Startups, ready to scale? ✨
You provide the promising business concept & team – and we will help you, free of charge.
Northbound Scaleups is a growth program focusing on entering in a new foreign market. The program provides an unparalleled opportunity to work with top-notch experts and gain valuable knowledge and skills through international workshop days alongside your peers and embarking on a customised Market Discovery Mission for each company.
Program schedule and content
The program consists of eight workshop days, starting in Tallinn on June 4–5, with the second part in Turku, August 13–14. The rest are held in Gävle on October 8–9, 2024 and January 14–15, 2025. Travel and accommodation costs are covered for 1-2 participants per company for these workshop days.
Qualified companies are then supported on their tailored Market Discovery Mission to their chosen target market in EU/EFTA countries, taking place between October and December.
• Identifying the first (or the next) international market
• Data gathering and market analysis
• Strategies for entering foreign target markets
• Co-creation with potential clients/customers
• Planning for next round investments – how to onboard foreign angels and VCs
• Legal aspects of going international
• Getting to know the target markets inside out
• A company-specific trip for meeting potential clients, investors and relevant key players in the local ecosystem
• Provided for qualified companies at the end of the programme
• Personal coach for each startup
• Expert mentors to support scaling up – our pool of +150 mentors covers your specific needs
• Founder-to-Founder support
• Dedicated online collaboration platform for discussions, materials and sharing information
What the earlier participants have said
[The program] gave a broader perspective and insight into areas we didn’t think about. Also gave us the opportunity to learn from others and build a network of people in the same situation.
New partners, customers, and a strong network of like-minded entrepreneurs.
Increased sales by 63% compared to last year, doubled the team and had a great mentor.
[The most important takeaway was] being able to gather experience and knowledge about entering new markets. We underestimated the need for preparation before entering a new market.
Is your company suitable?
This program benefits you the most if your startup:
• has already launched its products/services within the past 7 years
• has the initial product-market-fit domestically and first traction
• has readiness to scale to foreign markets
• has key personnel hired & founders onboard
• is possibly looking for international investors
• has previous experience from incubation or acceleration programs (which is a bonus, but not a must)
Next steps
The program organizers will go through the applications that meet the criteria. Five startup companies from each country (EE, FI, SE) will be chosen for admission to the program for the upcoming round, totaling 15 companies. For the participants, the program is free of charge. The selected participants have shown a true interest in scaling their company’s business and in investing time for pursuing the program and the development process.
Please submit your application in the form below by May 8, 2024 at the latest.
If you want to know more about the program, please do not hesitate to contact us.
More information:
Estonia:
Anne-Liisa Elbrecht
Service and Community Manager / Tehnopol Startup Incubator
+ 372 56 652 407, anneliisa.elbrecht@tehnopol.ee
Finland:
Growth Advisor / Business Turku
+358 44 7699 704, niko.karinen@businessturku.fi
Sweden:
Project Manager / Movexum