Sisu Factory

Access to Early Stage Funding

Finland offers a supportive funding landscape, providing grants, angel investors, and venture capital opportunities.

Take advantage of these resources to innovate, develop, and scale your business. For example, Business Finland offers up to 1M€ grant for young and innovative startups.

Sisu Factory Finland Accelerator Highlights

The Sisu Factory Finland Accelerator in May-June 2024 was an amazing experience that brought together international startup founders to explore the dynamic Finnish startup scene.

We kicked things off in May with webinars that offered practical tips and strategies to help founders navigate the European market. The in-person part in early June was packed with unique Finnish experiences. Highlights included the Sauna Pitching session, where founders pitched their ideas in a traditional Finnish sauna, and tours of key players in the startup ecosystem. We also had expert-led masterclasses tailored to our participants’ backgrounds and an energetic investor meetup.

The program wrapped up with the Arctic15 event on June 6th-7th, providing fantastic networking opportunities and the chance to meet top investors.

The Sisu Factory Finland Accelerator was a huge success and participants left with new insights, valuable contacts, and a great appreciation for what the Finnish startup ecosystem has to offer.

The next Sisu Factory Accelerator program is coming in November 2024 right before Slush. More details to be announced in August, so stay tuned!

Frequently asked questions

What is Sisu Factory?

Sisu Factory is a startup soft landing service. It’s a team put together by the cities of Helsinki, Espoo & Vantaa with the goal to help startups relocate to Finland successfully. Free of charge for your service.

What does “Start application” mean?

By answering the first questions, we already get a good idea of who you are and how we can assist you. It does not bind you to anything, just a way for you to show that you are interested in this kind of service.

Who is eligible for this service?

Sisu Factory is meant for experienced startup entrepreneurs seeking to make their mark in Finland. To qualify for our service, your startup should meet the following criteria:

Adequate funding: Your startup should have sufficient financial resources to support its growth in Finland.
At least two founders relocating: At least two of your founders must be willing to relocate to Finland.
Innovative solution: Your business should offer an innovative solution with the potential to be introduced to international markets.

What other organizations are involved and what is the synergy?

The official application is sent into and processed by Business Finland in order to receive an official eligibility statement. Then there is the startup permit (specific residence permit designed for startup entrepreneurs providing you highest level access to Finland and Europe) that is processed by the government. Our role is to assist you with these to make sure the bureaucracy will go smoothly.

Once you have relocated to Finland, our team will guide you through the process with authorities of establishing your business entity in Finland, ensuring a smooth transition.

How can a service like this be free?

The service is offered by the cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Apply today - Sisu Factory is open for a limited time!