Hey there, high-schooler, we're thrilled you're here!

Ever played Clash of Clans, ordered food from Wolt, or snagged a pre-loved phone from Swappie? If you have, you've given a helping hand to Finnish startups on their journey to becoming the successful companies they are now!

These high-growth companies, or startups as we like to call them, have sprouted right from the vibrant Finnish startup scene. A scene bursting with opportunities for those eager to learn on the go!

So, what are startups, and why should we care?

Startups are companies that aim to grow rapidly, usually by developing a technological solution to a significant problem, intending to help millions of people.

When we talk about the "startup scene," we're referring to all the startups, venture capital firms (investors who focus on startups), and support organizations (like us here at Startup Foundation, and Slush, the leading startup event).

What makes the Finnish startup scene stand out? It's full of young, brave folks who want to make the world a better place. For Finland to remain prosperous, the Finnish startup scene needs curious and enthusiastic people like YOU to bring their ideas forward and play a part in something that matters. See how you can dive in!

Open opportunities for high schoolers

Spring - Make a difference on the topics you care about

While our world faces many challenges, there's also loads of hope. Even the tiniest ideas can bring about big changes in people's lives and even the world.

The Spring Idea Competition is calling all creative 15–19-year-olds to team up and ideate solutions for issues you care about. You can participate as part of your curriculum or during your free time, no matter where you are in Finland.

The cherry on top? The winners get a summer job to take their idea to the next level and a study trip to Copenhagen.

Entrepreneurship Societies - Check out local opportunities in the startup scene

Entrepreneurship societies are student-run organizations that are all about helping young folks like yourselves kickstart and grow your own businesses. You'll find an Entrepreneurship Society (ES) in most cities with a university, and these societies often have weekly events that everyone can drop by - also high school students!

For example, you can check out aaltoes.com/events and join in on any of the events there. Trust us, they're excited to have high school students getting involved. You can find a list of all the ES organizations below

Nexus - Practice real-world problem-solving in a 2-day hackathon

Nexus is a two-day high school hackathon organized by Junction, part of Aalto University's startup ecosystem. A hackathon is a competition where folks solve problems within a set time, usually two days.

By participating, you'll get the chance to tackle interesting challenges. For instance, in 2022, Rovio presented a challenge that involved creating a board game about saving energy. The best part of Nexus? Participation doesn't require any prior experience or coding skills. And – the winners will be awarded a cash prize.

Wild Card: Just go for it!

Interested in learning more about startups and entrepreneurship? Just jump right in! Start reading, listening and chatting about these topics, and you'll soon realize there's nothing you can't pick up.

Here are some resources to explore:

Wanna know more about the Startup Foundation and other organizations? Just hit the button below.

We encourage you to dream big, be ambitious, and take that first step into something you're interested in.

You don't need to have all the answers now, as long as you're ready to learn as you go. The startup scene is an awesome place to start.