Entrepreneurship is a vital part of Finland’s economy, offering significant opportunities for individuals looking to start their own businesses. A wide range of training programs help entrepreneur succeed and equip aspiring business owners with the essential skills and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship, often in a foreign culture.

A wealth of entrepreneur training

In Finland, entrepreneurship training is offered by a wide range of institutions, providing diverse learning opportunities for entrepreneurs. These can be categorized by providers, each offering distinct benefits. Higher education institutions deliver comprehensive, research-based entrepreneurship programs integrating theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Vocational colleges focus more on hands-on training, equipping students with practical skills needed to run a business.

Governmental bodies, like TE Services and the Finnish Enterprise Agency, as well as municipalities offer subsidised programs to help individuals’ transition into entrepreneurs. Various federations and unions also provide training for specific industries or sectors, helping professionals understand the entrepreneurial aspects of their field.

Non-Governmental Organisations also run entrepreneurial courses, many of which are specialized to target specific demographics, such as immigrants or young entrepreneurs. Most of these training opportunities are joint programs, combining expertise from multiple sectors often funded by EU structural funds.

Business training is also provided by a wide variety of private companies from multinational consulting companies to individual business coaches. Consequently, the price tag of the training varies substantially.

Tailored training for immigrant entrepreneurs

For immigrant entrepreneurs, training programs can be particularly beneficial as they face challenges in navigating language barriers, understanding the local market, and building professional networks. Many programs offer Finnish or English language options, with some providing additional resources in other languages to serve the diverse immigrant population.

Most entrepreneurial programs in Finland focus on creating a viable business plan, which is needed for start-up funding. Programs often cover crucial topics like risk management, financial planning, taxation, and legal issues, ensuring that foreign entrepreneurs have a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape in Finland.

Courses include modules on adapting business practices to fit the Finnish business culture like project management, communication and work-life balance. Mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and opportunities to build networks are often a part of these programs. This is especially critical for immigrants, who may not have an established network in Finland.

Upbeat: Upskilling young immigrant entrepreneurs

Through initiatives like Upbeat, led by Haaga-Helia, young immigrant entrepreneurs in Finland and Estonia can access business training designed to upskill their entrepreneurship and business planning skills by

1. creating AI-driven digital tools for upskilling in entrepreneurship and business planning
2. creating and delivering an AI-driven training program in entrepreneurship and business planning

The first steps of Upbeat have been to understand the entrepreneurial training landscape in Finland and Estonia, to build customer understanding from our partners and to conduct a survey of immigrant entrepreneurs. The project will continue with curriculum planning and creating AI based smart guides and learning assistants.

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