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Oliwia: I was already thinking about entrepreneurship when I applied ÄûÃʵ¼º½ University. So, when I saw the announcement for the very first Aalto Founder Sprint, I sent in my application right away.

I built my startup with two co-founders: Giulia Rinaldo, who is the idea owner, and Luca Buonarrivo. You don’t need a business idea to apply â€“ what matters most is potential, ambition, and a genuine desire to build something of your own. You need to show that you’re ready to take action and solve problems.

Emil: I’ve been involved in Aalto’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and in Junction, one of Europe’s largest hackathon organisers. I was excited to join the first Aalto Founder Sprint and become part of the entrepreneurial community forming around it. Of course, the knowledge and networks offered by the program were a huge draw as well.

Crushing and instructive

Oliwia: The Aalto Founder Sprint lasted 13 weeks and consisted of three phases. In the first phase, all seven participants worked together on background research and interviews. In the second, we split into two teams to develop product concepts and pitch them to investors. The third phase focused on market entry and refining our sales strategy.

Emil: Every week we visited companies or met with entrepreneurs. Talking to potential customers was challenging, but it taught us a lot about what it really takes to start a business – typing away on your laptop simply isn’t enough.

In just four weeks, we had to create a product from scratch and then present it to one of Finland’s top venture capitalists. On stage, reality hit: we weren’t prepared well enough.

Oliwia: The two-hour marathon of questions felt crushing in the moment, but ultimately it was an excellent learning experience. We also got a valuable tip: in a tough situation, start asking questions yourself instead of going silent.

Preparation matters, but your product prototype doesn’t have to be polished before you start selling. Sometimes you don’t even need a fully formed product idea. When you share your idea with people, their feedback guides its development. But first, you need to clarify who your future customers are – you can’t listen to everyone.

Emil: A key lesson for me was that you can only do one thing at a time if you want to do it well.

Oliwia: I also tend to jump into everything that interests me without first thinking about where the hours will come from.

Let’s just do it

Emil: Wolt CEO Marianne Vikkula has a motto that fits entrepreneurship perfectly: Let’s just do it.

Oliwia: Entrepreneurs should surround themselves with smart and ambitious people who motivate them to set the bar high. Courage matters more than perfection, because the early stages of entrepreneurship are full of constant course corrections. Pivoting is the key.

Emil: For anyone considering Aalto Founder Sprint, I’d say you should absolutely apply â€“ and commit 100 percent. If you give it your all, you’ll gain the skills you need to start a company.

Oliwia: The program and its instructors are incredibly flexible. Speak up about what you want to learn â€“ the program will adapt.

This article has been published in the Aalto University Magazine issue 37, February 2026.