Draft Program® is a business idea program, that helps you build a company that looks like you and develop as a launcher of successful products and services. You can get up to 4000 € in funding for your business idea.
Why apply to Draft?
If you are selected for the Draft Program:
- You will get a four-month training period, during which you will be helped by experts in various fields.
- You get to know and network with other beginner entrepreneurs.
- You get 1000 € in funding in the 1st step. If, after the first stage, you are selected for the next stage, there is additional funding of 3000 €.
- You will get visibility for your own new starting business.
Who is Draft for?
You can apply to the Draft Program in Pohjois-Savo if there is at least one person in your team who is enrolled in Kuopio or Iisalmi, or is a student, staff representative or alumni of Savonia University of Applied Sciences, the University of Eastern Finland or Savo Vocational College.
In addition to yourself, your team must have at least one person with whom you develop the business idea together.
The operation must be aimed at a growing business that is done in a new way.
Teams that develop a product or service for a company with turnover cannot be selected for the first phase of the Draft Program. The exception to this rule is student training companies (NYT companies and cooperatives).
In the 2nd stage application, the applicant may have turnover.
Read the stories of the winners
Draft funding and the Year as an entrepreneur -program made it possible for me to practice entrepreneurship at a low threshold. With the funding, I was able, among other things, to acquire the supplies to make the first nature escape game and order from another company a functioning and distinctive website for Luontoisa Pakopelit, as well as invest in marketing.
I joined the Draft Program in 2023 in the spring when I heard about that opportunity while completing my studies as an environmental manager. The idea of my own entrepreneurship and the possibility of commercializing my own know-how had been simmering in my mind for a long time. The Draft Program ignited this spark and it started to take shape at a fairly fast pace into a story called "Särös."
We boldly set out to work on our idea of a web-based rescue plan concept and apply for funding for the idea from Draft business financing. We reached the first stage, which made it possible to receive 1,000 euros in funding in the spring of 2023. We then wanted to extend the possibility of Draft's follow-up funding, where there was an opportunity to receive 3,000 euros for the development of the company's business idea. Then in the fall of 2023, we also received further funding for our company and thus our company was able to develop and plan the company's advertising and other concepts with the help of Draft funding. The development of the company has gone well, and Oneturva Oy was granted key tickets for services and also online shopping in October.
Read more about the results of previous rounds and the winners at https://draftprogram.com/en/blog/.
