Introducing Pathways, the University of Helsinki's interdisciplinary pre-incubator. In this two-month entrepreneurship programme, we will guide you through the fundamental steps and essential skills of idea development and company establishment in Finland. Your concept, no matter how broad, will receive dedicated support, ensuring it reaches a stage where you can confidently share it with the world.
The free of charge programme is designed for University students, researchers, staff and alumni from all faculties but anyone from the Helsinki metropolitan area with a keen interest on entrepreneurship is welcome to apply!
Joining the programme is easy — your product or service idea doesn't have to be polished; in fact, you might not even need one initially. You can apply with just a problem you'd like help in creating a solution to, or research you're interested in finding practical applications for.
For this edition of Pathways, we're introducing two tracks to Pathways: the Explorer track and the Builder track, which will provide varying levels of support depending on your ambition level, and where you want to be at after the 2-month programme.
Selecting a track is crucial to get the right level of support for your goals, so be sure to think about what you're hoping to get out of the programme prior to applying. But don't worry, no matter your choice, you'll still be part of the same Pathways community regardless of which track you pick, getting access to all the community, peer-support, and coworking opportunities Pathways is known for.
Based on research and our practical experience, startup ideas change quickly. A startup idea can evolve rapidly, undergoing as much change in a year as we mammals have gone through in the last 10 million years. Therefore, we are expecting to "kill" several ideas during the programme, come up with plenty of new ones, and see the evolution of the most promising ones into something that is truly viable in real-life situations. We are also expecting participants in the programme to actively work with one another and form new teams that have the capabilities of developing their ideas both during the programme and after. This is why it's important to remember that the idea you finish Pathways with may end up being very, very different to the one you'll be initially applying with.
Still, when applying, we encourage you to start with the idea that is closest to what you're passionate about or interested in right now.
Pathways will feature 2-3 lectures and workshops a week, depending on the track you choose, delving into the essentials of idea development, from big global trends to business plan creation, communications, teamwork (regardless of if you apply alone or as a team), and receiving feedback. Additionally, you'll have access to business coaches for insights, discussions, and answers, along with a multidisciplinary community of like-minded individuals to provide you with plenty of peer-support.
The call for Pathways 4 is now open! If you're interested in the programme, read on more in this page about the application criteria, programme outcomes and schedule, and other key information, and apply by 21 September!
At the end of Pathways, depending on which track you choose, you'll have completed several tasks and learned plenty of new skills, which will help you to choose which direction to continue your journey.
By completing the Explorer Track, you'll have...
By completing the Builder Track, you'll achieve everything in the Explorer track, as well as...
And of course, regardless of the track you choose, for those that make plenty of progress during the programme and are enthusiastic about continuing onwards to further develop their solution or business onwards, we recommend exploring our 4-month, mentor-driven incubator Journeys. With its thematic tracks around Deep Tech & AI, Nature & Sustainability, and Social Impact offering specialised, in-depth support and guidance, Journeys is a great place to keep up the momentum you'll build during Pathways and really turn that idea into a real business.
Pathways 4 will be held in-person and in English 1-3 times a week from 4 October to 8 December 2025, at various locations at the University of Helsinki's City Centre campus and other central locations. During the programme's two months, Pathways will primarily consist of expert-led lectures and workshops on a number of subjects, including goal-setting and time-management, defining your problem and ideating solutions, testing & piloting, establishing a business plan, and much, much more! You'll also get to connect with like-minded people (your fellow participants) in order to give and receive valuable peer support. All this is designed to help you get all the skills and expertise you'll need to refine your ideas, allow the best ones to reach their full potential, and reach whatever goals you've got in terms of entrepreneurship. The general structure of the programme is as follows:
Do note that you can attend all workshops regardless of which track you choose!
In addition to the regular sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to receive expert advice and sparring from the programme's phenomenal coaches, who are often leaders in their own walks of life.
We may also organise open events during the programme, with different themes and invited external participants. These events will count as workshops, since each open event will have their own learning and practice goals which will be reachable through discussion with the other open event participants.
At the end of the programme, we'll host a final showcase, where you'll get to reflect on your progress and present your idea to your fellow Pathways participants and possible guests, all in a festive spirit suitable for December.
SLUSH, one of the biggest startup conferences in the world, will be taking place during Pathways 4. Therefore, we will be having a break during SLUSH-week, from 17 to 21 November, but you'll still be given tasks to complete during the week. And while the conference itself is reserved to ticket holders only, Helsinki will have over 100 open side-events around town during SLUSH-week, including a few organised by the Helsinki Incubators. These side-events are a perfect chance to meet and network with like minded people in your field of interest that have come to Helsinki for the conference. Who knows the opportunities you'll find?
The call for Pathways 4 is now open! If you're interested in applying, read on for the application criteria, and apply using the link below by 21 September!
Although we recommend applying with a team of at least two to make sure you get the most out of the programme's workshops, we welcome applications from both individuals and teams, regardless of their affiliation with the University of Helsinki. Students, PhD researchers, post-docs, staff, alumni, and enthusiastic citizens are all equally welcome to apply and come create the change they want to see.
As the programme is aimed at early-stage teams and individuals, the only requirement for applying is to have one of the following:
To apply, please fill in the application linked below and be sure to include a document or video introducing your idea or problem. We recommend trying to define the problem that you are aiming to solve, what your solution (if you have one) is, and who it is for. The document can either be:
You will be applying to the programme with one idea, but keep in mind that it can change during the programme. We are also expecting people to join up and become team members, which means jumping to another idea, and to see ideas being dropped during the programme if and when they prove to be unfeasible. We encourage an open mindset and the capability to not just develop an idea, but to change it completely if necessary.
Note! You do not need to have registered a company to take part in the programme or have any previous experience of entrepreneurship. However, do keep in mind before applying that the programme is held in-person, and that attendance is required for successful completion of the programme.
Once we've received your application, we'll review it and invite you for an interview. You'll be notified in due time if you've been selected to take part in Pathways.
Pathways is organised by the University of Helsinki entrepreneurship services, the Helsinki Incubators, with support from experts and entrepreneurs who are passionate about supporting new founders & entrepreneurially curious minds. The organisers, coaches, and experts have years of practical experience in entrepreneurship, their own special skills, and non-profit associations which foster cooperations, opportunity creations, and personal development for their members. The programme's coaches will be with you for the whole programme, getting to know you and your idea and providing insights and guidance on how to develop your idea.
Helsinki Incubators also has a wide network in the startup and innovation space, and we will be able to connect you with specific advisors who can help you to find answers to the questions which may arise during the programme. Pathways will also have several coaches available for discussions and feedback. Our motto is “The more effort you put in to develop your idea, the more support we can give”. Nothing is more gratifying than seeing participants succeeding in their career as an entrepreneur or expert!
Curious about Pathways? Still have some questions you'd like to ask before you apply? Want to hear more about the programme to find out if it's the right place for you?
Then consider attending one of the Pathways info sessions during the call! You'll be able to get answers to all of your questions related to the programme directly from the Pathways programme manager and coaches, as well as hear alumni from previous incubator programmes talk about their experiences, and find out how you can take part in Pathways.
The info sessions are:
If you're interested in joining one of the sessions, sign up using the links below!
For bachelor's or master's degree students:
Participating in the programme can be registered in Sisu under the course code PHD-312 for a total of 5 ECTS. Please request a certificate of attendance upon the completion of the incubator programme, and contact uhds-office@helsinki.fi for the registration of the credits.
Students must then co-ordinate with their degree programme to include these credits into their degree. It is advised to check with the degree programme beforehand if the credits can be included into the degree, and under what section.
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Services does not guarantee that credits can be included in all degrees.
For Doctoral Researchers:
Participating in a pre-incubator programme can be included in your transferable skills studies under the course code PHD-312 for a total of 5 ECTS. Please request a certificate of attendance upon completion of the pre-incubator programme, and contact uhds-office@helsinki.fi for credits registration.
Questions? Please contact
+358 29 41 21207