As a startup founder or a team member, you most likely have an endless supply of passion and willingness to learn as much as you can about your industry. However, it is pretty impossible to know everything there is to know about every area of business, and have all the resources available to you immediately within your team. You may find that you or your team lack experience in specific areas, or need access to a workspace, or could use funding/investment as well as professional guidance from seasoned professionals. Incubation, acceleration, advisory, and other partner programmes offer startups some truly valuable support.
One such programme is the EEX Journey that matches startups with corporate leaders as advisors in a year-long entrepreneurial journey. Over the course of the year startups benefit from an advisory board’s growth strategy guidance, business insights and network.
Having an advisory board is key to the growth of many startups across the world. Advisors are a valuable resource – they help your startup tackle distinct challenges and propel your business forward. An expert selection of professionals can fill the experience or expertise gaps in your own team. Finding dedicated people with specific skills and building an advisory board to match your startup’s unique needs can be challenging – programmes such as the EEX Journey can help.
EEX Journey Kick-off group 2021
“The power of social capital is still underutilized. The insights the teams are exchanging are deep and strategic, beyond ordinary small talk. Many startups have learned how to better collaborate with and sell to large corporations. Corporations are tackling to keep their offerings up to date and build new initiatives. We’ve proven it’s possible to learn and adopt new drive and speed from entrepreneurs”, Elisa Kitunen, Country Manager, EEX Oy.
No No No, a member of Platform6 in Tampere, is a third-party platform created for consumers and businesses to work together to resolve issues and build better future customer experiences for both parties. The startup believes that if businesses work with transparency and integrity, the positive results will surely follow. No No No joined the EEX Journey programme in January 2021 and believes that programmes such as this one are critical for connecting startups with the corporate environment.
“There has been a gap in the cooperation between startups and corporations in Tampere. As a startup that targets corporations in Finland, we need to understand their pain points and the way they make purchasing decisions”, says Jaakko Timonen, Founder and CEO at No No No.
No No No and their advisory board team
Another Platform6 startup, Valaa Technologies, has also benefited from programmes such as the EEX Journey. This prop-tech startup uses software robotics to help building owners connect their legacy automation systems to the cloud. “We pivoted our busienss during the EEX program. Our advisors had invaluable connections and experience that helped set our course with the new product. Also, their journey hasn’t ended yet: they now form our permanent advisory board and have also joined as investors”, says Ville Ilkkala, CEO at Valaa Technologies.
Great ideas and passion will only take your startup so far. Having a good network of professionals supporting and backing your mission can make all the difference in your growth. The ongoing pandemic has proven once again that startups need a supportive and collaborative community and can greatly benefit from programmes within the ecosystem.
The next EEX Journey starts in January 2022 – apply now through this form: https://www.eexglobal.com/eexstartup
