Building Arctic partnership – research visit to the University of Anchorage Alaska

I had the pleasure of visiting the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) for two weeks in September 2025. It was a true pleasure to me get to know the academic and startup communities of Anchorage in multiple events and joint activities. Here are some of my first impressions and takeaways from the visit.
vuoristonäkymä Alaskasta

Anchorage has a vibrant startup community. It was inspiring to participate in local startup events and meet many of the community’s key drivers. I took part, e.g., in the Techstars Startup Weekend focused on Alaska Tourism, as well as the 1 Million Cups event.

The startup ecosystem is highly supportive. People at Alaska Startups, gener8tor, Techstars Alaska, SBDC, 1 Million Cups, Cowork by RSD, and many others provided tremendous support in helping me connect with startup entrepreneurs for my ongoing research project.

I conducted in-person interviews with eight young startup founders from both Gen Z and late Millennial cohorts. The study focuses on growth management priorities among young founders in the Circumpolar North. It was inspiring to witness their enthusiasm and potential to scale new ideas, drive innovation, and create positive change both locally and globally.

I had also the opportunity to give a short lecture to first-year students on Gen Z startup growth management priorities in the Nordic context. It sparked an engaging conversation and some very insightful questions.

Later in the visit, UAA welcomed participants of the Arctic Future Pathfinders a course organized by the Arctic University of Norway (UiT) that prepares students and young academics to become future Arctic researchers. The course includes a journey through the Northwest Passage. It was a pleasure to meet the Pathfinders.

Engagement is key

The visit to the 49th State was generously funded by the University of Oulu Strategic Partnership Development Funding, and I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity. I am thankful to my UAA host, Diane Hirshberg, Director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research, Professor of Education Policy, and Vice-President Academic for the University of the Arctic.

My experience showed that if you are active and willing to invest your time and effort, both the academic and business communities in Anchorage are ready to support you. However, don’t expect things to happen passively – participation is essential. At the Techstars Startup Weekend, I won a book with my door ticket: Give First – The Power of Mentorship by Brad Feld. The book offers interesting insights into US startup ecosystem and encourages individuals to give their time, resources, and expertise to others without expectation of an immediate return.

Much like in Finland, reputation plays a significant role in relatively small circumpolar communities of Alaska, where “everyone knows everyone” and people rely on each other’s ability to contribute.

Exploring Alaska

Much to my joy, I also had a chance to explore the area. Two hikes to Flattop Mountain offered breathtaking views and exercise. If you ever visit Anchorage, don’t miss the Anchorage Museum – seven hours there, combined with some pre-visit reading, gave me a deeper understanding of Alaskan history and its cultural, social, and geographical context.

Quick facts about Alaska:

  • Alaska is the largest state of the United States covering 1/5 of the whole country.
  • Alaska, the 49th State, is sparsely populated and has around 0,7 million inhabitants.
  • The largest city in Alaska by population is Anchorage, with an estimated 282863 residents in 2025. This makes up nearly 40% of the entire state’s population.
  • Alaska has 20 officially recognized Indigenous Languages. The name “Alaska” comes from the Aleut word Alyeska, meaning “great land”.
  • In Alaska, the key Industries are oil, gas, fishing, and tourism.
  • Alaska has no statewide sales tax, individual income tax, or inheritance tax. It has introduced Permanent Fund Dividend which is Annual oil revenue payout to residents.
  • Alaska is home to 70+ active volcanoes, frequent earthquakes, and the coldest recorded U.S. temperature.

This visit was a truly enriching experience. We have so much to learn from one another across the Circumpolar North. Thanks to this journey, I now return with a backpack full of new ideas and case study data – ready to be analyzed and published. Stay tuned!

Text and photo:
Matti Muhos, Professor of Growth Management, Business Renewal and Digitalization at the University of Oulu, D.Sc. (Tech.), Docent of Technology Business at the University of Jyväskylä, Director of the University of Oulu Kerttu Saalasti Institute