Northbound Scaleups program offers free international training and mentoring sessions

Northbound Scaleups (NBSCALE) is a growth program, aimed at assisting startups in expanding to new markets. Through this program, companies can engage in free international trainings and mentoring sessions. Additionally, the program supports discovery missions to the chosen target markets.

NBSCALE is a collaborative project between Tehnopol, Turku Science Park (Finland), and Movexum (Sweden).

The program consists of eight workshop days:

June 4 – 5, 2024, in Tallinn, Estonia
August 13 – 14, 2024, in Turku, Finland
October 8 – 9, 2024 in Gävle, Sweden
January 14 – 15, 2025 in Gävle, Sweden

Workshop topics cover different areas on how to scale your company into foreign markets:

Identifying the first (or the next) international market
Data gathering and market analysis
Strategies for entering foreign target markets
Co-creation with potential clients/customers
Planning for next round investments – how to onboard foreign angels and VCs
Legal aspects of going international
Getting to know the target markets inside out

Discovery Missions for the chosen target markets

A company-specific trip for meeting potential clients, investors, and relevant key players in the local ecosystem
Provided for qualified companies at the end of the programme

The project covers travel and accommodation expenses for up to two participants per company.

PLUS throughout the program duration:

Personal coach for each startup
Expert mentors to support scaling up – our pool of +150 mentors covers your specific needs
Founder-to-Founder support
Dedicated online collaboration platform for discussions, materials and sharing information

What the earlier participants have said

NBSCALE has enhanced our understanding of our business and growth bottlenecks immensely.

We were able to visit our expansion market sooner.

[The program] gave a broader perspective and insight into areas we didn’t think about. Also gave us the opportunity to learn from others and build a network of people in the same situation.

New partners, customers, and a strong network of like-minded entrepreneurs.

Increased sales by 63% compared to last year, doubled the team and had a great mentor.

[The most important takeaway was] being able to gather experience and knowledge about entering new markets. We underestimated the need for preparation before entering a new market.

Who is eligible for this program?

The program is open to companies from Finland, Estonia, and Sweden that have been operational for fewer than seven years.

This program benefits you the most if your startup:

has already launched its products/services within the past 7 years
has the initial product-market-fit domestically and first traction
has readiness to scale to foreign markets
has key personnel hired & founders onboard
is possibly looking for international investors
has previous experience from incubation or acceleration programs (which is a bonus, but not a must)

How to join the program?

To participate, applications must be submitted no later than May 3. Five companies will be selected from each country.

Any questions?

For more information, feel free to contact Tehnopol Startup Incubator’s Community Manager, Anneliisa Elbrecht, at anneliisa.elbrecht@tehnopol.ee.