Building clearer pathways to entrepreneurship for immigrants in South Häme

A clearer and more accessible pathway to entrepreneurship is being developed for immigrants in cooperation with HAMK, the City of Riihimäki and Hyria. The aim is to make it easier for immigrants who are interested in entrepreneurship to access the services, support and networks they need to take the next step.

For many immigrants, entrepreneurship could offer an opportunity to find employment, make use of their skills and build new networks in Finland and beyond. However, finding information and identifying the right services can be challenging. To address this, the partners are developing a coherent and accessible service ecosystem that connects regional business services, educational opportunities, and professional networks.

The development work will create two entrepreneurship support pathways. One pathway focuses on traditional business sectors, while the other supports startup entrepreneurship. Both pathways combine business advisory services, mentoring, community-based activities and networking opportunities. The goal is to lower the threshold for becoming an entrepreneur, strengthen entrepreneurial skills and increase the number of new businesses established in the region.

We are responsible for developing the startup entrepreneurship pathway. We provide participants with mentoring to support the development of business ideas, as well as opportunities to network, test ideas and find potential collaborators. In addition, we organise coaching sessions, events and idea competitions that support entrepreneurial growth and business development.

Activities will be implemented across the South Häme employment area, particularly in Riihimäki, Hausjärvi, Loppi and Janakkala. The operating models developed through the project will also be shared more widely to support entrepreneurship services elsewhere in Finland.

The kick-off event brought stakeholders together

The collaboration was launched with the Your Idea – A Common Path event held in Riihimäki on 20 August. The event brought together immigrants interested in entrepreneurship as well as experts working in the fields of entrepreneurship, employment, education and integration. Participants discussed the kind of support needed in the early stages of entrepreneurship and how services could be developed into a more coherent and accessible ecosystem.

The programme featured inspiring entrepreneurial stories, discussions and interactive workshops. Together, participants explored entrepreneurship opportunities and developed new ideas for supporting aspiring entrepreneurs. The event also strengthened a shared understanding of how the entrepreneurial journey of immigrants can be supported more effectively.