Finland selects its candidates for the European Enterprise Promotion Awards

The entrepreneurship programme Draft Program of the Karelia University of Applied Sciences in Joensuu and the Kuopio Living Lab product development and testing service concept of the City of Kuopio are the winners of Finland’s national competition for the European Enterprise Promotion Awards.

The Draft Program will compete in a category to promote entrepreneurial spirit while the Kuopio Living Lab will take part in the category for improving the business environment and supporting the digital transition.

In accordance with the rules, the participating countries will select the two best candidates from two different categories in their national competition, which will then proceed to the European competition. There are six categories altogether.

A grand jury will select the winners, which will be announced at an award ceremony in November 2021. The winner, which can be from any category, is considered the most creative and inspiring entrepreneurial initiative in Europe.

Draft Program spreads local good practices to other new businesses in the region

The Draft Program is a small but innovative joint entrepreneurship programme of five educational institutions in eastern Finland. The programme provides micro funding and coaching for students, staff and alumni teams. The programme has developed an operating model for experimental entrepreneurship, where each client team is considered a research expedition that produces locally relevant information on the sector. The entrepreneurial coaches, i.e. the developers of experimental entrepreneurship, will transform the lessons learned from teamwork into so-called useful publications. These publications are practical blogs, videos, podcasts and guides that disseminate local sector-specific practices to other new businesses in the region. The programme has created about a dozen companies in recent years. Over 60 useful publications have been released in the last 12 months.

Kuopio Living Lab helps health and welfare technology companies develop innovative services and products

Kuopio Living Lab is a product development and testing service concept formed by three expert organisations, the Kuopio University Hospital, the City of Kuopio and the Savonia University of Applied Sciences. Kuopio Living Lab aims to support health and welfare technology companies at different stages of product development (idea, prototype, finished product). A company will be supported by a specialist familiar with the topic and an authentic testing environment with actual customers. Developing a product or a service in an authentic environment together with the users will create a customer-oriented approach to bringing safe and better products to the market.  Kuopio Living Lab’s activities support inclusion and local business and industry, and contribute to the creation of a healthy living environment.

Inquiries:
Jaana Valkokallio, Contact person of the national competition, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 064932