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Aalto University experts support Ukraine in rebuilding and developing its business sector
The European Union's Seeds of Bravery programme involves business accelerators from 11 countries
Aalto University's Startup Center and Center for Innovation and Research (CKIR) are involved in the EU's Seeds of Bravery programme, which helps Ukraine develop its business capabilities. The programme aims to help war-torn Ukrainian tech start-ups get back on their feet and enter the European market. In addition to Aalto, the programme involves 10 European innovation centres, e.g. in Poland, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.
The Seeds of Bravery programme is a two-year programme that started at the beginning of this year. The project is funded by the EU's Horizon Europe programme. Seeds of Bravery has a budget of €20 million, of which €12 million will be distributed as grants to Ukrainian companies and €8 million is earmarked for the costs of experts from business accelerators. The Ukrainian contribution will amount to €2 million by October 2024.
‘The programme has enabled Aalto to establish new international relationships and contacts with other European innovation centres,’ says Janne Laine, Vice President for Innovation at Aalto University. ‘We can already say that the cooperation has paid off here too; our experts have been speaking in the programmes built by our partners and the activities have naturally been reciprocal.’
Practical examples include the two-week Market Discovery mentoring programme organised by CKIR Project Manager Henrik Keinonen for Ukrainian startups in August. CKIR experts mentored the participants on what help is available to Ukrainians and what they need when they seek to enter the Finnish market.
Krista Jäntti, Business Advisor at the Aalto Startup Center, says that the Startup Center has organised a two-week intensive mentoring programme for early-stage startups. ‘The programme coached startup entrepreneurs on how to talk to the media and investors, how to target their business to the right audience, and how to understand the issues that startup founders need to consider when aiming for strong growth,’ says Krista Jäntti.
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Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research (CKIR)
CKIR’s main research focus is on innovation ecosystems, ICT enabled service platforms and thus enabled new business dynamics.
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