Applications for our Entrepreneurship Programme, Journeys, are Open!

Journeys, part of the Helsinki Incubators programmes, is a 4-month, mentor-driven incubator designed for people who want to develop ideas with growth potential and environmental or social impact. Whether you’re working on research-based innovation, a side project, or an early-stage startup concept, the programme will help you shape it into a venture that others can understand, trust, and support.

Built on several successful incubator cohorts that have already supported 350+ teams, Journeys focuses on the real work that it takes to build a venture: testing your idea in the real world, refining your product, understanding the market you are about to enter, and preparing your team for the next step. Through weekly workshops, group sessions, and personalized mentoring, your team will get access to tools, guidance, and networks from both the Finnish and international startup ecosystems. Thanks to our strong ties with partners and investors, participating in Journeys is a great way to join the broader entrepreneurial community.

Throughout the 16 weeks, you’ll get honest feedback from mentors and experts who won’t hesitate to push you, help you see what you might be missing, and support you in deciding how to develop your idea.

As a multidisciplinary incubator, Journeys welcomes teams from all fields with a clear idea of what they want to develop. Alongside general entrepreneurship coaching, the programme includes three thematic tracks for more specialised support:

- Sustainability & Nature

- Deep Tech & AI

- Social Impact

The programme is free of charge, meaning that the invaluable collection of coaching and mentoring is available to anyone from the University, from bachelor’s and master’s students to PhD researchers, staff, and alumni. However, University affiliation isn’t a requirement, and anyone from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is welcome to apply.

By participating, bachelor’s and master’s students and doctoral researchers can earn 8 ECTS credits under the course code PHD-313. More detailed information on credits and requirements is available on the Journeys Incubator Programme homepage.

Programme Essentials

You can explore success stories from earlier incubator teams and read about our mentors on the Helsinki Incubators website and Journeys mentor & alumni pages.

Programme Schedule

Journeys runs for 16 weeks, from 2 September to 10 December 2026. The programme is conducted in English and includes 1-2 workshops or lectures per week, plus regular mentoring (monthly to bi-monthly, either online or on site).

The 16-week programme is divided into two phases:

Bootcamp & Foundations (Weeks 1-8): Focus: Idea validation, business model development, and entrepreneurial fundamentals.
Specialisation Track (Weeks 9-16): Activities: advanced specialisation track specific training modules, hands-on mentorship, scaling and market entry strategies.

Application Criteria

To apply, you will need:

A team of at least two members
A short video (max 3 minutes) explaining the problem you’re solving, how your idea stands out, and why your team should be selected
A pitch deck or presentation describing your idea and its potential
A one-page document summarising your solution, your team members, contact details, and a website (if you have one)

You don’t need a perfect business plan! We’re more interested in teams willing to learn, experiment, and build something that creates real change.

Application Process

Please fill in the Journeys application form by Sunday 9 August 2026 at 23:59 (UTC+2). Teams that meet the criteria will be invited to a 30-minute online interview with the programme organisers, and selected teams will be informed in good time before the programme begins.

Apply here by August 9!

Info Session

Curious about Journeys? Got questions before applying? Then consider joining our upcoming info sessions. You’ll hear directly from the programme leads and incubator alumni. It’s a great chance to get answers and find out if Journeys is right for you.

Choose the session that better fits your schedule and click the links below for more details and to register in advance:

More information

If you have any questions about the programme or your application, please get in touch with Helsinki Incubators Team:

incubators@helsinki.fi