"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." – Maya Angelou
Priska Niemi-Sampan is a social psychologist (VTM) and the co-founder of Mixed Finns.
Mixed Finns is a nationwide community that serves mixed race Finnish people by providing peer support and increasing awareness about antiracism in Finland. Their goal is to increase knowledge about antiracism in Finland by widening the Finnish identity (especially amongst third culture Finnish persons and youth), increasing vocabulary and discussion about antiracist themes in the Finnish context, creating safe spaces for racialised people in Finland and engaging diverse Finnish populations. Some of the association's work includes:
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Priska has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
1. From idea to action
2. Building a brand
3. Creating a community for minorities
4. Academics to action (how to use your academic knowledge in activism and communications)
"You are a negotiator. Every day."
Semih Ersöz the CEO at Sopu Academy, an edtech company focusing on improving negotiation skills of young people and adults. Founded in 2021, Sopu Academy has collaborated with learners and educational institutions in 9 countries. Prior to Sopu, Semih has worked with hundreds of startups as a mentor and advisor. He has also designed training programs for startups, as well as high school and university students.
In his free time, he likes to dance Argentinian tango, go for hikes, and cycle.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Semih has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
Semih has experience in marketing, business development and project management, and would be happy to support entrepreneurs in areas relevant to his experience. In addition to that, he's able to help entrepreneurs with their everyday negotiations with their partners, employees, customers and investors.
"Curiosity and an open mind take you a long way"
Juuli Hilska is a sociologist with a passion to drive a human-centric approach in business and technology environments. She thrives in innovative environments driven by the curiosity of understanding human behavior and ambition to look into the future.
Currently, she works as a consultant at Noren solving strategic questions with research and co-design methods for clients in Finland and abroad. Her professional experience includes working for NGOs, public sector and academia, as well as for technology companies and doing freelance consulting in the private sector.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Juuli has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
The best way to predict the future is to create it
-Peter Drucker
Ira Stening identifies herself as an entrepreneur, growth minded mentor and a practitioner of strategic foresight to build resilient teams and organisations for environments characterised by VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous). Her 20+ year-long professional background has been spent with multinational corporations in the construction, telecommunications and energy sectors on topics relating to strategic competitiveness and she has held various roles ranging from Market Analyst to Corporate Director and Vice President.
As a practitioner of strategic foresight she has worked with Nordic, European and North-American clients leading projects in the domains of higher education, science, research, energy, infrastructure and public service. Recent themes include Futures of Work, Futures of Education, Coupling of geopolitics and technologies and lastly, virtual worlds. She values the opportunity to mentor startup founders and their boards on growth and a sustained competitive edge as she finds it energising and a platform of additional learning and inspiration.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Juuli has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
"The ultimate, hidden truth of the world is that it is something that we make, and could just as easily make differently." – David Graeber
Sakari Mesimäki is a social anthropologist studying how people are trying to change the world through startup entrepreneurship, in a context where many have lost faith in more traditional types of civic engagement (such as through politics) and where the social role of entrepreneurship has expanded to solving environmental and social problems as a primary goal. He has spent about a year in the Finnish startup ecosystem, hanging out at events, doing numerous interviews and getting involved with some startups as well. His research also included a stint at the state's investing company Tesi.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Sakari has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
While Sakari does not identify an entrepreneur, he has developed some knowledge and networks related to entrepreneurship in general and impact entrepreneurship in particular, which he would be happy to share with participants.
Professionally his core expertise is in communications, which he have practiced at consultancy in Tokyo, on a freelance basis thereafter and where he also draws on background in linguistic anthropology. He also has some experience in commercially applied anthropology, and can help you think critically and creatively about how different people might understand and engage with your idea in different ways. Lastly, he can also advise you regarding qualitative research approaches to understanding these differences better and validating your idea.
"What we work on, and how, is an expression of who we are, and of the world we wish to live in."
Ilona Mooney is a startup founder, an angel investor, coach and advisor. Her company Work Ahead develops technology that enterprises and investors use for hearing feedback directly from workers and smallholder farmers in emerging markets. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Ilona lived in six countries, worked for organisations like EY and the United Nations, and started a programme for startups solving global development challenges at the technology conference Slush. She holds Master of Science in Technology from Aalto University.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Ilona has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
"There's no such thing as a bad idea. Only poorly executed awesome ones."
- The Vampire Diaries character Damon Salvatore
Maila-Kaarina Rantanen helps people turn their business dreams and ideas into reality through communication, storytelling, and marketing. She's also the programme manager of Compass.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Maila-Kaarina has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
"If you want to go fast go alone – but if you want to go far, go together."
Verneri Välimaa is a Finnish-American entrepreneur currently building the Wicked Helsinki community and venture studio, where he and the rest of the community believe in a thriving world which guarantees basic human needs for all within the means of the living planet.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Verneri has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
"Together we create the best ideas, especially when working in diverse teams."
Rosa Salmivuori has eight years of experience in working with early stage teams, startups and entrepreneurs. Her passion lies in testing and pitching, helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful businesses.
Rosa’s academic background in social and cultural anthropology has equipped her with a deep understanding of how groups and communities function, as well as how people behave in different social and cultural contexts. This expertise allows her to help entrepreneurs navigate the complex world of business with a unique perspective.
Having previously served as a CEO of a medium sized company, Rosa understands the administrative aspects of running a business and can provide valuable insights to her mentees. In addition, she has been building a community for student entrepreneurs, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment that empowers young entrepreneurs to succeed.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Rosa has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
"Idea is something, acting on them is everything."
Matti Petteri Pöntiö has worked as an entrepreneur and led two growth companies from the ground up. He has been part of a team that supported numerous businesses strategically and assisted early-stage teams in refining their concepts. He has also played a role in establishing the entrepreneurship ecosystem at the University of Helsinki. In his free time, he enjoys sci-fi, board games, and architecture. He is inspired by fostering impactful agency.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Matti has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
Matti's specialties encompass strategy, inspiring concepts, business development, and operational efficiency. With over 8 years of entrepreneurial experience, he has honed these skills and is eager to share my knowledge with others. Additionally, he possesses expertise in sales, public-private partnerships, and government tenders. Regardless of the focus, his aim is to always drive you towards concrete action.
Henna Pursiainen is a social scientist interested in societal impact, sustainable working life, and continuous learning. Currently focused on facilitating sustainable careers and alumni impact at Aalto University, Henna has previously acted as public sector consultant and CEO of Dare to Learn, an international learning festival and platform. She has also taken on leadership positions in NGOs, such as Allianssi, the National Youth Council in Finland.
Henna is keen to share thoughts on, for instance, the following questions:
• How to combine a value-based approach with running a business or leading an NGO?
• How to forge partnerships with businesses, NGOs, or the public sector?
• How to design sustainable careers or assess impact?
• Why care about societal impact?
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Henna has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything” -Dwight D. Eisenhower
Aleksi Neuvonen is an experienced social entrepreneur, future thinker and environmentalist. Aleksi is the co-founder of think tank Demos Helsinki. He holds a PhD degree from Radboud University Nijmegen, School of management.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Aleksi has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
"The business world is not easy and it is not pink, it is hard, it requires sacrifice and dedication. However, making a positive impact at the end of the day makes it worth it."
Pedro Gensini is a project manager and entrepreneurship expert with knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship product/service development, monitoring & evaluation, and agile project management. He also has great expertise in liaising private, public, and non-profit organisations for achieving positive impact and common goals. He has 8 years of experience in cross-cultural work environments, and can conduct business in English and Spanish.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Pedro has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
"We are living in a world of abundance with a mindset of scarcity."
Minna Mustapää is an impact driven entrepreneur with eight years of experience. Her entrepreneurial journey that started from working closely with business mentors, and even moving to live with them in San Francisco. During her time there, she delved into personal development and was introduced to conscious business concepts. She's currently working with an experienced co-founder to bring to market new innovate pasties she's been developing to make fast food options healthier, gluten-free, and plant based. Mustapää is one of the Lead Trainers of the Spark Academy at the Shortcut and co-founder of the Conscious Entrepreneurs Community so supporting fellow mission driven entrepreneurs is something very near and dear to her.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Minna has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
"Innovation is without borders!"
Ari Huczkowski is a 25 year veteran of innovations and startups having worked in startups, attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), international marketing and developing startups - so far over 500 startups have had sessions with him. He also has a Master's degree in international business.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Ari has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
All aspects of setting up and running a company. Looking forward to having a chat with you!
"Be good to people!"
Minttu Ripatti is a Harvard certified former competitive athlete high school drop-out ventriloquist — and many things in between.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Minttu has offered the following special skills she can be of help with:
"How hard could it be?"
Mikael Malmivaara has, for well over a decade now, spent his time doing stuff. A lot of stuff.
He's been a journalist & video producer, the country manager for an events company, a twice-bankrupt four-time entrepreneur, the chief of operations of a restaurant group during COVID-19, the sales guy for a few start-ups, a local politician, a freelance event host, a tour guide and sometime production assistant at a whiskey distillery, a Michelin-star level waiter, a generalist consultant for small and medium businesses looking for help in any number of things, a sommelier, the marketing lead for a tech company's Finland office, an office drone, a board member & president of a handful of associations in University and beyond, and lately, the communications & community relations guy for the Helsinki Incubators, writing texts much like this one and building bridges between the University of Helsinki and Universities, companies, and governments in France, Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, South Africa, and probably a few others as well in order to help the Helsinki Incubators' participants have the best chances of finding opportunities across the world.
He has a BA in Business Management & Entrepreneurship from the UK, an MSc (Econ.) in Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management + Creative Sustainability from Espoo, and dreams of one day having a PhD in Entrepreneurship from somewhere cool.
His guiding principles are to always ask for help when you need it, pick up the phone and call whenever possible, and never be afraid of failure or just trying things to see how it all works out.
As an on-call advisor for SÄRÖ/FRACTURE, Mikael has offered the following special skills he can be of help with:
As a generalist and jack of all trades, Mikael is glad to chat about just about anything, and if he doesn't know the answers, he can probably guide you to someone who does. However, here are some of the things he might have something to say about: