The massively popular ’90 Day Finn’ program arranged by Helsinki Business Hub has kicked off. A group of 13 international business professionals, selected from thousands of applicants, have arrived in Finland with their families. During the three-month program, they will experience what it’s like to live and work in Finland.
”The Helsinki Business Hub team has made arriving in Helsinki very simple and easy – which I consider to be a big accomplishment with everything related to COVID and travel restrictions. Helsinki is a very welcoming city to newcomers, and it was no trouble at all to find an apartment, favourite local coffee shop, and generally to get around with all the transit options. We have also already had a chance to benefit from access to business opportunities that HBH has to offer,” says Taggart Jefferson, one of the participants and CEO and Founder of GridCure.
The program participants have come to Finland from all over the world, including the United States, Chile, and Singapore. Helsinki Business Hub provides a 90-day relocation package covering everything from required documentation to housing, daycare, schools, and healthcare to match each participant’s individual needs. The participants are, however, responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and living expenses.
”We have been impressed by the participants’ willingness to make adjustments in their own life in order to come to Finland. It has been remarkable especially now under these unprecedented circumstances. We really want to help with all practical arrangements to help entrants get settled and up to speed as soon as possible,” says Johanna Huurre, Director, Invest in, at Helsinki Business Hub.
During the three-month program, participants will be introduced to the Finnish way of life as well as local technology hubs and business networks. Virtual orientation events have been arranged already during spring and summer, but now the participants finally have a chance to meet each other and the Finnish business community face to face. Workspaces and entrepreneurial support for the participants are provided by Epicenter Helsinki.
“Epicenter is for entrepreneurs made by entrepreneurs. Sharing knowledge and ideas across cultures and borders is something we fully support. We are proud and happy to make such a concrete contribution to Finland’s scale-up scene”, says Robert Stark, Interim Country Manager Epicenter Helsinki.
The official ’90 Day Finn’ program includes a wide selection of meetups and introductory visits. On the business front, participants have the opportunity to meet with organizations specializing in, for example, gaming, health technology, and smart cities. A visit to the Helsinki Biennial in Vallisaari is an example of the more leisurely events offered to give the participants a chance to get better acquainted with Finnish nature and culture.
“We are arranging a number of business and free-time oriented events to help participants experience different facets of living in Finland. We want to show them in practice that here you can build a career, innovate new solutions, and grow your business, without having to compromise on the rest of your life, such as time with family,” explains Johanna Huurre.
The practical implementation of the ’90 Day Finn’ events depends on how the pandemic develops in Finland in the coming weeks. Both the participants and Helsinki Business Hub are committed to complying with the government safety regulations.
”We will make sure everyone benefits from the time they spend in Finland, while they also witness how Finns ensure health safety during a pandemic,” assures Huurre.
The ’90 Day Finn’ program was born in the midst of a global pandemic. The idea was founded on the conviction that even under these exceptional conditions Finland and Helsinki are in a unique position to offer something extraordinary to international top experts, entrepreneurs, and investors. The campaign was a huge success: During the five-week application period, Helsinki Business Hub received more than 5,300 applications from people wanting to move to Finland for at least three months, some for longer. Now the first batch of 90 Day Finns are here!
More about the ’90 Day Finn’ -program online:
For additional information on the ‘90 Day Finn’ program, please contact:
Johanna Huurre
Director, Invest in
johanna.huurre@hbh.fi
+358 400 211 251
Vera Hallikainen
Marketing and Communications Director
vera.hallikainen@hbh.fi
+358 50 527 5815
N2 Albiino / Helsinki Marketing