The Viable Business Idea course arranged by Talent Hub Eastern Finland started on Thursday, February 5th 2026, with about 20 students, two teachers and one intern in Wärtsilä’s Dynamo lounge. There were visibly enthusiastic and motivated international students present. In total, about thirty students have registered for the course. There are a total of 6-7 face-to-face meetings during the course. The course is based on Bill Aulet and Paul Cheek’s books Disciplined Entrepreneurship 24 steps to successful startup and Disciplined Entrepreneurship Startup tactics. The first face-to-face meeting reviewed, among other things, the course’s course flow and content. The students also had the opportunity to discuss in groups and share ideas and thoughts.
Teachers expect great results and new entrepreneurs
The course’s instructors, Daniel Bågeberg and Olli Hatakka, consider the course’s prospects to be exceptionally good and, based on their first meeting, they commented on the situation as follows: “The course’s passing rate will be higher than in previous implementations,” believes Olli Hatakka. “I see a lot of potential and future entrepreneurs in the participants,” says Daniel Bågeberg.
Talent Hub Eastern Finland project – increasing the employment of intenational talents
Talent Hub Eastern Finland is an ESF+-funded group project implemented in cooperation between six educational institutions at different levels of education in the North Karelia and North Savo regions. In addition to Karelia University of Applied Sciences, the project involves the University of Eastern Finland, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, the North Karelia Education Consortium Riveria, Savo Vocational College and Upper Savo Vocational College.
The educational institutions’ common goal is to increase the employment of international students in the region after graduation, especially in sectors suffering from a labor shortage. Entrepreneurship is one of the possible ways to find employment. The project has four work packages that educational institutions will implement in their own sub-projects, collaborating with educational institutions. Work package 2 is about setting up the entrepreneurship path for international experts. Karelia is responsible for the implementation of work package 2.
The Talent Hub Eastern Finland project has produced solutions that promote international students to develop their skills that are significant for employment. There are also operating models aimed at companies that help companies identify international students as a potential workforce and strengthen networks with the higher education community.
Authors:
Daniel Bågeberg, lecturer, Karelia-ammattikorkeakoulu
Markus Talikka, trainee, Karelia-ammattikorkeakoulu
Olli Hatakka, lecturer, Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Sources:
https://www.karelia.fi/2025/12/unelmista-totta-karelian-hankkeet-rohkaisevat-korkeakouluopiskelijoita-yrittajyyteen/
https://www.karelia.fi/projektit/talent-hub-eastern-finland/
