EdTech Incubator Helsinki – the early steps are the most important ones
“What a feeling, I’m so hyped!”
This was the outburst from Semih Ersöz, the founder and CEO of SOPU Academy, after their pitch at the EdTech Incubator Helsinki Batch 2 Gala event. For the second time, ten ambitious startups got to complete their Incubator journey by pitching in front of an international audience, investors, and other influential persons within the EdTech industry.
“We really enjoyed this event. It’s a great finale for the program and whereas it’s a nice way to celebrate the graduation with the other startup-founders, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to get to pitch to and network with investors and EdTech-experts.”, Ersöz continues.
The second batch of the program enjoyed a more hands-on coaching with the majority of the restrictions due to the pandemic now withdrawn. Meeting the other entrepreneurs and business coaches more regularly in person opens up all new sorts of possibilities.
“It’s been such a valuable experience to actually have a place to work at and to get to network and just chat and hang out with other founders and teams. And hey, the coffee and tea here is great as well!” Ersöz says.
These experiences and the advisory and support the early-stage startups receive are vital in the development of a company. During the incubator program, most of the companies set the foundations of their business plan, sales and marketing, and team and network. These are important building blocks that will carry your startup long into the future.
“During the Incubator program, we established ourselves as a company, launched a public name for our solution, and hired our first team members. It has been a very motivating period and I feel like I’m heading in the right direction now”, comments Ida Nevalainen, Founder of Elämän Akatemia.
Besides Elämän Akatemia, many of the participants advanced their businesses through developing the solution, increasing pedagogical impact, acquiring mentors and networks, and receiving funding. One company, Lincoln Method, moved their operations to Helsinki in order to gain access to the startup ecosystem and Finnish pedagogical expertise.
“Arriving to Helsinki has been an excellent experience for me. The city is nice, all the people are very helpful and on my second day here I already got several important connections and a couple of meetings with investors scheduled. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings”, says Saleem Qureshi, the Founder and CEO of Lincoln Method.
Going forward, the graduated Incubator teams have the opportunity to further access the services of Helsinki Education Hub. The Accelerator advisory of NewCo Helsinki is a straightforward path to develop your business towards growth and scaling. The EdTech Testbed offers a possibility to pilot your solution together with the end-users and get instant feedback from teachers and learners. The co-working space and events at Helsinki Education Hub are, of course, also available for all the EdTech startups going forward.
“It’s exciting, we have taken a giant step forward during the Incubator program and now it’s time to start enhancing our product and shifting a larger focus into marketing and sales. We’ve already piloted our solution with students from schools in Helsinki and will continue to do so. I will most likely be back at The Hub straight away, but first, let’s enjoy this evening”, Semih Ersöz laughs and continues his celebrations with the Gala guests.
Want to know more about the EdTech Incubator Helsinki? Read about the program from our website https://educationhubhelsinki.fi/edtech-incubator-helsinki/ or contact us at educationhub@hel.fi.