Managing the University of Helsinki, Helsinki Incubators, Sustainability and Nature Tech Incubator Programmes during 2026 – 2027

The University of Helsinki’s Incubator and Entrepreneurship Services offer easily accessible programmes, courses, and services to support the development, launch, and growth of business ideas. The services are open to all members of the university community and citizens living in the Helsinki region who are interested in entrepreneurship. We organise multidisciplinary and generic pre-incubator programmes and sector specific incubator programmes. Incubator programmes offer in-depth support when there is already a business idea or solution crystallised and readiness to take the next steps towards becoming an entrepreneur. Through these programmes, we offer mentoring from carefully selected national and international mentors, workshops and help with launching products or services, applying for funding and getting ideas off the ground. Procurement description University of Helsinki, Helsinki Incubators is looking for a supplier for its coming four incubator programmes in the domain of Sustainability and Nature Tech during 2026 and 2027. There are two programmes organized within a year with a length of four months plus four months. The plus four months is a continuation programme for the most active and selected teams only. We estimate the plus four months programme has 4-5 teams that will need support. Programme starting times: February 2026 August 2026 February 2027 August 2027 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INCUBATOR PROGRAMME Sustainability and Nature Track (in collaboration with AI & Deep Tech and Social Impact tracks) The service provider will be responsible for the implementation of a four-month incubator programme, including the following activities: • Develop a detailed work plan for the four-month incubator programme. University has already 3,5 years experience of planning that is available for review. • Include a plan for identifying, recruiting, and engaging suitable mentors. • Participate in the call for applications and team selection process, including preparation of the call, conducting interviews, analysing applications, and documenting the selection process. Intake max. 20 teams. • Familiarise themselves with the participating teams and assess their needs through regular meetings. Provide constructive and professional feedback to teams in one-to-one sessions once or twice per month. Ensure teams are reminded of programme deliverables, review submitted materials, and provide written feedback. • Organise and host an onboarding session for mentors covering the service provider’s role and the programme structure. Assign teams to mentors and coordinate the mentor–team matching process. Ensure that mentor meetings take place as agreed by actively following up with both teams and mentors and emphasising the importance of regular engagement. • Organise weekly workshops in line with the incubator’s journey, schedule, and structure. This includes securing speakers, coordinating sessions, and managing cancellations by arranging replacement speakers or delivering the session directly if needed. Workshops are held weekly from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. • Share workshop materials, including presentations and session recordings, with participants via the programme’s designated shared drive or platform. • Plan, coordinate, and host Demo Day events. Where Demo Days are organised jointly across programmes, coordinate closely with other programme managers and agree on responsibilities. • Coach plus four months teams further (estimate 4-5 teams) • Coordinate, communicate, and collaborate on an ongoing basis with other programme managers and the marketing team, which is responsible for programme marketing activities. • Foster a collaborative and supportive programme culture by actively sharing knowledge, feedback, and resources. SUPPORT ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE SMOOTH PROGRAMME DELIVERY • Participate in incubator team meetings as required. • Prepare all practical arrangements for workshops, including organising coffee and snacks for participants (costs covered by Helsinki Incubators). • Prepare the workshop space prior to each session and ensure it is left clean, neat, and in the same condition as upon arrival.