StartUp Hub

Purpose

Creating a community of future entrepreneurs

StartUp Hub is supporting a community of entrepreneurial minded students from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences & Helsinki Business College. By creating a sustainable model, the community can keep on contributing to the social capital of future entrepreneurs for years to come. The initiative develops activities such as networking and team building events, but also workshops offering practical guidance in entrepreneurship. In addition, it aims to build a vibrant, cozy, inspiring and relaxing co-working and community space for everyone interested in entrepreneurship.

Approach

Learning faster with lean startup

Lean startup is based on business-hypothesis-driven experimentation, iterative product releases, and validated learning. The methodology reduces market risk, need of initial investment, and failure rate.

The StartUp Hub initiative uses lean startup to discover a sustainable model for the community. The model is developed by designing and doing experiments, measuring, and learning in monthly cycles. Progress is measured through retention, engagement and financial sustainability.

Activity

Ongoing experiments

Funding clinic

Growth / Value Hypothesis: Access to funding is a key perceived problem for many of the teams attending Cambridge Venture Week. A Funding clinic should be attractive and relevant for entrepreneurial students.

Resources required: 3 x 3 hours of Mikko’s work, marketing through StartUp School channels.

Measurable outcome: At least three students/teams attend the three clinics during April and May. 50% or more attend for more than one clinic.

Co-operative bizdev (enabler)

Growth / Value Hypothesis: A school co-operative (oppilaitososuuskunta) can attract students who want to test their business idea without big commitments, enabling the entrepreneurial community.

Resources required: Requires 5 days of planning, and estimated €2-3k for producing the marcom material for test marketing in May. Some of the work may be handed off to a thesis worker.

Measurable outcome: Business plan, high-level implementation plan and draft marcom material ready for test marketing ready by the end of April.

Helsinkies lounge (enabler)

Growth / Value Hypothesis: The Helsinkies community can be grown by having a physical, accessible premises, that people get to know at the Pasila campus.

Resources required: 3 days of supporting work from Mikko J, heavy lifting by Helsinkies members. Hub project needs to commit to covering €5k renovation budget.

Measurable outcome: The lounge is renovated in time to host the Helsinkies bootcamp and fall events.

Helsinkies bootcamp

Growth / Value Hypothesis: To sustainably support a community of entrepreneurial students, Helsinkies needs to have revenue. Helsinkies bootcamp can provide a source of revenue for the community.

Resources required: 5 days of supporting work from Mikko J and Kaisa N, heavy lifting by Helsinkies members. Hub project needs to commit to covering €5k of participation fees of HH/HBC students.

Measurable outcome: Helsinkies bootcamp has 10-20 registered participants, including ones that pay out of their pockets. The sales is sufficient for implementing the camp.

Validated experiments

Helsinkies Kick off

Growth / Value Hypothesis: With proper support, HelsinkiES is able to produce attractive networking and team building events.

Resources required: Up to 500 euros on marketing and catering for the kick-off event. The event is organized by HelsinkiES volunteers.

Measurable outcome: Kick-off event held during March, with 20-40 students attending the event.

HILDA Case Competition

Growth / Value Hypothesis: : Workshops with actual start-up company cases attracts students interested of entrepreneurship. Case competition format with cash reward for the winner makes things more interesting.

Resources required: Real-life case provided by Kardemummo Oy in March. Requires five days of Mikko for coordinating and marketing the workshop, and also resourcing from HelsinkiES. Rewards covered by external Tekes funding.

Measurable outcome: : A minimium of three teams with three members attend (3x3) the workshop. More than 80% would participate again and recommend the event. Positive feedback from company on the results.

Helsinkies Office (enabler)

Growth / Value Hypothesis: This enabler covers the initial investment in March to set up HelsinkiES Office. In addition to setting up physical premises, the enabler covers setting up online presence and communication tools.

Resources required: Around one work day for Mikko’s support, HelsinkiES voluntary work, up to 500e of external costs covered from Hub project.

Measurable outcome: Physical office premises and online presence set up for HelsinkiES during March.

StartUp Hub Landing page (enabler)

Growth / Value Hypothesis: : In order to grow engagement and the number of community generated backlog items, StartUp Hub project needs an online presence and an easy way to submit items.

Resources required: Maximum of two days of Mikko’s work to produce and communicate (in Haaga-Helia, SUS and HBC channels) a landing page with an input form.

Measurable outcome: : Landing page created and press article published during March: Baseline for number of visits and conversion rates.

Helsinkies offering (enabler)

Growth / Value Hypothesis: To sustainably support a community of entrepreneurial students, Helsinkies needs to have a clearly defined business model, including customer segments and offering.

Resources required: Internal work

Measurable outcome: Service definitions

Helsinkies lounge plan (enabler)

Growth / Value Hypothesis: The Helsinkies community can be grown by having a physical, accessible premises, that people get to know at the Pasila campus.

Resources required: Internal work

Measurable outcome: Plan and budget estimate

Contribute

Propose an experiment or join monthly meeting

StartUp Hub initative is open for proposals. Anyone can propose an experiment, that would help the initiative with its objective of creating a community of entrepreneurial minded students. Just fill the form, and you proposal will be evaluated no later the next monthly open meeting. You can also join us at the monthly open meetings, where we focus on reviewing and planning the activities.

Propose an experiment

NEXT OPEN MEETING
June 6th 15:00 @ Startup School
Haaga-Helia Pasila, Room 1210
No registration required

Members

The StartUp Hub initative is funded with grant from Helsinki Chamber of Commerce. The initiative is planned and executed in co-operation with Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and Helsinki Business College. For more information, please contact Startup Hub Project Manager Mikko Järvinen.