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Fostering creative industry innovation: Fourteen new teams onboard the Aalto Creatives pre-incubator programme

Aalto Creatives, the creative industry pre-incubator programme, welcomed fourteen innovative teams at a kickoff event on March 11, 2025.
A group photo of Aalto Creatives pre-incubator participants from spring 2025.
Photo: Kalle Kataila

The onboarding of the new teams marks a significant milestone as the programme broadens its scope after its rebranding from Aalto Digital Creatives to Aalto Creatives. The teams' business ideas are rooted in sustainable fashion, design, architecture, music, augmented reality (AR), art, digital modeling and fabrication, games, media, and event production.

‘We're excited to see the diverse range of ideas and look forward to working with these talented teams. This cohort is a good reflection of the programme's broadened scope’, says Ari Kivimäki, the programme’s project manager from Aalto Studios.

The participants, poised to transform their ideas into viable business models, will attend an intensive programme over the next 12 weeks. Starting with individual coaching sessions, the teams will validate their business ideas under the guidance of experts from Aalto Startup Center and Aalto Studios.

In the first half of the programme, the focus is on equipping the teams with essential skills for turning early-stage ideas into marketable businesses. During weekly sessions, the teams will learn about entrepreneurial mindset, service design, intellectual property rights (IPR), go-to-market strategies, and fundraising.

In the second half of the programme, the emphasis shifts to launching the business ideas through effective pitching. Pitching is a vital skill for entrepreneurs, essential for attracting both investors and customers. The teams will demonstrate their refined pitches at the Aalto Creatives Demo Day event in Marsio this May, showcasing their progress and potential in front of a jury. 

Aalto Creatives pre-incubator programme is organised twice a year. The programme is a part of the wider Campus Incubators network supported by the City of Helsinki. In Aalto University, the program is coordinated by Aalto Startup Center and Aalto Studios.

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Audience at Creative Demo Day event

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Aalto Creatives

Got an idea, but not sure how to build on it? Aalto Creatives is a free 12-week programme for creative professionals ready to turn their practice into a business that can genuinely scale. Grounded in Aalto University's entrepreneurial expertise and network, and surrounded by a community of peers who get it.

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Aalto Studios (external link)

Aalto Studios provides expertise and resources for using and exploring media platforms for studies and research.

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Aalto Startup Center (external link)

Aalto Startup Center accelerates the growth and success of early-stage startups, particularly those with a focus on high-tech and sustainable innovations.

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