Tech type: Not tech-based

Kiuas

Kiuas is a completely free and possibly the most well-known student-led accelerator in Finland. It’s completely free. In addition to the program itself, participating startups will get a toolbox of startup goodies, including free cloud platform credits etc.

Application period for the summer 2020 program is until Wed 20.5.2020. Autumn batch will likely be held in October-November, with application period in September.

The program is usually held onsite in Espoo, Finland, but the summer 2020 program is held as a remote, virtual one. The program is focused for helping startups integrate with their alumni and mentor community in Finland, so any non-Finnish startups that apply should be ready to move to Finland.

Their spring and autumn batches are three-week pre-acceleration programs called Kiuas Start, for which idea stage startups are welcome. The main program in the summer requires the team to have a working solution already. The nine-week main program focuses on developing product-market fit, customer relationships, team and culture building for growth, and preparing for funding rounds.

Accelerace

Accelerace’s acceleration programs are based in Denmark, but most can be participated in remotely. All their programs are free of charge, no equity taken. They have an extensive network of corporate partners internationally, especially in Europe.

Most of their programs can be participated in remotely, but some may require either physical presence or a registered in Denmark.

Their focus areas are life science, sound, energy, food and beverage, entertainment, IoT. They run more than one program per year per average in each of their focus areas, and typically at least one program’s application period is open on any given time.

They have a fund to invest in the best of their participating startups. The investment tickets are 500k DKK, which is approximately €65k. These investments are done as a convertible note, and are completely optional for the startup to accept or not. It’s done as a co-investment, so the startup has to have another investor investing a minimum of 125k DKK (approx €17k) at the same time. Accelerace is happy to help find suitable investors.

Their life science tech startup mentorship program is highly rated in the Nordics. Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland. It’s funded by the Novo Nordic foundation.

They also partner with Overkill Ventures in Riga, Latvia.

Turku Science Park LevelUp

Incubation service in Turku, Finland, that has been running already for six years. Participating startups should have graduated from an acceleration program or be otherwise ready to sell their product to early customers.

They offer a network of mentors and industry contacts in addition to a working space for 12 months. The program is completely free of charge.

Their program for the autumn 2020 is being designed and its detailed information is expected to be released in the summer. You can ask more from marko.puhtila@turkubusinessregion.com.

Turku Science Park BusinessUp

Acceleration program in Turku, Finland, that has been running already for four years. Participating startups can be of any type and do not need to have any working prototype or proof-of-concept yet, but should be ready to start turning their idea into reality.

They offer a mentoring program for 10 weeks. The program is completely free of charge.

Their autumn 2020 applications are open 1.6.-1.9.2020. You can ask more from johanna.puhtila@turkubusinessregion.com.

Red Brick Accelerator

Red Brick Accelerator is held twice a year in Tampere, Finland. Teams must attend onsite for the 12 weeks of the program. Autumn batch starts in October. Current information on application period is preliminary.

Boost Turku Startup Journey

Startup Journey by Boost Turku is a free early-stage acceleration program: no charges, no equity taken. Next batch is digital. Earlier ones have been onsite in Turku, Finland, and upcoming ones may be physical with digital participation possibly an option. Most selected teams will be from Turku region in Finland as the organization’s mission is to support the local ecosystem.

They select teams (not solo founders) that have done at least some work already on the idea, e.g. competitor identification and evaluation. Teams have to be able to clearly state their solution that has some competitive advantage.

The goal of the program is to help you develop your concept and get you towards first revenue.

Their community page with mentors etc. can be found at facebook.com/BoostStartupJourney.

Revo Capital

Revo Capital invests into developing East-European markets. Traction is required and B2B is preferred, but B2C is also ok.

They often look for a board seat. Their home market is in Turkey.

They consider themselves active helpers of their companies, especially in expanding beyond the home market. Founders of the fund have C-level background in the largest Turkish telecom.

ReadyFireAim

Inovo Venture Partners

Software-focused, but do other investments as well. Especial expertise in B2B, both enterprises and SMEs, and SaaS or marketplace business models.

Geographically focused in Central Eastern Europe (80%), with a mandate to invest anywhere (20%). Often a co-investor, but do lead and solo investments as well.

Lagoon Capital

Investment company of Ari Korhonen, one of the longest-standing angel investors in Finland. Invests into software companies. His sweet spot for initial tickets is €50-100k, other sizes are doable on a case-by-case basis.

Ari grew his original company Komartek to an internationally successful one, sold it to WM-data in in 2004, and served as a Vice President of WM-data. WM-data is nowadays known as CGI.

Within the last 14 years, Ari has made angel investments in 39 companies. In those he has participated totally to 128 investment rounds. The companies invested in include MariaDB, DealDash, Klevu, Miradore and Sympa. Of these investments, he has had six successful exits; Small Giant Games, Severa, Paytrail, Octo3, In4mo and The Switch.

Ari is also an investor in venture capital and buyout funds which include Seedcamp, 500 Startups, True Global Ventures, Spintop Ventures, Evli Growth Partners and KJK Capital. Of these investments, he has had one successful exit; Seedcamp fund II. In Spintop Ventures he is also a Senior Advisor and in Evli Growth Partners a Growth Partner. Ari is also Advisory Board member in Finnish Industry Investments (Tesi) and LUT University.

Ari was elected by FiBAN (Finish Business Angels Network) as Business Angel of the Year in Finland in 2014. He is a co-founder and honorary member of FiBAN and Vice Chairman of the Board during 2010-2012. Ari has been an EBAN (European Business Angels Network) board member and Vice-President during 2012-2016. He was awarded EBAN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He is also an active member in many international business angel networks, like EstBAN, NordicBAN, Global Super Angels Club, etc… Ari has been featured by EU-Startups as one of the top 40 of Europe’s most active and most influential angel investors.

Ari was awarded Honorary Doctorate in Economics and Business Administration by LUT University in 2017. He holds a Master of Science degree in engineering from LUT University.