Hugo Furtado’s Post

#Feedback. This is post two in the series of how startups benefit from being part of #incubators. The second important topic is feedback. This comes from experts, peers as well as stakeholders (in our case the city and other partners of Urban Tech Helsinki) and potential investors. Why is this important. Well, it is the basis for all development. You need constant and insightful feedback to develop your product-market-fit, your services, your sales pitch and your investor pitch and approach. The thing an incubator or and #accelerator can provide is the surroundings of getting the feed back in a productive and trustful environment, where it is easier to take on board and where you are also supported to keep working on your startup, product and investment plans. To get as much and as valuable feedback on all aspects of the startup is nearly impossible to get elsewhere. So, it is worth looking at the best incubators and accelerators just to get in to the feedback-loop. This is a part of a series of insights to benefits of incubators and accelerators as we have a call open Urban Tech Helsinki . If you are a startup that would benefit from connections to for example #cities or other stakeholders such as universities, have a look and apply through our website. https://lnkd.in/dwnNStBd #incubator #startups #growth #impact #feedback #development #daring #emotionalsafeplace Oh, if you have an idea I could think of, please let me know.

Today is the turn for #insight number three on what do #incubators and #accelerators offer to startups. Why to join one? My third point is #connections. The programmes and their experts can normally offer connections to #mentors, #partners, #stakeholders, sometimes #customers and even #investors. All these are valuable for a startup founder either in finding customers, investors or developing your solution. When considering joining a programme, ask yourself if it can offer the contacts you need. We Urban Tech Helsinki are special at this. We have the connections to Aalto University, Helsinki University and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences connections. And as the main draw, we can help to get connected to City of Helsinki. Why are these important? Well, for pilots, and also to have the discussions you need to build your offering to match cities' needs. That can make a startup. This is a part of a series of insights to benefits of incubators and accelerators as we have a call open Urban Tech Helsinki . If you are a startup that would benefit from connections to for example #cities or other stakeholders such as #universities, have a look and apply through our website. https://lnkd.in/dwnNStBd Ps. The two previous ones were 1. #community and 2.#feedback #incubator #startups #growth #impact #feedback #development Oh, if you have an idea I could think of, please let me know.

Warning: this is an advert. Also, this is a personal view on how #incubators and #accelerators benefit #startups and startup founders. I'll start with the obvious. Founders work can be lonesome. The support of others in similar situations or the ones that have done it before is invaluable. This is actually quite a universal rule of human life. Don't be alone, get support from others in similar situations. Oh... you do get to help them out as well. The more intricate issue here is that the support and network is more than just helping with the business. At best it can be collegial and you can even make friends. Therefore - as a personal opinion - you get a lot more out of being a part of an incubator or accelerator that has face to face meetings and a space you can share with your peers. I will do a series of these as we have a call open Urban Tech Helsinki. If you are a startup that would benefit from connections to for example #cities or other stakeholders such as universities, have a look and apply throug our website. https://lnkd.in/dwnNStBd

📢 New report coming soon from Disruptive Edge! 📢 Our team has been diving into public transit and mobility trends on a global scale, exploring innovations around the world in this space. We are excited to announce the launch of “Shaping the Future of Public Transit and Mobility,” a report that highlights the most impactful innovations transforming public transit in cities worldwide. This report delves into customer insights and analyzes what these changes mean for the future of urban mobility. As urban populations grow and environmental concerns rise, cities are increasingly embracing cutting-edge technologies to enhance mobility, reduce emissions, and improve user experiences. This report showcases key trends, emerging startups, and successful pilots driving this transformation.   📅 Release Date: September 17th, 2024 📅 Discover how these innovations are reshaping transit systems globally. This report is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of urban mobility! 📖 Find the report on our website on launch day.

"The EIT program connected us beyond German borders. We were connected with other founders and to industry players and public players. This is important when it comes to grants on a European scale." - Niclas Lehnert, Co-founder and CEO of BAVERTIS GmbH. ⚡   Bavertis participated in the program last year. Hear from Niclas, and other participating startups in the video. 👀   DTU Science Park is one of the six partners that together run the EIT Urban Mobility Sustainable Cities & Clean Mobility program. They make it possible for your startup to: 👉 Benefit from personalised business coaching and mentorship 👉 Attend workshops 👉 Access a network of leading deep tech start-up accelerators 👉 Get matched with cities across Europe 👉 Test your solution in real-world city environments  👉 Get connected to demonstration labs   Apply for the Sustainable Cities and Clean Mobility program here: https://lnkd.in/eCXE84fH   EIT Urban Mobility UnternehmerTUM Technische Universität München PoliHub - Innovation Park & Startup Accelerator İSBAK   #SustainableCities #CleanMobility #StartupAcceleration #GlobalImpact #CityLogistics #UrbanMobility #ScalingOpportunities

"New year's resolution" in October (because why not 🤷♂️): to reflect on my learnings weekly. Let's do it! 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟏 - 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐧 𝐒𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐡'𝐃 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 Back in June, our startup SpaceCraft won in the pitching competition from Campus Founders, and we got the tickets to Heilbronn Slush'D which took place today. I was honestly feeling a bit lazy to go all the way to Heilbronn, but Ekaterina Pestriakova said they might have free food, so off I went. So what did I learn? 1. It helps to have a clear plan in mind for an event. - I did try browsing last-minute through the event agenda in the train but didn't set any specific goals. Whilst there is nothing wrong with being opportunistic (more about it later), more purpose would surely not hurt. 2. The most interesting things happen quite randomly. - I got interesting tech ideas from Tillmann Lang and Paulin L. Wirth whilst waiting in line for a singed copy of "Connect the dots" book by Christian Busch - I got offered a warm intro to our indirect competitor by Björn Brenner whilst munching on a burger. 3. It's not easy to balance fun and productiveness. - Whilst it was really cool to meet so many familiar faces and to have an enjoyable banter and catch up on life, it also meant less room for meeting and getting to know new people. I also took notes from a few quite interesting workshops - might share those some other time. P.S. The burger was pretty good and free - definitely a worthwhile trip.

Get to know our Sprint 2024 Partners! 💥⁠ ⁠ In Sprint Innovation Festival, every partner organization is now part of a collaborative partner group. Together, they are dedicated to working alongside students to help them find ideas and solutions for the challenges of today. ⁠ ⁠ 💜⁠ ⁠ 🗝 Theme 4/5: Integration of International Students in Tampere⁠ ⁠ Partners: City of Tampere, Opiskelijan Tampere, Tribe Tampere⁠ ⁠ Tampereen kaupunki - City of Tampere is the third largest city in Finland with 250 353 inhabitants. Tampere is particularly attractive to students, with the largest age group in Tampere being 20 - 29 year olds (49 229 inhabitants). ⁠ ⁠ Opiskelijan Tampere ry is your friend in everyday life. They negotiate valuable benefits, offer an apartment forum, events and information for everyday life. ⁠ ⁠ Tribe Tampere is the warmest startup community in the Nordics! Tribe Tampere serves the entire Tampere startup ecosystem by uniting startups, driven individuals and organizations to take action and build a thriving startup community – together! ⁠ ⁠ 💜⁠ ⁠ This group is pumped to hear students' ideas on questions like:⁠ ⁠ ⭐️ What is the current situation of the integration of international students in Tampere?⁠ ⭐️ What challenges does Tampere face in integrating international students?⁠ ⭐️ What are the benefits of integration for Tampere?⁠ ⁠ Photo from Partner Workshop in February: @ericadezonne⁠ ⁠ #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Collaboration

Today is the day when the Urban Tech Helsinki Challenge 2024 teams get to present their ideas and compete for the win 🏆. We asked some of our mentors about their thoughts on the Challenge and the upcoming pitching event: 🎤 One thing that stuck in your mind? Ari Kaukiainen: "The readiness of the teams surprised me at the beginning. None of the teams started empty-handed and some already had a business!" Klaus Vesama: "Hmm... I have to say the ideation as an iterative process together with customer pains and gains". 🎤 What was it like for YOU to be a mentor? Ari Kaukiainen: "Mentoring teams on unfamiliar topics has been challenging, but it also provides an excellent opportunity to apply knowledge and essential skills in different applications, which enhances learning opportunities." Klaus Vesama: "It was great to coach and be part of the team's development process". 🎤 What are you most looking forward to at the Pitching Event? Ari Kaukiainen: "I'm waiting to see the final results of the development and the readiness to move into some real pilots and use cases! I'm also interested to see all the innovations and their possible impact on circularity in the construction industry". Klaus Vesama: "I'm waiting for energetic pitching to present and open up feasible, viable and desirable solutions as well as novel business models". More about the pitching event in the upcoming days 🤩👋 KIRA-kasvuohjelma, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Business Helsinki Forum Virium Helsinki, Rakli #startup #challenge #construction #mentroring

Calling all Finnish startups in the built environment sector! We’re announcing a new initiative in collaboration with Urban Tech Helsinki and the KIRA-kasvuohjelma aimed at strengthening partnerships between innovative startups and major players, including cities, large companies, and public entities. 🔍 To make this impactful, we want to hear from you! We’re gathering insights on the challenges startups face when collaborating and doing business with larger organizations in Finland. Your experiences and perspectives are essential to shaping meaningful solutions. [Take the survey from the comments!] 🏙️ For large companies in this ecosystem, we’re also looking to define 3-7 specific challenges – from urban planning to construction and the enhancement of built environment services. These challenges will guide the creation of collaboration models with startups, and we’re looking for cities, public entities, and large companies to become “owners” of these challenges and drive change together. If you’re interested, reach out to us!

 Only two more nights of sleep until..   🔥TOWNHALL! 🔥   Aarhus Townhall is where the startup community gathers to connect, share experiences, and build great companies from the ground up. Whether you're reconnecting with old friends or meeting new faces, this is the place to spark meaningful conversations.   And who knows? You might just meet your next hire, investor, or even a future co-founder. "Wow. That sounds like a great event. Must be very expensive to attend", you say. Nope. It’s free and there are tickets left for both investors and founders! As always, Townhall is organized by the wonderful people from Startup Aarhus. Oh and it's in two days - so don't sit on it.   🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/e3Jf4Tpi 🗓️ Date: October 10th 17.00-21.00 📍 Location: Turbinehallen, Kalkværksvej 12    But before Townhall kicks off, there's a little something special for investors. 🎯 If you're curious about how grants from Innovationsfonden and Danmarks Eksport- og Investeringsfond (EIFO) can boost your innovation portfolio, this pre-event is for you. When used correctly, the synergy between government funds and your investments becomes a powerful engine for innovation and growth – with lower risk and greater potential for returns.   This event, organized by Innovationsfonden, Danmarks Eksport- og Investeringsfond and INCUBA A/S, will give you valuable insights into how soft and hard money work together, preparing you for the opportunities ahead—right before Aarhus Townhall.   So, if you’re in town and looking to dive into the startup ecosystem or expand your current investments, this is your chance. Seats are limited and registration ends today. So again: don't sit on it!   🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dzdFDvHQ 🗓️ Date: October 10th, 13.00-15.00 📍 Location: INCUBA Navitas, PierVenue