Founder School

Founder School is Aalto University’s entry point to entrepreneurial learning. Through monthly Founder Talks, a new minor studies programme, and a tailor-made Founder Sprint for the most driven founders, it helps students develop the mindset to build companies over time.

Aalto Founder School brings entrepreneurial learning together from across campus - one place for students at any level of education, from all six schools. It supports students who are driven to create something new, whether they are still exploring their interests, shaping early ideas, or already taking their first steps toward building a company.

Founder School focuses on early-stage founder development. People who think boldly, act under uncertainty, and sustain momentum over time.

And no one does it alone. Founder School is embedded in Aalto's broader entrepreneurial ecosystem, connected to the people, programs, and communities that keep the journey moving.

Company valuation

over €30 billion

Over

15,000

jobs created

Combined turnover exceeds

€3 billion

annually

Companies founded by Aalto university's students and alumni have a strong societal impact.

"Finland’s strongest asset—economically and as a country—is the success of its growth companies."

Programmes overview

Founder School offers all Aalto students multiple entry points into entrepreneurial learning, designed to support different interests and needs.

Founder Minor

A structured academic pathway into entrepreneurship. We invite students to take practice-oriented courses to learn about product development, product management, building a business, go-to-market, financing a venture, entrepreneurship law, founder storytelling, and a host of other topics relevant for founders. Students from all disciplinary backgrounds are welcome to these courses. By completing a series of founder focused courses, students can earn a Founder Minor.

Learn more about Founder Minor

Founder Sprint

Founder Sprint is a highly selective program (10% acceptance rate) for the most driven founders-to-be at Aalto. Designed to accelerate entrepreneurial growth and fast-track students’ startup journey, the intensive program combines deep-dive learning modules, personalized coaching, and hands-on venture-building experience.

Applications are open to students from all six Aalto schools. Whether you're studying arts, business, design, science, or engineering, what matters most is your ambition to create and build.

Whether or not participants go on to found a company, they leave with the mindset, skills, and network needed to do so.

Each Sprint is built around a carefully curated cohort of students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Together with experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors from the Founder School network, participants help shape the content based on their ambitions, challenges, and the latest best practices from the startup ecosystem.

Learn more about Founder Sprint

Founder Talks

A hybrid event series about entrepreneurship for all startup curious students. Enjoy the fireside chats where well-known Finnish and international founders share their journey, interviewed by students from Aalto University.

The talks provide insight into real entrepreneurial journeys, highlighting both challenges, successes and lessons learnt along the way.

Learn more about Founder Talks

Group of smartly dressed people posing together at a brick‑walled indoor event, some holding drinks.

Founder Sprint is an intensive program crafted to help student bring out their best founder potential.

Founder School

Three people sitting in chairs on a stage with a large illuminated letter 'A' and quotation marks beside them.

Aalto Founder School brings entrepreneurship closer to all students at Aalto through monthly Founder Talks, a new minor studies programme, and a tailor-made Founder Sprint for the most promising ideas.

Founder School

Minor for all Aalto students

Minors

dark blue background with white text that says "Prototyping and Validation Grant", with a picture of an exploded view of a wooden stool

Turn an idea into something real and validate a market.

Grants and awards

As part of the Aalto Founder Sprint program, participants begin with the Insight Sprint, where they research and analyze an emerging trend, industry, or market and produce an Insight Report. This report develops the ability to synthesize research into clear insights and identify potential opportunity spaces. The exercise helps participants understand the broader landscape before moving on to product prototyping and business strategy in later sprints.

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