What if you could turn your idea into a business in four months? Apply to Journeys Incubator by 8 February!

Got an idea you think deserves a chance? Maybe it started as a research question or a “someone should really fix this” moment. Whatever it is, if you’re curious about what it could become with the right support, the University of Helsinki’s Helsinki Incubators team is here to help you explore it.

Since 2022, our incubator programmes have supported 250+ teams, many of which have grown their ventures across Europe, Japan, and the U.S., raised over €20M, and built solutions that challenge everything from sustainability to health and social issues.

Now, we’re opening applications for the second edition of Journeys, our 4-month mentor-driven incubator programme for people who want to turn an idea into a real venture. No business background required!

Apply to Journeys here by 8 February!

You’ll find everything on the Journeys programme page on the Helsinki Incubators website.

Want to learn more first? Join one of our upcoming info session where you’ll hear directly from the programme managers and incubator alumni. It’s a great chance to get answers and find out if Journeys is right for you:

The Basics of the Programme

WHAT?

Journeys is a free, hands-on incubator that helps you develop your idea into a grounded, tested concept with a clear direction. Across four months, you’ll learn to understand the problem you’re tackling, test your idea with real users, build something simple and meaningful that actually works, and figure out your next steps.

The programme combines workshops, mentoring, and peer learning, all in English.

Journeys also offers three thematic tracks for more specialised support:

Deep Tech & AI
Sustainability
Social Impact

FOR WHO?

We’re looking for teams of at least two people with a clear idea. You can apply with concepts ranging from scientific innovations and sustainability solutions to social impact projects. You can apply if you are a bachelor’s or master’s student, a doctoral researcher, and university staff, alumni, and members of the wider Helsinki Metropolitan Area community are welcome too!

WHY?

You’ll get a structured environment to develop your idea alongside mentors, experts, and other motivated teams. With support from partners like Nokia, Vaisala X Weather, and Continental, Journeys gives you honest, practical feedback to help you see what you might be missing, tools and methods you can use long after the programme ends, a supportive community of teams working on ideas of their own, and connections you can use to partners across Finland and abroad

Students can also earn 8 ECTS under the course code PHD-313. Details are available on the Journeys programme page.

WHEN?

The programme runs from 23 February until 10 June 2026, with 1–2 workshops or lectures per week and mentoring sessions 1-2 times per month (online or in person).

OUTCOMES?

By the end of the programme, you’ll have:

A clear idea of what problem they're solving and how
A product or solution that's been tested in the market and the know-how to keep developing it
The skills needed to set up, run, and grow a startup
A clear action plan for their venture’s future.
8 ECTS work-life studies credits with the course PHD-313.

APPLY

Ready to take the next step? Fill in the application form by 8 February at 23:59 (UTC+2). Shortlisted teams will be invited to a 30-minute online interview before selections are finalised.

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

Questions?

If you’d like to discuss your idea or need help choosing the right programme, feel free to contact our project managers:

Pete Karumo – Social Impact

pete.karumo@helsinki.fi

Mobile: +358 50 4389235

Andrés Peña Archila – Deep Tech & AI

andres.archila@helsinki.fi

Mobile: +358 29 41 21201

Enrique Montaño – Nature & Sustainability

enrique.montano@helsinki.fi

Mobile: +358 50 309 1810