Business Generator

A core component of Business Generator is deep business coaching from our dedicated business advisors with expertise in financing/funding, team and board building, go to market strategy and business development. Benefit from tailored group and one-to-one support to address your specific challenges and opportunities. Our advisors come from all corners of the tech industry - former VCs, business development leaders, startup founders and investors.

In addition to coaching from our in-house advisory team, we facilitate connections with our large external mentor pool of industry players across Finland and internationally for sector-specific advice and ongoing support.

Trainings focused on asset management, solution development, and business growth, combined with interactive workshops offering personalized one-on-one mentoring.

Enjoy 24/7 access to office space at A Grid, the heart of the university's ecosystem, as well as labs and co-working spaces such as Makerspace. Access office and reception services to support your day-to-day operations and facilitate a productive work environment. Choose the right office space option to fit your needs, whether that's shared space and meeting room access, or a dedicated room for your team. Talk to our team to know more ([email protected]).

We invite Business Generator startups to enhance their visibility through Aalto Startup Center communication channels and immerse themselves in Aalto University's extensive community spanning industry, academia and the startup world. Gain access to investors, funding opportunities, and top talent by participating alongside Aalto Startup Center in events such as Demo Day, Slush, Arctic15, and the Nordic Deep Tech Business Summit.

Business Generator offers access to leading tools from our partners to inform and drive your business growth, including industry data, pitch deck design, legal resources, cloud/AI services and more.

Unlike many other programs that require startups to give the accelerator equity in their business, Aalto Startup Center does not take an equity stake. A monthly fee starting at €150 + VAT per company gives access to the full Business Generator program and A Grid office facilities, and at the end of a company's term at Aalto Startup Center a success fee is calculated based on the startup's revenue over that time (c.1% of revenue, with the maximum fee capped at €6 000).

Business Generator invites Finnish-registered startups less than three years old with a team of at least two members. Onboarding occurs twice annually, in early autumn and late winter, yet applications are accepted year-round and evaluated on an individual basis.

Whether you have a background from Aalto University or not, as a startup, you may qualify for our Business Generator program if your business focuses on:

• Research-based tech innovation 
• Specific research areas such as human-centered living environments, advanced energy solutions, or health and wellbeing

If you meet the following criteria, we encourage you to apply to our Business Generator program:

• Address sustainability challenges and/or are a deep-tech startup
• Finnish business ID under 3 years old
• Scalable business model
• MVP, Proof-of-concept, or validated concept
• Team with technical and business-oriented co-founders, minimum of 2 FTE

Applications are continuously reviewed, and startups are accepted on an ongoing basis.