HAMK’s International Students Help a Company from Hämeenlinna Conquer the Dutch Market

International Business students from Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) are helping a Hämeenlinna-based company, Code Ananas, to expand internationally. The company has set ambitious goals to reduce consumer food waste through its unique app. The aim is to launch the app in Finland in autumn 2025, after which the entrepreneurs plan to expand abroad, starting with the Netherlands.

In spring 2025, HAMK’s international students from the International Business degree programme produced, among other things, an analysis of the Dutch market, target groups, and competitors for the 2024-founded Code Ananas. They also investigated which features and functionalities would make the app as appealing as possible to the Dutch audience. The students had a “home field advantage,” as there was a Dutch exchange student in the group whose experience and network were of great benefit to the project. The group consisted of four students from different countries, each bringing diverse expertise and perspectives to the table.

Jasmin Heikkilä, Code Ananas’s co-founder and Marketing Director, met with the students at HAMK’s Valkeakoski campus to hear about their project progress. During the meeting, the students reviewed the data and results they had gathered so far and had a chance to learn more about the company and industry through Jasmin. The entrepreneur expressed great satisfaction with the students’ work, noting that Code Ananas gained new perspectives and validation for ideas already under consideration.

I am positively surprised by how smoothly the work progressed and how professionally the group promoted something so important to us. The students’ work will be incorporated into our internationalization strategy. The outcome gave us new insights into the target market, and we consider the work to be high-quality and valuable.

Jasmin Heikkilä, Code Ananas

Great Benefits for Both Company and Students: Support, Ideas for Growth, and Practical Work Experience

The cooperation between students and entrepreneurs was highly valuable for both parties. The students gained practical experience and the opportunity to apply what they had learned to real-world challenges. The entrepreneurs, in turn, received fresh ideas and valuable practical help during their busy daily operations, which, at best, can help companies develop and grow. This project also gave the students a concrete example of just how much work is involved in bringing innovative apps to market.

Student Project Helps Open Doors to the Dutch Market

Through this collaboration, Code Ananas received comprehensive reports on the market research conducted by the students, along with recommendations for expanding into the Dutch market based on that research. The students also provided visual suggestions for the app’s design and the features it should include to be as attractive as possible for Dutch users. Entrepreneurs and students maintained close contact throughout the project.