Thank you JA Finland / Nuori Yritt?jyys

JA Finland / Nuori Yritt?jyys - My Short Story

When I first started in JA Finland / Nuori Yritt?jyys, there was almost no such thing as entrepreneurship education at the schools. The idea of starting a company and being an entrepreneur was a bit foreign – but as we had a good network of schools already joined we were able to grow together.?

In 2004 we were lucky to have committed partners like Marjo Miettinen from Ensto , Elmar Paananen from Troll Capital, J?rgen M. Clausen from 丹佛斯 and Kari Laukkanen from 花旗 , Martin Lindell from Hanken and Veli-Matti Lamppu from Suomen Yritt?j?t ry who believed us in a startup style. JA Finland had just a vision for the future and initial supporters who were believing in this. I also wish to thank Caroline Jenner , Diana Filip , Vanda Franciscy , Oldo Vanous and Livia Di Nardo from JA Europe and my Nordic CEO friends like Jarle T?mmerbakke and Susan Ewald for countless of stupid calls on what I’m supposed to do.?

For some reason, other partners got inspired by our work and brave teachers started using our programs. We also received the first public grants to expand the financial literacy, entrepreneurship education, and work life-skill -programs in Finland – huge thanks to Tytti Laine for helping us out. ?

As the JA Finland team started to form I was delighted to have Virpi Utriainen as my colleague and the second full-time employee for the association –?don’t want to forget our great regional managers like Marjut Helvelahti (with incredible alums like Jyri Linden and Mikko Jaatinen ), Tom Nyman , Kaisu K?la Antti-Pekka Nikula , P?ivi Marttila-Lampinen and our first civil service men Samu Kuosmanen whose friend Jukka still works for us after 15 or more years. ?

Incredible experiences

Company Program national finals 2004 in Kannelj?rven Opisto - Lohja

I have had too many incredible experiences during the years, but I’ll point out just a few:

• We run the first JA Company program finals in 2004. Three months after I started as the CEO (and only person). Luckily we had a great support team from previous years. Iiris Konttinen Xian Sun-Ilmonen and Niklas Nousiainen – looking at you.?
• With Mikko Jaatinen and Marjut Helvelahti we created the 24h innovation camp -model – one of the most successful youth innovation program to date.?
• With Tomi Alakoski we travelled to JA Biztown in York, US and this was the starting point of Yrityskyl? movement in Finland

微软 gave us a gift of growth with the help of Max Mickelsson . This enabled JA Finland to raise to a whole new level – a level that helped us to impact more youths than ever and enabled even greater partnerships in the future.? Mikko Nurminen is still something to look up. It was great to play a small part in Pikkuyritt?j?t success story from the very beginning.?

Opening speech of JA Biztown in York, US in 2009

Even I truly love what we do in JA,?it’s time to jump 100% as an entrepreneur. I found a great opportunity to stay in the Startup Scene to support aspiring new entrepreneurs in Sofokus and Sofokus Ventures by providing help and start capital for new businesses in Finland and beyond.?That said, I have already formed some business partnership with Joonas Ahola , Antti Tarakkam?ki and Saku Loukonen who are great examples of what JA Company program can help you to achieve.

We Can Make the Future

Society is changing rapidly—and so are the skills needed to succeed in life. More people are embracing entrepreneurship as a viable career option and an opportunity to do meaningful things - make the world a better place!?

JA Worldwide and the work done by more than 100 countries and thousands of regional organizations have played a key role in this change by educating the next generation of youth to take charge.?

I thank all the teachers who were bold enough to jump into what we had to offer and motivate students to take more charge for their future. You are the real heroes – we in HQ were just a catalyst of change. There is a great team of Future Makers in JA Finland to carry our mission forward.? Thanks to Sami Suomela , Tanja-Maria Hypp?nen , Mari R?kk?l?inen , Antti Karkiainen , Maarit Koverola , Anne Jokisaari , Petri Katajarinne , Toni Immonen , Eemeli Alanne , Tomi Rytk?nen and many others. Thanks also to Jenni Rajahalme and Satu Ahlman-Kovanen for the support and friendship over the course of time. ?

Signing out from JA Finland as an employee now, but keeping JA always in my heart.

Let's keep on touch!

Turo

JA Company program -alumni from Brownsburg High School, Indiana, USA