Business Academy 3.0

Developing a start-up path parallel to team entrepreneurship model

Duration of the project

1.1 – 31.12.2025

Source of funding

Foundation for private entrepreneurs

Total funding

40 000 €

The main objective of the project is to create a start-up path for student teams alongside the cooperative entrepreneurship of the Bisness Academy. The project will develop the existing, active entrepreneurship learning environment. By diversifying the activities, it will support the development of ideas and start-up entrepreneurship in the wider UAS.

The project funding is intended to develop and pilot the BA 3.0 program. Planned activities include the planning and piloting of an idea-to-business model training module for student teams as a parallel activity to the existing activities of the Business Academy. The parts of the training package include ideation, validation of ideas, team building, business model, financing opportunities, marketing, sales and coaching for pitching. Project funding is used to produce innovation challenges that support start-up entrepreneurship. Joint events with research groups at the University of Applied Sciences, and pitching events.

To ensure the development of diverse startup activities, the project will also increase a mentor pool supporting start-up entrepreneurship, whose members complement with their expertise and networks already existing Turku University of Applied Sciences business mentors. Business Academy’s entrepreneurial alumni will be invited to the mentorship pool. Planning and piloting through the BA 3.0 project also is modeled because the purpose is to instill the BA 3.0 operating model into the Turku University of Applied Sciences Entrepreneurship Education. An essential part of the BA 3.0 project is also the communication of the renewed operating model internally and externally.

Business Academy 3.0 is developed, launched and piloted during 2025. The long-term aim is to consolidate operations and internationalisation. The intention is to apply for further funding 2026, in order to further develop programmes supporting higher education entrepreneurship for BA 3.0 and network of incubators and accelerators also at international level, especially in the Nordic countries, allowing students to network with international student entrepreneurs and visit various accelerators. In this regard, Turku University of Applied Sciences experts are expanding networks with incubators and accelerators of Nordic higher education institutions.