Just a while ago we were in January planning our next program. Now with two nights left of sleep, Christmas will be at our doorstep. Decorations have been put up, all parties attended and enough gingerbread cookies have been eaten to fill us up till the next festive season. Despite Covid attempting to reprise its role as the Grinch, albeit unsuccessfully. Yet another year is filled with wonder and amazement all around. In the midst of it all, we can’t help to think of all the amazing things our startups have done this year!

That brings us to our first question, just as Santa’s little helpers work away the whole year to make sure we receive wonderful gifts. What do our startups get up to in this time of year? Well if you think of it, startups are just like any other organizations. Some have peak times during the festive season while others take advantage of the break and get some well-deserved rest. Not to mention this is a great time to take stock of everything which has taken place around us.

A remarkable year it has been for Kiuas and if it were to be labelled it would spell G-R-O-W-T-H. Our Inside Platform received some brand new updates courtesy of our partnership with Konecranes, boosting our efforts to promote more startup founders in the ecosystem. On the program front, we didn’t let a little fear of the outside stop us. Hosting multiple Kiuas on Stage events this summer was one for the books. No matter the season this year we made a point to increase our interactions. And in the Winter we continued and even launched some community events which were made possible by more of our partners: Valo Hotel & Work and Gather Town kept us in communication and interaction. Whether we were outside in the sun over the Summer or with a warm cup of cocoa in the Winter this was the year of communication. Nevertheless, even in a season of indulgence, we look forward to promoting healthy habits with our wellness partner Hintsa.

While unicorn status is at the top of everyone’s list by default, on the other side of the coin, our startups have also shared some of their wishes for the next year. Health and Happiness are fan favorites. The real treasure is experienced during the journey of creating a successful startup. A journey that is continuous and carving out the road for the next resolution. You would not have to think too long on it, but a year with growth and space for innovation is part of everyone's wish list. Lastly, startups are just like the rest of us. We all are happy to get an envelope of cash. However, in this case, we wish every one of our startups’ get a big envelope of ca... Ahem... We meant raising a successful next round.

2021 was an incredible year and despite a whole pandemic being in the air, the world still keeps turning and we continue striving for a better world. A world where more impact startups are founded and taken to the next leap. Kiuas aims to continue our mission of promoting sustainable ideas and startups that have an impact. As we are gearing up for our next program we look forward to seeing more impact-based startups in the next year.

For now, we wish you a happy festive season and see you next year!!

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Application period for Kiuas Accelerator is open!

Apply now, and enjoy a peaceful holiday season without worrying of your todo-list 😉

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