The Young Salo Entrepreneur 2024 competition will be held for the first time this year. Liisa Leino (right) and Minna Snabb feel that the cooperation with Yrityssalo will give the competition visibility.
Young Growth Entrepreneurs Put to the Test in New Business Competition
Juho Leino Foundation and Yrityssalo are launching a new competition in September to find exemplary young growth entrepreneurs in the Salo region. The competition aims to support young entrepreneurs in the region and encourage innovation and sustainable growth. The winner will be awarded a cash prize of 10,000 euros.
This autumn will witness the first business competition in Salo, where younger entrepreneurs will have the chance to shine. The Young Salo Growth Entrepreneur 2024 competition aims to highlight the most vibrant entrepreneurs in the Salo business scene. The winner will be awarded a top prize of €10 000.
The competition will be launched on 4 September at Yrityssalo’s Business Breakfast, and will be open until 4 October. The winner will be announced at the Business Breakfast on 6 November.
Looking For Inspiring Growth Stories
Entrepreneurs are expected to demonstrate tangible growth and innovative business models. They will be evaluated by a jury consisting of the jury’s chairman, Liisa Leino, vice-chairman Timo Ketonen, CEO of Yrityssalo Jyrki Moilanen, mayor of Salo Anna-Kristiina Korhonen, and chairwoman of the Salo Chamber of Commerce and Youth Katri Kulmala.
According to the organisers, the competition aims to find inspiring growth stories and encourage young people in Salo to become entrepreneurs. Therefore, the upper age limit for entrepreneurs is 35 years.
”By then you will have already had time to start your own business. Alternatively, you could have continued to run your own business, either through acquisitions or a generational change,” says Leino.
Focus on Innovation And Sustainability
In previous years businesses of Salo have been encouraged to compete in the Salo Business Idea of the Year competition (article behind the link is in Finnish). In this competition, companies had to be part of the manufacturing value chain or at least provide a service that supports the industry. Now there is no industry definition.
”It is sufficient that the company is based in Salo and that it already has sales and business activities. However, the jury expects companies to be innovative and to come up with something new. Growth must also be sustainable and the company must have potential. It cannot be a short-lived success,” says Leino.
Entrepreneurs and their businesses who meet the criteria are encouraged to build a healthy business in Salo. According to Leino, this is also in line with the basic idea of the Juho Leino Foundation.
”Initially, we considered building a competition around a new business idea. But business growth was a better focus, because it gives a better idea of the positive future planning of companies,” says Leino.
Visibility For All Participants
Yrityssalo plays a significant role in the planning and execution of the competition.Yrityssalo will promote the competition on its website and organize events such as Business Breakfast meetings.
”The cooperation with Yrityssalo is a great thing, as it allows for comprehensive visibility of the competition and smooth implementation as well as entrepreneurs’ evaluation,” says Minna Snabb, Secretary of the Board of the Juho Leino Foundation.
Foreign-language entrepreneurs from Salo are also encouraged to participate. Therefore, the competition will be communicated in Finnish and English.
”This allows for a wider range of participants, promotes multiculturalism, and ensures that everyone is equally informed. It is important to provide opportunities for everyone to participate, so that the competitions can become truly community-based and diverse events,” says Maija Pirvola of the Business House.
Leino hopes that young entrepreneurs will actively participate in the competition. She knows that entrepreneurs are always busy, but everyone benefits from participation, for example through media exposure.
”Even if there can be only one winner, participants can gain visibility through honourable mentions,” she points out.
Competitions Reinforce The Positive Trend
According to the organisers, the Young Salo Growth Entrepreneur 2024 competition ties in well with the long-term development of Salo’s business community. An example of an exemplary growth story will be on display at Yrityssalo’s Business Breakfast on 4 September.
”The kick-off event will feature media personality and presenter Arman Alizad. Launching the competition after a keynote speech by someone like Arman, who has experienced an amazing story, fits in well with the theme of the day,” says Leino.
Leino also believes that the competitions should continue to be organised, as they reinforce the positive trend of development in Salo.
”When the Salo Business Idea of the Year competition was first held in 2015, there was no similar competition in Salo. However, since then there have been, and the Foundation’s competitions have helped to pave the way for new competitions and events,” he po
Read the article in Finnish here
Register free of charge for the 4.9 Business Breakfast here, where the competition will be launched at 10.00. Note! Limited number of places. The event is mainly in Finnish but the competition launch is held both in Finnish and English.
Entry forms will be published on 4.9 at 10.30 In Yrityssalo’s and Foundation’s websites.
