Most Finnish accelerators state no equity: of 13 programmes checked on 7 Oct 2026, eight say so. Only Founder Institute Helsinki states an equity pledge; it, Maria 01 and Aalto Startup Center also charge fees. Several programmes do not publish costs. Check each page before applying.
Key takeaways
- Eight of the 13 programmes state that they take no equity; Founder Institute Helsinki states a 2.5% equity pledge.
- Three programmes charge: Maria 01 (EUR 2,000), Founder Institute Helsinki (USD 799) and Aalto's Business Generator (monthly fee plus a capped success fee).
- Four programmes do not say whether they take equity, and several do not state cost.
- Windows differ: Helsinki Incubators closes 1 Nov 2026, Maria 01 opens in November, Health Incubator Helsinki opens 15 Jan 2027.
- The list is not exhaustive: it only includes programmes whose own page shows 2025–2026 activity and states terms.
This is a checked list of startup accelerators in Finland, and the incubators that sit beside them. For each programme it gives the terms the programme publishes: city, focus, length, cost, whether it takes equity, and when to apply. Every figure comes from the programme's own page, read on 7 Oct 2026.
The list is not exhaustive. A programme is included if its own page shows activity in 2025–2026 and states terms. That does not prove that no other programme exists. For the wider map of hubs, funders and events, see our guide to the Finnish startup ecosystem. Where a page does not state a term, the table says "not stated" instead of guessing.
Which startup accelerators in Finland are active in 2026?
| Programme | City | Focus | Length | Cost | Equity taken | Application window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maria 01 Northern Light | Helsinki | Early-stage startups scaling in Europe; registered company with a live-demoable MVP | 3 months (Maria 01 home page: 12 weeks) | EUR 2,000 per startup | None | Opens in November 2026 for the Spring 2027 cohort |
| Health Incubator Helsinki | Helsinki | Research-based health startups | Up to 3 years | Not stated | None | 15 Jan–28 Feb 2027 |
| Helsinki Education Hub incubator | Helsinki | EdTech startups and university teams | 3 months, twice a year | Not stated | Not stated | Autumn 2026 call closed 7 Aug 2026; next not stated |
| Helsinki Incubators: Resilience & Security | Helsinki | Resilience and security technology, TRL 3–4+ | 16 weeks (9 Nov 2026–15 Mar 2027) | Not stated | Not stated | 7 Sep–1 Nov 2026 |
| Founder Institute Helsinki | Helsinki | No sector stated | 10 sessions plus Demo Day | USD 799 entrance fee | Yes: 2.5% of future equity pledged as a warrant | Open for Finland-Nordics Fall 2026; closing date not stated |
| Aalto Startup Center Business Generator | Espoo | Research and deep-tech businesses in the theme Tech for Sustainability | 12 months, renewable twice (3 years maximum) | From EUR 150 + VAT a month, plus a success fee of c.1% of net sales a year, capped at EUR 6,000 + VAT | None | Year-round; onboarding in early autumn and late winter |
| Sampo Accelerator | Espoo | Early-stage startups from Finland, the Baltics, CEE and the Balkans | The Forge: 3.5 weeks, three times a year | No fees | None | Fall 2026 batch; dates not stated |
| Kiuas | Not stated | Idea- or early-stage founders | 4-week sprints, repeatable; no fixed cohort | No fees | None | Rolling: apply through the site |
| ESA BIC Finland | Finland | Space technology or data used for non-space markets | Not stated | Fee not stated; incubation grant of up to EUR 90,000 | Not stated | Two selections a year; next cut-off date due early 2027 |
| Red Brick Accelerator | Tampere | Early-stage startups seeking product/market fit | 8 weeks | Free | None | Not stated; email sign-up for notice |
| Boost Turku Startup Journey | Turku | Scalable ideas with a committed team | 8 weeks (2026: 26 Jun–13 Aug) | Free | None | 2026 call closed 30 Apr 2026; next not stated |
| Startup Express, University of Oulu | Oulu | Idea-stage teams | 14 weeks (autumn 2026: 24 Sep–16 Dec) | Free of charge | Not stated | Autumn 2026 cohort under way; next not stated |
| Yritystehdas incubator | Jyväskylä | Business coaching for startups | Two years | Not stated | None | Not stated; book a consultation |
Two pages differ. Maria 01's Northern Light page gives the length as 3 months, while the Maria 01 home page says 12 weeks 1, 2. Aalto Startup Center says applications are accepted year-round, yet the same page also carries the line "Apply before August 7". The page was updated on 14 Jul 2026, so that date has passed; ask the centre before you assume a window 7.
Which Finnish accelerators take no equity?
Eight of the 13 programmes state that they take no equity:
- Maria 01: "we do not take any equity in exchange for participation" 1
- Health Incubator Helsinki: "We do not take any equity nor invest in the startups" 3
- Aalto Startup Center: "does not take an equity stake" 7
- Sampo Accelerator: "Zero equity, zero fees" 11
- Kiuas: "No fees, no equity" 9
- Red Brick: "an equity-free accelerator and free for startups" 12
- Boost Turku: "we do not take any equity from your startup" 13
- Yritystehdas: "does not take an ownership stake in your company" 15
Founder Institute Helsinki is the exception. Its page says founders "pledge 2.5 percent of future equity to the Equity Collective as a warrant" 6. Four programmes say nothing either way on equity: Helsinki Education Hub, Helsinki Incubators, ESA BIC Finland and Startup Express. A silent page is not a "no", so ask before you apply.
Which programmes charge a fee?
- Maria 01 charges EUR 2,000 per startup, for up to two co-founders 1. Its Northern Light page is where applications will open.
- Founder Institute Helsinki: "The entrance fee for the Helsinki cohort is $799 USD." The page labels the cohort "Finland - Nordics Fall 2026" elsewhere and does not tie the two names together 6.
- Aalto Business Generator: a monthly fee starting at EUR 150 + VAT per company, plus a success fee of c.1% a year of net sales, capped at EUR 6,000 + VAT 7.
- Stated as free or without fees: Kiuas 9, Sampo Accelerator 11, Red Brick 12, Boost Turku 13 and Startup Express ("free of charge") 14.
- ESA BIC Finland describes an incubation grant of up to EUR 90,000 and up to 80 hours of partner support, but does not mention a fee 10.
- No cost stated on the page read: Health Incubator Helsinki, Helsinki Education Hub, Helsinki Incubators and Yritystehdas.
When do applications open?
Status as of 7 Oct 2026:
- Open now: the Helsinki Incubators Resilience & Security programme, 7 Sep–1 Nov 2026 5; Founder Institute Helsinki, Fall 2026, closing date not stated 6; Aalto's Business Generator, which accepts applications year-round 7.
- Coming: Maria 01 opens applications in November 2026 for Spring 2027 1; Health Incubator Helsinki takes applications 15 Jan–28 Feb 2027 3; ESA BIC Finland says its next cut-off date will be available in early 2027 10.
- Closed, next window not stated: Helsinki Education Hub (Autumn 2026 call closed 7 Aug 2026) 4 and Boost Turku (2026 call closed 30 Apr 2026) 13.
- No dates: Kiuas has no fixed cohort and asks you to contact it 9; Red Brick offers an email sign-up for when its application period opens 12; Sampo Accelerator, Startup Express and Yritystehdas publish no application dates on the pages read.
How do you choose between them?
Use the table in this order.
- Stage and sector first. Idea or early stage: Kiuas, Startup Express, Red Brick, Sampo Accelerator. Health: Health Incubator Helsinki. EdTech: Helsinki Education Hub. Resilience and security: Helsinki Incubators. Deep tech and sustainability: Aalto's Business Generator. Space technology: ESA BIC Finland. Founders scaling in Europe: Maria 01.
- Eligibility second. Aalto asks for a Finnish business ID under three years old and a team of at least two full-time co-founders. Maria 01 asks for a registered company and a live-demoable MVP. Red Brick asks for a team of two or more with one full-time founder. Check the page before you invest time in an application.
- Price third. Only Founder Institute Helsinki states an equity pledge. Maria 01, Founder Institute Helsinki and Aalto charge fees, and Aalto's grows with your sales. Eight programmes state no equity at all.
- Timing last. Several windows are open now, others have closed, and Maria 01 and Health Incubator Helsinki open soon. A closed window is not a no: ask the programme when the next one starts.
A programme's fee or equity term is one part of the money picture. Our guide to startup funding in Finland and the page on startup grants cover the rest, and venture capital in Finland covers investors.
Which programmes were left out, and why?
- Urban Tech Helsinki: its site says "From the beginning of 2026, we are merging into Aalto Startup Center's Business Generator program" 8.
- Startup Sauna: the current site describes a student-led entrepreneurship hub, with no accelerator terms 16.
- BusinessUp (Business Turku): the page shows only a 2023 cohort, with applications 20 Jun–21 Aug and the programme 23 Sep–24 Nov, free of charge. It shows no 2025–2026 cohort 17.
- Student-only programmes: Aalto Founder Sprint 18 and Haaga-Helia StartUp School 19.
- NewCo Helsinki Accelerator: its programme page returned no content and the City of Helsinki news page was blocked on 7 Oct 2026, so its terms could not be checked.
- EnergySpin (Vaasa): its page describes a ten-week accelerator with continuous applications, but states no cost or equity, and the only year on it is 2017.
- Pages with no accelerator terms (length, cost, equity or window) or no cohort programme: Startup.Tampere Accelerator, Plug and Play's Tampere programme, LaunchX in Oulu, Vaasa Startup Factory, Kasvu Open, Helsinki XR Center and Combient Foundry.
Some older lists still describe a fixed-cohort Kiuas. Its own current page says it has no fixed cohort, so we list it as a rolling collective. If you run a programme that is missing or out of date here, its own page needs to show the terms before we can add it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free accelerator in Helsinki?
None of the Helsinki-based programmes in the table states that it is free. Health Incubator Helsinki takes no equity, and its page mentions no fee. Maria 01 charges EUR 2,000 and Founder Institute Helsinki USD 799. Programmes that state no fees include Kiuas, Sampo Accelerator in Espoo, Red Brick in Tampere and Startup Express in Oulu.
Do you need a Finnish company to apply?
It depends on the programme. Aalto's Business Generator asks for a Finnish business ID under three years old. Maria 01 asks for a registered company with a working demo. Sampo Accelerator says it takes early-stage startups from Finland, the Baltics, CEE and the Balkans. Read the eligibility section of each page before you apply.
How long do Finnish accelerator programmes last?
The range is wide. Sampo Accelerator's The Forge runs 3.5 weeks, Red Brick and Boost Turku run 8 weeks, and Startup Express in Oulu runs 14 weeks. Aalto's Business Generator has a 12-month term that can be renewed twice, Yritystehdas runs two years, and Health Incubator Helsinki offers up to three years.
Does Startup Sauna still run an accelerator?
We found no accelerator terms on its current pages. The startupsauna.org site describes a student-led entrepreneurship hub with co-working, and startupsauna.com says the organisation has a new webpage. Because no length, cost, equity or application window is published, Startup Sauna is not in the table.
Are there programmes only for students?
Yes. Aalto Founder Sprint, Fall 2026, ran 8 Sep–9 Dec 2026 and is only for students enrolled at Aalto; its application period closed on 17 May 2026. Haaga-Helia StartUp School offers entrepreneurship coaching for Haaga-Helia students. Neither is in the table, which covers programmes open to outside founders.
Sources
- Northern Light Accelerator, Maria 01. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Maria 01 home page, Maria 01. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Health Incubator Helsinki, Health Incubator Helsinki. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Helsinki Education Hub incubator, University of Helsinki. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Resilience & Security Incubator, University of Helsinki. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Founder Institute Helsinki, Founder Institute. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Business Generator, Aalto Startup Center. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Urban Tech Helsinki, Urban Tech Helsinki. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Kiuas: about, Kiuas. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- ESA BIC Finland, ESA BIC Finland. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Sampo Accelerator, Sampo Accelerator. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Red Brick Accelerator, Red Brick. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Startup Journey, Boost Turku. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Startup Express kick-off, University of Oulu. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Yritystehdas, Yritystehdas (Jyväskylä Startup Factory). Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Startup Sauna, Startup Sauna. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- BusinessUp, Business Turku. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Aalto Founder Sprint: applications for Fall 2026, Aalto University. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- StartUp School, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
Written by SiltaNova Editorial. AI tools produced a first draft, which was rewritten and edited. Editorial policy
