Helsinki is having a moment. Over the past decade, the city has quietly cultivated a highly dynamic, collaborative, and founder-friendly startup ecosystem. At Maria 01 —one of Europe’s largest startup hubs — we witness this shift every day: international founders are arriving in Finland, building teams, raising capital, and choosing Helsinki as both a long-term base and a launchpad for scaling into Europe and beyond.
This autumn, we introduced our first international accelerator program, Northern Light, built to support international founders as they establish themselves in the Finnish and European markets. Designed for ambitious, early-stage founders from around the world, the program helps them gain traction fast and lay down long-term roots in the region.
If our first cohort is any indication, the momentum is only accelerating — and the future looks brighter than ever.
Helsinki: A Small Ecosystem With a Big Advantage
International founders often describe Helsinki as a place where “everything just works.” The city combines the efficiency of a compact ecosystem with the openness of a globally minded tech hub. Its small size and low hierarchies make people easy to reach — whether that’s an investor, a corporate partner, or a government official. Meetings happen quickly, introductions are made generously, and doors open far more readily than in many larger tech hubs. As Kiran Ramaiah, founder of AddMeetings, explained:
“People here are incredibly open, offering help and introductions to investors and other key contacts.”
Much of this connectivity comes from Maria 01 itself. By bringing together startups, investors, corporate partners, and ecosystem builders under one roof, the campus creates proximity and serendipity that accelerate growth. For many founders in our accelerator, simply being embedded in the community has led to customer leads, strategic partnerships, and friendships that have already reshaped their companies. Naren Meadem, founder of Quipu, shared:
“The whole Maria 01 team supported us every step of the way, connecting us with their industry network — that was truly exceptional. The mentors and speakers were deeply committed, and helping us succeed felt like a shared goal for everyone involved. This give-back mentality is something I find unique to the Finnish ecosystem. My mentor’s VC background also helped me understand exactly what investors look for in a startup.”
Within and beyond the campus walls, the ecosystem’s give-back mentality plays a huge role. Experienced founders and investors actively mentor early-stage teams, share their networks, and offer practical, solution-oriented advice — a cultural trait consistently praised by international founders. As Allan Tan, founder of Better-ed, noted:
“The country’s equal and trust-based culture — and its strong give-back mentality — even gave us the chance to meet open-source legends like Mårten Mickos and Linus Torvalds.”
Another key factor encouraging international founders to relocate to Helsinki is the family-friendly and exceptionally safe environment. Known for its high-quality, free education system, balanced approach to work and family life, and overall societal stability, Finland offers an ideal setting to build both a company and a life. Allan added:
“Finland is also incredibly safe and a great place to raise a family — I’m now seriously considering moving here.”
Combined with a highly educated talent pool, an English-speaking society, and strong public support alongside available early-stage VC funding, Helsinki stands out as an exceptionally founder-friendly landing spot.
These strengths are reflected in the numbers; the local startup ecosystem is on the rise. Finnish startup revenue has risen from €4.8B in 2015 to €12.5B in 2023 (Startup Study 2025). While much of Europe saw declining VC activity in 2024, Finland moved in the opposite direction: VC investments increased by 56%, with nearly €1B of new capital coming from foreign investors.
Finland has recently accounted for 85% of all Nordic defence and dual-use VC funding, highlighting its role as a frontier-tech leader. The opening of the ELLIS Institute Finland — a new European epicentre for AI research — further signals the country’s growing maturity in cutting-edge technologies.
Maria 01 sits at the heart of this growth. According to our latest Impact Report, 36% of our startups have at least one international founder, and these companies secured nearly 60% of all funding raised by Maria 01 members last year. In total, our community represents around 40 nationalities — a vivid reflection of how global and attractive to international founders the Finnish ecosystem has become.
The Northern Light Accelerator: A Launchpad Into Finland and Europe
The Northern Light Accelerator was designed as a soft-landing platform for international founders looking to enter the Finnish and wider European market. Over 12 intensive weeks, the program offers practical, hands-on support to validate the product with real customers, navigate sales in Finland and across the EU, and build early traction and revenue. We also place a strong emphasis on founder resilience—equipping teams with the mindsets, tools, and routines needed to stay focused and execution-ready throughout their expansion journey.
The first batch arrived in Helsinki in early September 2025—fourteen founders from ten startups representing India, the Philippines, Ireland, Spain, Kenya, the USA, and Norway. The pilot cohort exceeded expectations, earning an outstanding NPS score of 90, a clear indicator of how transformative the experience was for the participants.
Nearly half of the founders coming from abroad decided to relocate to Finland afterwards, and most participants chose to remain part of the Maria 01 community. As Annu Mathew, co-founder of thinnan, explained:
“The accelerator is incredibly valuable for anyone coming from outside Europe and looking to enter the local market. Finland’s strong connections across the region make it a true gateway to Europe. Being part of the accelerator — and the wider Maria 01 community, which is widely respected in the Finnish ecosystem — helps international startups grow quickly. We’re definitely planning to stay at Maria 01.”
During the three months, each team validated their product–market fit, built local partnerships to support long-term growth, and some also successfully pivoted their business models. Collectively, the teams conducted 317 customer interviews, generated 741 leads, and secured €75,000 in early revenue.
Several founders experienced major breakthroughs. For instance, Rajesh Sukamanchi, founder of Clubr, closed 38 paid deals in just 30 days:
“The Maria 01 team went above and beyond to connect me with the right people, which made all the difference. Without their personal support, breaking into the market and building trust would’ve been much harder. Thanks to their help, I secured three new customers — including a chain of 27 restaurants — and even met with one of the leading restaurant groups in the Nordics.”
Learning was just as intensive. Across 36 speaker sessions and more than 50 mentor meetings, founders refined their ideal customer profiles, sharpened their pitches, and rebuilt their go-to-market strategies. They had the opportunity to learn from top-tier investors like Pirkka Palomäki (Founding Partner, Maki.vc), unicorn builders such as Tuomas Artman (Co-founder, Linear), and ecosystem leaders like Iida Lähdemäki (COO, AI Finland). Our network of 20 mentors was equally outstanding — you can explore the full list of mentors and speakers here.
To monitor founders’ progress on both product–market fit and personal resilience, we asked them weekly about their PMF confidence as well as their energy, motivation, stress, and perceived support levels. The results were encouraging: PMF confidence trend increased by 28%, energy by 24%, motivation by 12%, and perceived support by 11% over the course of the program. Stress rose slightly (+16%) during the more intense final weeks, but this did not dampen their overall drive.
These outcomes highlight the advantages of establishing a startup in a city like Helsinki and the value of combining ambitious business growth with personal resilience. As Riikka Rajaviita, one of the program’s mentors, aptly put it: “As a founder, you’re building your startup, but also building yourself.”
Founders’ resilience was actively nurtured through practical tools, relaxing trips into nature, and weekly peer-to-peer sessions where participants could share experiences, challenges, and strategies. These sessions quickly became a program highlight, forming deep bonds that continued well beyond the accelerator. As Devarshi Shah, founder of Simutomy, described:
“These months have been amazing — I’ve met so many people, built networks, and formed lifelong connections. The personal support and attention we’ve received, from developing product–market fit to building resilience, has been incredible. The peer-to-peer support has been equally inspiring — we’ve shared struggles, challenges, and goals from day one.”
What Founders Say About Their Experience
We sat down with the Batch 1 founders at both the start and end of the program to gather their feedback and reflections on their progress. The responses from our first cohort highlighted not only impressive traction but also significant personal and professional growth. Kiran described how the program helped him sharpen product–market fit, refine his vision, and make high-quality investor connections, all supported by a community ready to open doors at every turn:
“Access to the Maria 01 network and insightful mentor sessions were invaluable. Feedback from mentors, investors, and peers has been instrumental — we’ve grown drastically in platform users.”
Devarshi highlighted the personal support he received — from mentors who went above and beyond with introductions to peer founders who shared every step of the journey. By the end of the program, he decided to relocate his company to Finland to accelerate its European growth:
“Mentors and the Maria 01 team helped me connect with directors in nearly all the major universities. I’ve loved every bit of the program and wish it would never end. We’ve laid the groundwork, built trust with customers and investors, and I’m confident we’ll close our first pilot soon.”
Annu described how being accepted into the accelerator instantly boosted thinnan’s credibility:
“Our startup has grown rapidly. The moment we joined Maria 01 and shared that we were part of their accelerator, people started seeing us differently. We gained momentum and attention from all over the world. By the end of the program, we closed our first-ever angel investment round with Cal Henderson (Co-founder & CTO at Slack), who has been our advisor for the past year.”
Allan shared how the program provided clarity on navigating both Finnish and European markets:
“You’ll receive hands-on guidance from experienced mentors, direct Finnish-style feedback, and clear direction to grow your startup. Surrounded by smart, globally minded peers, you’ll gain ideas applicable far beyond Finland.”
For Naren, the most significant transformation was confidence. Coming from a technical background, business development and pitching did not come naturally, but the program helped him find his voice and reshape his approach:
“Over these three months, I’ve gained real confidence in pitching and business development. I’ve learned to pause, focus, and work smarter — and to open up, communicate more, and act on feedback. I only wish I’d done this earlier. The program helped us refine our product and learn to pitch our vision in just two minutes. It also gave us the insight we needed to enter the European market — from understanding the local ecosystem and customers to navigating the culture and business landscape. It’s an ideal landing pad for anyone looking to break into Europe.”
Elena Blinova, co-founder of Breathome Analytics, emphasised the program’s impact on her identity as a founder. As a female startup builder and mother, she found renewed confidence, clarity, and resilience:
“Before joining, I often questioned whether I belonged in the startup world — balancing my roles as a Tech Lead and parent felt overwhelming. But the program made me realise I’m exactly where I should be, and I’m truly excited about what we’re building.”
The Gateway for Founders Ready to Break Into Europe
The Northern Light Accelerator is more than an entry program — it’s a landing pad, a support system, and a direct gateway to one of Europe’s most collaborative ecosystems. The success of the first batch shows what becomes possible when international founders arrive in a community that genuinely wants them to succeed.
Finland’s startup ecosystem is maturing rapidly, and its global reputation is rising. For founders building in AI, cybersecurity and defence, data, deep tech, and other frontier technologies, Helsinki is emerging as one of the most exciting places in Europe to launch and scale. And for the founders of Northern Light Batch 1, this is only the beginning — the real momentum starts now.
If you’re ambitious, curious, and ready to scale into Europe, Helsinki might be one of the most strategic places to start your journey. The Northern Light Accelerator runs twice a year — Sep–Nov and Mar–Jun — so don’t miss the next application window. To learn more, visit the program’s website.
“I’m recommending the program to fellow founders across Europe and will carry these learnings forward.” – Kiran Ramaiah
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