Accelerating your entry into the startup world

About us

Finland will be in shortage of 53,000 new technology experts by 2021

In addition to tech experts, Finland needs to source and recruit professionals who will be able to scale businesses in order to support the growth of Finnish tech industry. Therefore, the country needs to

invest in the next generation of talent,
contribute to improving skills and
engage more people from diverse backgrounds and expertise to optimise its chances of filling in the gap.

The Shortcut is a talent accelerator. Our goal is to help people improve their skills and acquire new ones in order to enter the tech world by either creating a startup or joining one. We are a non-profit organization part of Startup Foundation sr. and a sister organization to Slush, Maria 01, Wave Ventures and Junction. Thanks to the support of a big network of startups, scaleups and high-growth companies in Finland, we are able to provide our services to participants for free.

What we offer

Hands-on workshops designed by industry experts
An entry point to the startup world
Training in fundamental skills needed in the tech industry
Project creation and the opportunity to showcase them
Employment opportunities through our networks

Testimonials from our community members

Sharbel

From attending an event to finding a team

“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.”

Ekaterina

From being skeptic to becoming an entrepreneur

“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.”

Inga

From new in town to finding her first internship

“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.”

Elisabet

From attending School of Startups to launching Amplaffy

“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.”

Wing

From new to the startup world to an empowered project lead

“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.”

Kayla

From hitting walls to landing a job

“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.”

Key partners

White Paper on Inclusion & Diversity in Tech - 2019

"Diversity and inclusion are buzzwords that the tech industry is using at every turn to make everyone feel part of the same rhetoric, but to what extent do companies mean it? How seriously are they implementing it? After all, it makes sense in purely business terms."