Kiuas Accelerator

Faq

How is Kiuas different than other accelerators?

General

We tailor each program to your needs and only select teams that we believe can succeed.
We embrace the "from founder to founder" -mentality. We make sure that the people who are helping you have actually built successful companies themselves.
We stick to topics that move your company forward. Instead of fine-tuning your pitch and making you look successful, we create real success by focusing intensively on customers and the product.
Kiuas is truly founder centric and committed to your success. Our position is unique as we are not investors that expect a return on their investment within a certain timeframe. That can lead to a conflict of interest. Instead, our interests are perfectly aligned with your interests as a founder.
We are well-connected with a network consisting of entrepreneurs, investors, clients, talent, and all the relevant players within the Nordic startup ecosystem.
Kiuas has a community of over 500 alumni entrepreneurs who help each other with pretty much anything related to running a startup.
As a Kiuas Accelerator participant, you get access to our toolbox that features over 500 000€ worth of tools and services for your company

Who can join Kiuas Bootcamp?

Bootcamp

We will invite you to Kiuas Bootcamp if you meet the following criteria:

You submit a complete application
You are working on a company that eventually seeks rapid growth and global markets
You are a full-time entrepreneur or you are seeking to become one given the chance

What kind of feedback has Kiuas Accelerator received so far?

Accelerator

We are proud and humble of our track record of creating value for founders. We always ask the Accelerator program participants if they’d recommend the program to other founders. So far, 100% of them have said yes. Here are some examples of the feedback:

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“This kind of accelerator should be a must-have for any founder. The topics that are picked for the program fill in 100% of what a founder should consider when planning their growth.”

Participant of Accelerator 2021

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“An amazing experience that took us 6 months ahead of time than we would have without the program. The mentoring were mind-blowing and really challenged to look at our business from a more advanced point of view.”

Participant of Accelerator 2020

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“Being accountable for the team goals to the Kiuas team made the weekly work very fruitful. What I found especially helpful was that the Kiuas team really familiarised themselves with our specific pinpoints and steered us to the professional who most likely could help us to solve that problem.”

Participant of Accelerator 2022

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“Definitely the number one accelerator program out there and you are doing such a valuable and meaning ful job. Kiuas provides a ridiculous amount of opportunities to talk to the brightest and most experienced entrepreneurs in Finland. These opportunities are supported by a kind and driven team, who will help you with any challenges you face. For sure, it was one of the most fruitful experiences of my life and I got exactly and more what I was looking for. Forever grateful for the Kiuas team and this is only the start of the journey.“

Participant of Accelerator 2023

What does a typical week during the Kiuas Accelerator program look like?

Accelerator

During the program, sessions are organized 3-4 days a week. They take place on weekdays within normal working hours.

Typically you can expect to spend about 10h per week working on the program. The program content is tailored to your needs and consists of mentoring, workshops, talks, weekly meetings, etc.

Overall, the program is intensive but the focus should be on working on your startup.

Example of a week:

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Monday

9-10: Program Weeklies w. Score Board

11-12: Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR)

Tuesday

13-14: Financial Modelling Workshop: Why a FINA Model should be at the heart of your operations w. 1 VC + 1 founder

Wednesday

Individual/Group Office Hours w. Kiuas Team

13-14: Program Lunch: Go to Market Strategy w. significant speaker

Thursday

13-14: Fireside chat w. 3 experienced founders: The Road to a100-million in revenue

Friday

10-11: Founders Talk: How to build a product that users love before scaling

Does the Kiuas Accelerator program require in-person presence?

Accelerator

No. The program sessions are hosted fully online and can be completed without in-person participation. However, some optional side events take place in person in the Helsinki region.

The application period for the Kiuas Accelerator is closed, can I still apply?

Applying

Unfortunately not. We run two programs per year, one in the spring and another one during the fall. The application period is open for about 4 weeks and typically closes at least one month before the program.

You can leave us your email on the Accelerator page to receive a notification when the next application period opens.

Will this take a lot of time on top of my actual work?

Bootcamp

No. The minimum requirement is to submit your goals, quick progress updates during the week and if you met your goals by the end of the week. While we recommend that you utilize the workshops and mentoring that we provide, they are not mandatory, so participating in the bootcamp can be very easy on your schedule if you choose so.

Why should I apply to the Kiuas Accelerator program?

Applying

The program content is tailored to meet your current needs. We offer support where you need it the most, provide the right tools, and connect you with the right people. Furthermore, you become a member of our over 500 startup founder community.

Every coach you meet and the sessions you participate in are selected to address the most urgent issues that you are dealing with. You will receive support for industry-specific issues as well as for general issues related to running a startup.

Here are some of the topics that are addressed during the program:

Idea validation
Product development
Go-to-market strategy
Sales & marketing
Scaling
Fundraising
Legal / IPR
Growth hacking
Hiring / team building
Internationalization

Kiuas is the fastest way to grow your network of relevant industry experts and investors in the Nordic ecosystem. Having them teach you the fundamentals of building startups supercharges your progress by letting you avoid the mistakes they’ve made. Furthermore, we at Kiuas are passionate about our mission to empower the next generation of leaders and are committed to challenging you, asking the hard questions, and pushing you forward.

Who can apply to Kiuas Accelerator?

Applying

Early-stage startup founders that are building globally scalable solutions.

If you are wondering whether you should apply to Kiuas Accelerator, send us a message, and let’s talk! Even if applying is not relevant to you at the moment, we may work with you in our Kiuas Labs so we are eager to get to know you and see if we can help in some way!

Is attending the bootcamp mandatory if I want to apply to Kiuas Accelerator?

Bootcamp

Yes. As a minimum requirement, we expect all applicants to submit their goals on Monday 12.2., report on their progress during the week and write a final submission on Friday 16.2. to share the results. We believe that attending other parts of the bootcamp is a big value add for your team, but if you are unable to attend you can still be selected if you make the submissions.

Can I participate in the bootcamp remotely?

Bootcamp

Yes, most of the bootcamp week is arranged remotely by default. The in-person kick-off 12.2. is highly recommended for all participants, but you are able to complete the bootcamp without in-person participation.

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