References
“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
Business Center Pohjois-Savo was involved in creating the first social entrepreneurship accelerator pilot in Pohjois-Savo and all over Finland in cooperation with the The Centre of Expertise. The pilot was implemented online from February 8, 2023 to March 8, 2023.
“Ultimately, the success of the accelerator is about people. What kind of atmosphere, the spirit of doing things, the culture of trust and frankness they create together.
The role of the facilitator is of course important and this is where the team at Business Center Pohjois-Savo knows their stuff. They inspire and challenge with their relaxed, humane and expert approach.”
Tom Tarvainen, ohjelmajohtaja, Arvoliitto
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
Farmikko Oy develops, manufactures and sells accessories to meet the needs of customers repairing energy and fiber wood.
“We received help in the preparation of the development project, which we had already started ourselves. We had identified clear development needs, but together we were able to better clarify the core issues in the required application format. During the project, we also received important support in reporting and change applications.”
Mikko Junttila, CEO
PlainE Oy is a company focused on systematic information security risk minimization, workshops, training and education for SMEs and public actors.​
“Not such a small thing that it’s not worth asking.”​
“Even though the world around us is burning, selling information security services is a difficult business model for micro-enterprises. Maarit and Marja-Leena have succeeded well in sparring and developing my own thinking for business development. From Business Center, you can therefore get new directions for many types of operators, when as a sole proprietor you often have to think things over on your own.”​
Jarkko Laine, CEO
Iispro Oy is a startup company founded in April 2022 that makes and develops applications and sells expert services.
“We received invaluable help in business development and sparring in the development financing, measures and schedule. From the discussions we got new perspectives that we might not have thought of ourselves. The advice we received was patient and professional. We got answers to the questions we asked quickly and it was easy to agree on joint schedules.”
CEO Mari Pirkkala, Iispro Oy
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
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.​
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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.​
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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
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
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.​
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
We got a really good business plan, which became a tool for the management team, and it is included in our daily work.​
Joni Kapanen, CEO
