Start-up entrepreneurs’ business ideas praised by investors

Proximi.io was awarded for the best business idea and pitch, i.e. for a compact presentation, in the Aalto Pitch event on 17 February 2016. The company is developing a platform that combines different localisation techniques for the use of mobile and web applications. The grant awarded by Nordea was €5 000.

‘We will use the money for marketing,’ said CEO of Proximi.io Annina Koskiola, who is also one of the two founding members of the company. ‘We also intend to enter foreign markets rapidly.’

The jury’s evaluation criteria emphasised that a growth company’s earnings logic must be in order and that the company must stand out among its competitors. The jury also regarded it as important that the company has clear plans for internationalisation.

The business idea of the winning Proximi.io fulfilled these criteria and, in addition, the pitch made by Annina Koskiola was considered excellent.

In addition to Proximi.io, Haituva Innovations, Pickdelso, Mezuria, Cryon, AdLaunch Inc, LAC Systems, BFIX, Kwork Innovations and Me2We also had a chance to present their business ideas. All growth companies that participated had their background at Aalto University.

Collaboration to support growth entrepreneurship

Aalto Start-Up Center and Nordea’s corporate branch region Helsinki have collaborated for over five years now and have concluded a partnership agreement for that purpose to promote the possibilities for entrepreneurship. The Aalto Pitch event is a part of this collaboration.

The jury of the event included Jussi Pajala, Head of the corporate branch region Helsinki at Nordea and Johanna Savolainen, Director of UK Trade & Investment as well as entrepreneurs and investors Riku Asikainen and Hannu Kytölä.

Venture capitalist Riku Asikainen emphasised to the growth entrepreneurs how important it is to implement their business ideas.
‘The implementation of business ideas is pivotal because ideas have no value without it. You also have to be able to let go of bad ideas as every once in a while there are also bad ideas.’ In addition, he reminded growth entrepreneurs about the significance of networks.
‘Money is important, of course, but what is even more important is the networks and information capital that you can get through business angels.’

The Aalto Pitch event was organised at the British Embassy in Kaivopuisto in Helsinki and was hosted by the British Ambassador to Finland Sarah Price. Christa Uusi-Rauva, specialist in teaching development from The School of Business, moderated the event. At the end of the event, Project Director at Aalto Start-Up Center Marika Paakkala expressed her warm thanks to Nordea and UK Trade & Investment for excellent collaboration in organising the event and told the audience that the active partnership would also be continued in future.

Additional information:
Marika Paakkala
Project Director
Aalto Start-Up Center
tel. +358 40 829 2286
marika.paakkala@aalto.fi

Twitter: #aaltopitch @startupc