“One of the really good reasons to attend the events is to network. You get to meet lots of people. Maybe you don’t have an idea yet, but meeting people with different ideas and perspectives is always inspiring. The discussions can trigger new thoughts. And yes, you can also make lots of friends. I’m from Syria, but the School of Startups was the catalyst that connected me with people from The Shortcut. For now, I have a place that is like home, I have friends.”

“Some people might have entrepreneurship in their DNA but for me, the support from others was relevant. It can be scary but it is also a great school, I have learned much more within this half a year than in the previous two. When you are working in your field you do so on something that you are already good at, but exploring something new is challenging, and The Shortcut is a good start and support for this challenge.”

“When you come to Finland and you are looking for a job you will understand soon enough that everything is about networking. The Shortcut creates a perfect environment to do that. Getting involved with the startup world through The Shortcut is one of the reasons that helped me finding the internship that I am doing at the moment.”

“You get to interact with experts whom you might not otherwise meet. I chose workshops based on what I knew I would need for my startup, such as marketing, identifying users, selecting the right technology, and some others. The workshops give you the initial tools and knowledge. You can then work on developing your skills further. I came out of School of Startups ready to validate Amplaffy before getting down to business”

“Being a part of The Shortcut gave me a chance to come out of my shell and explore a world new to me, the startup ecosystem. I have gained experience and skills but above all of the knowledge and skills. The Shortcut made me more confident in myself. The team values empowerment, they are nice, friendly, helpful and were always there for me. I appreciated their encouragement, support and how they acknowledged my contributions.”

“I got my degree in mechanical engineering back in the States. As far as job hunting goes, that was a bit of a rollercoaster, and it definitely has been discouraging at times. The Shortcut gave me a lot of opportunities to meet a lot of new people and expand my network. They have a lot of guests coming in at different events and are well aware what your skills are and if you’re looking for work. So I was introduced to a lot of different people and that’s how I got hired in my current position”.