Helsinki University to finance students’ start-ups

The University of Helsinki encourages its students to pursue their business ideas and turn them into start-ups under the HELSEED entrepreneurship programme, said the university in a press release.

For the best ideas the university offers up to 50,000 euros in funding.

‘The university aspires to prepare its students to confront the difficulties and possibilities of the future. At the same time, we want to set focus on the future past this pandemic, said Marjo Berglund, chief financial officer of the university.

The entrepreneurship programme, which starts in April, is aimed at supporting students in transforming their entrepreneurial ideas into start-up companies.

The programme entails no mandatory studies but creative freedom and flexible support are offered by the student entrepreneurship society Helsinki Think Company.

Students participating in the programme have to develop their ideas to the form of a written business plan by the end of September 2020.

A jury of experts in investment and entrepreneurship will go through the plans and give feedback on them.

The creators of the most promising business plans will be invited to present their ideas in a pitching contest organised at the Think Corner in November 2020.

The funds belonging to the Helsinki University Group are prepared to invest 10,000–50,000 euros in the most promising student start-ups.

Through the investments, the university intends to make a positive impact on the society by promoting responsible business activities and entrepreneurship.

Since the programme is in a way the first of its kind, the very nature of it involves trial and learning from experience, the release pointed out.

However, at the foundation of the programme lies the strong experience of investment activities developed since the oldest fund of the University of Helsinki was formed in 1745.