References
Marginum’s technology promotes the effectiveness of cancer surgeons with monitoring techniques that detect tissue fluorescence. Our vision is to create a leading company producing fluorescence spectrum analysis solutions in surgery.
We participated in the Draft program, from which our team won €4,000 to promote our business. The company was founded only after the Draft program.
Business Center’s advice on starting a business was invaluable. In addition, the tips received regarding suitable funding agencies were relevant. The Business Centers contact networks have also been helpful in identifying various networking events. We are very satisfied with our company.
Samu Lehtonen, CEO & Co-Founder
Toimisto2030 enlightens companies and communities on the development of value-based responsibility through service design and future work. The vision is to promote action towards a sustainable future according to Agenda2023.
I got sparring from Matti and the Havuja program before starting my company. From the advice, I got confirmation to carry ideas about entrepreneurship forward, as well as a challenge to put into words the benefit produced for the customer.
The collaboration was important, because perhaps the biggest threshold was taking action! Entrepreneurship is learned by doing, but the courage to start requires encouragement.
Silja Huttunen, Oivalluttaja, service designer, CEO
The Invested mobile app offers a low-threshold way to learn about stock investing by combining utility and entertainment into one package. The IPR of the technology was sold in the spring of 2023 and in the future the application will work under a new brand.
At the time of founding the company, we participated in the Draft program in January 2021. We also made it to the follow-up round in May of the same year.
Sparring, contacts and financial help from the Draft program played an important role, especially in the early stages of the company. I believe that the above-mentioned aspects have played a big role in the successful exit of our project (i.e. IPR sale).
Jani Järvinen, CEO & Co-Founder
We got to participate in the LEAP project in the spring of 2022. Perhaps the best parts of it was that we got to shake things up and learned to properly question the right things.
Harri Apell, CEO
Kuopio Oheisharjoitelukeskus offers a high-quality and versatile training space with equipment for use by different sports and exercisers.
The cooperation with the LEAP growth program started from the center’s business analysis by thinking together about where we are in the company and where we are going. “I am really satisfied. Business gets new ideas. This is surely how we can develop this company of ours. We are well on our way to doing this thing.”
Jarmo Malinen, CEO
Betomo develops methods based on electronic imaging for monitoring the drying of concrete at construction sites.
Our research group has investigated the imaging of moisture in concrete using electronic imaging. Thus, the business idea is the commercialization of my research topic.
The most important gift I received from the Business Center was the enthusiasm to actually implement the business idea through the sparring sessions and discussions. With Tomi’s guidance, I also got my pitch in such good shape that I won the Tahko Ski Lift Pitch student series with it, and I came second in the *ship startup festival’s pitch competition.
Petri Kuusela, CEO/Founder
Betomo
NOETON is developing a solution to reduce particle emissions from small wood burning. Our vision is to make combustion more environmentally friendly and thus help in the fight against climate change.
I had an idea and a prototype of a device that had been developed at the University of Eastern Finland as part of my dissertation research. My co-founder and I had decided to start working on the idea as a company and our first step was to participate in the Draft program.
From the Draft programs, we received initial capital to establish a company and financial help, e.g. to improve the company’s visual appearance. In addition, we got sparring, good contacts in the local business support network and, of course, valuable experience in pitching.
Heikki Suhonen, CEO
“We have received a lot of help in the different stages of our company’s development from Business Center’s sparring sessions. It has been important for us to be able to brainstorm new business ideas together with competent experts. From Business Center, we have received confirmation, encouragement and suitable challenges to develop operations. In addition, it is inspiring to get to know the Business Center’s wide and versatile network and get involved with a low threshold.”
“Our Tiimihenki group had the pleasure of participating in the LEAP development project. We are a young operator and the development project came at just the right time for us. With the help of Lauri and Jarmo’s concrete advice, our operations have started to grow nicely. We have established our place as a national operator among other educational institutions. Based on the development ideas, our operating concept became even clearer and we will be more successful. Thank you BC, LEAP ja Jarmo & Lauri 🙂”
Tiimihenki
Jukka-Tapio Keränen
CEO
The Butterfly Brick is a patented support piece for the ice hockey goalie’s skate, which makes the butterfly save position more balanced and ergonomic. Our vision is to help goalkeepers prevent hip injuries, which are becoming increasingly common.
I got a lot of help in developing the business idea from the Draft program, which helped us finance the testing phase of prototypes and pilot research on the benefits of supporting blocks.
Business Center has also offered sparring in financial and development matters, pitching coaching, and lots of good contacts. Business Center has been a very valuable support during the initial stages of the company.
Kimmo Rautiainen, CEO
The joint journey of Sonja and Iita began in 2016 at Itä Suomen Muoto ry:ssä, where they, as active members of the board, updated the association’s values, strategy, and action plan. The idea of joint entrepreneurship and the wider implementation of advocacy work sprouted. Hathunters ’goal is to get companies to make better use of design.
Coaches can give:
Regular meetings helped to do the work systematically. From the morning meeting, Iita and Sonja got a tool to help keep the overall picture checked. Other teams involved in the Havuja #! @% &! Accelerator gave rise to a community with which Hathunters was able to collaborate already during the accelerator.
