We took part in some awesome training and cheered our classmates along while they jousted for 50, 000 euro.
One of the main reasons we moved the company to Hämeenlinna is the level of support available for companies from Linnan Kehitys. They organize free training, courses, and programs for entrepreneurs, students, and anyone interested in entrepreneurship by digging into subjects such as marketing, sales, AI, internationalization, and a lot more.
In February this year, we applied and were accepted into the KIIHDYTYSsarja (for companies who want quick growth) and we had monthly training sessions where we dove into different aspects of growing a company including how boards work, marketing, sales, improving digital material and a lot more. Each company also received a mentor who worked with us personally to figure out our next steps, which was great and led to a lot of new ideas and learning.
In October, 5 out of 10 companies were chosen for the final where they had 4 minutes to impress the judges by pitching their company. The stakes were high as 50,000 euro was being awarded to the best company (or companies). We didn’t get into the final round but were happy to participate and cheer on former classmates as they overcame their nerves and jousted for investment money.
It was a pretty tiring day with a lot of networking but also great to see local companies and their ideas for how to build their companies both locally and abroad. Some of the challenges that came up were digital basics such as outdated websites, SEO, and trying to find a nerd to help them develop a platform.
Another challenge mentioned was multilingual marketing which is something we’ve struggled with although more of an English-to-Finnish market instead of the other way round. The prize money itself wouldn’t solve all their problems, but hopefully, it helps them make a start.
All in all, it was great to hear what the local business sphere is up to and also nice to see what’s possible if you can swallow your nerves and pitch a good idea that judges like.
Personally, I was happy to learn new things during the training and figure out the direction of WP-Ensure. It concreted a few elements and not only brought up ideas for what I want to do but also what I don’t want to do, which is also important. It also gave me confidence that I’m on the right track, so nothing for it but onwards!
