Many micro-entrepreneurs need support to grow and strengthen their competitiveness. Sustainable and international company -training programme responds to those needs by combining training, coaching, and an experimental approach.
The goal is to encourage professionals to sell their expertise on international markets while simultaneously strengthening regional vitality and employment. Because the topic often feels challenging – especially for women – the programme was designed as an approachable, low-threshold model. This proved successful: 28 out of the 35 accepted participants are women.
The training offers participants in-depth competence in communication, productisation, sales, and responsible leadership. Coaching, on the other hand, supports personal growth, self-awareness, and self-efficacy – qualities essential on the path of entrepreneurship.
The programme is built on three key pillars:
The training period runs from autumn 2025 to January 2027. It includes on-site days and webinars, between which participants complete practical development tasks within their own enterprises.
The programme’s primary target group includes soon-to-graduate university students, professionals already working as entrepreneurs, and students nearing the end of their studies. Special attention is given to entrepreneurs affected by the transition away from peat production, to supporting and increasing the number of women entrepreneurs, and to business owners seeking successors for their enterprises.
Although the programme focuses on the Northern Ostrobothnia region, participation opportunities are open to applicants from elsewhere as well.
The project will create a new model for adult education that integrates coaching and solution-focused training with research-based knowledge. The training materials will be compiled into an e-book for entrepreneurs aiming for international growth, which will be published openly online.
Participants will gain new networks, tangible internationalisation experiences, and the confidence to take their first steps into global markets. In the long term, the project strengthens the competitiveness of micro-enterprises and increases the number of university-educated entrepreneurs in Finland.
The project is implemented by the Kerttu Saalasti Institute of the University of Oulu in cooperation with experts from the Oulu Business School. Trainers include Minna Ahokas, Matti Muhos, and Nafisa Yeasmin, while Project Manager Päivi Lohikoski is responsible for the coaching activities.
The project is funded by the Just Transition Fund (JTF) as part of the Innovation and Skills Finland programme, with the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) for Northern Ostrobothnia as the main funder.
Author: Päivi Lohikoski, PhD, Head of Education, Kerttu Saalasti Institute, University of Oulu
Photo: Essi Kangasniemi
In Kerttu Saalasti Institute's blog we write about the topics of the Institute's research groups, micro entrepreneurship education and the Institute's general topics. The authors are researchers, experts and members of networks.
Our topics are: micro entrenepreneurship, future manufacturing technologies, regional excellence, micro entrepreneurship education