Graduate School of Business

The director of a Finnish program to instill entrepreneurship urged students attending a special lecture in September to cultivate initiative, positive thinking, and persistence as keys to self-development as entrepreneurs. These are habits available to everyone, not just to special individuals, he said.

The lecture on “Aalto University’s Startup Ecosystem” by Olli Vuola, executive director of Aalto Ventures Program, Aalto University, was hosted by the Yonsei School of Business and BK21 Plus.

Vuola introduced students to the Aalto Venture Program and Finland’s startup accelerator programs. The venture program, founded by students, has 2,080 student participants who also manage its program of workshops and events aimed an inculcating an entrepreneurial spirit in students and forcing them out of their comfort zones.

He introduced two of Finland’s startup accelerator programs: Startup Sauna and Aaltoes. Startup Sauna fostered over 100 venture firms through an early stage venture support program. Aaltoes is the largest startup nonprofit in Europe and organizes SLUSH, the most famous startup competition in Europe.

Vuola told students that in taking on a task, they should think about the reasons for it. And he advised the professors in attendance to be attentive to students’ desires create an entrepreneurial community led by students.