venture that can actually succeed in the real world: validating your ideas in the market with real users, building and testing actual solutions, and getting your team’s skillset ready for the next step, whether that’s seeking funding, entering the market, or pivoting in a new direction. 

Through the programme’s lectures, workshops, and personalised support, your team will gain access to the tools, guidance, and networks you need to take your idea to the next level. Thanks to all this, and our strong ties with both Finnish and international companies and investors, the Journeys experience will be a greatly rewarding experience for any passionate would-be entrepreneur, offering you a range of opportunities for growth and development.

However, to ensure that your team has the best chances for real-world success  after the four-month programme, you will be expected to work hard throughout its duration, and in order to guide you away from common pitfalls, the Journeys mentors, experts, and staff will at times challenge you and your plans, asking you to make tough decisions about your idea and the direction to take it in.

As a multidisciplinary incubator, Journeys welcomes teams with clearly defined ideas from all fields looking to turn them into a venture, be it a startup aiming for global growth, or smaller, more traditional companies focusing on local impact. In addition to broader interdisciplinary entrepreneurship coaching, the programme’s specialisation tracks will offer more focused support tailored to meet the specialised needs of teams operating under certain themes. The thematic areas for this edition of Journeys will be Sustainability & Nature, Deep Tech & AI, and Social Impact.

The programme is free of charge, meaning that the invaluable collection of coaching and mentoring is available to anyone from the University, from bachelor’s and master’s students to PhD researchers, staff, and alumni. However, University affiliation isn’t a requirement, and anyone from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is welcome to apply.

By participating, bachelor’s and master’s students, as well as doctoral researchers, can earn 8 ECTS credits under the course code PHD-313.

Interested? ! Applications close at 23:59 on 10 August.

Check out or to see the kind of impact taking part in an incubators can have. And don’t forget to take a look at the key application details below:

Programme Schedule

Journeys runs for 16 weeks, from Monday 25 August to Wednesday 10 December. The programme is conducted in English and includes weekly or bi-weekly workshops along with regular mentoring. It’s divided into three phases:

• Bootcamp: In the opening phase, you’ll dive into core entrepreneurial skills, learning how to validate ideas, understand your users, and develop a business model with real growth potential. 
• Foundations: As you progress, this mid-phase helps you reinforce the essentials. You’ll sharpen your value proposition, clarify your direction, and gain confidence in your idea.
• Specialisation: In the final stage, you’ll focus on your chosen track. Whether it's Sustainability & Nature, Deep Tech & AI, or Social Impact, this phase gives you targeted mentoring, advanced workshops, and access to broader networks. 

Essential Application Criteria:

• A team of at least two members
• A short video (max 3 minutes) explaining what problem you're solving, how your idea stands out, and why your team should be selected
• A pitch deck or presentation showing what your team brings to the table
• A one-page document describing your solution, your team members, contact info, and a website (if available)

We’re not looking for polished pitches. We’re looking for people bold enough to ask, “What if we build something that creates real change?”

Application Process: 

Please fill out the by 10 August, 2025, 23:59. Teams that match the application criteria will be invited for an interview with the programme organisers and selected teams will be notified in due time before the programme starts.

Curious about Journeys? Got questions before applying? Then consider joining our upcoming info sessions. You’ll hear directly from the programme managers and incubator alumni. It’s a great chance to get answers and find out if Journeys is right for you.

Click the links below for more details and to register in advance:

Can’t make it? Feel free to reach out directly to our programme leads, they’ll be happy to help:

Mobile: +358 50 4389235

Mobile: +358 29 41 21201

Mobile: +358 50 309 1810