In 2023, a record number of teams with their own business ideas applied to the Draft program. Draft companies also won recognition in different national and regional contests.
24.1.2024
Heikki Immonen, Marja-Liisa Ruotsalainen, Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Matti Laitinen, Harri Holopainen, Savonia University of Applied Sciences
Applicant numbers and teams selected for the program
In 2023, a total of 121 teams applied to the Draft Program® in three rounds of application. There were 97 teams in the first stage and 24 in the continuation stage. A total of 73 teams, which is 60.3% of applicants, were selected for either the first stage or the continuation stage.
In addition to the regular applications, a special photonics-focused application round was organized in Joensuu at the beginning of the year, where 3 teams with business ideas related to photonics were selected. In North Savo, a new initiative was that the city of Kuopio is funding the Eastern Finnish Draft entrepreneurship program. Thus, Kuopio residents can apply for coaching, culminating in presenting their business idea to a jury, known as pitching. The Draft entrepreneurship program was started in Kuopio in 2018 as a service of Business Center North Savo. Until now, students, staff, and alumni of five Eastern Finnish educational institutions have been eligible to apply.
Highlights from applicant statistics
The applicant statistics reveal some interesting details. In Joensuu, applicants were fairly evenly linked to either Karelia, Riveria, or UEF, whereas in Kuopio, applicants were most strongly linked to Savonia and UEF. In Kuopio, there has been a focus on attracting applicants from Savo Vocational College as well.
Alumni of educational institutions are a new and increasingly strong type of applicant. For instance, in Joensuu, 35% of the applicant teams included alumni from Karelia, Riveria, or UEF. A typical Draft program applicant who is an alumni usually wants to develop their own business idea while working a salaried job. With the inclusion of alumni, the average age of applicants has risen, and the experience of applicants is reflected in their business ideas.
New businesses started
In 2023, a total of 15 companies that had participated in the Draft program in 2023 or earlier years started new businesses.
With the support of the Draft program, the following companies, among others, started their businesses:
- Circutus Oy, www.circutus.fi
- Oneturva Oy, www.oneturva.fi
- EduZolve Oy https://www.eduzolve.com/
- Pikkujuttuja 3D, https://www.pikkujuttuja3d.com/
- Kaniva online store, https://kaniva.fi/
- Tiedekettu Tmi, https://www.tiedekettu.fi/
- Nordic Reach Oy, https://www.workify.fi/
- Virtuality Labs Oy, https://virtuallabs.fi/
Achievements of companies
The Kaartoon app designed for horse stable entrepreneurs, the Crafter’s Leather online store, and the ECO Boards air quality-improving wall panels won €3,000 prizes in the student category of the Start Me Up business idea competition as the best business ideas originating from Karelia, Riveria, and UEF.
Marginum Oy, which participated in the Draft program in 2019, was granted €1.7 million in funding for the commercialization of imaging technology related to cancer treatment. For more details, visit: Marginum Funding
Materialisting Oy, which participated in the Draft program in 2022, received €300,000 in funding from Startup Fund Joensuu and North Karelia Growth Fund. For more details, visit: Materialisting Funding
Materialisting Oy was also listed in Sitra’s “Most Interesting Data Economy Companies.” For more details, visit: Materialisting on Sitra List
As excellent examples of platform economy, the peer-to-peer rental service Circutus.fi and the work service provider Workify.fi launched their services in 2023.