Growth Academy Online Training
Our aim is to increase knowledge and volume of innovation entrepreneurship, to improve the likelihood of startup success by harmonizing key knowledge around startup development phases.

We developed Growth Academy to give a proven and repeatable framework for those that are working closely with startups and want to improve their support services.
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Improve your support services with a proven and repeatable framework that gives you the overall view of the startup journey without wasting lot of time trying to "connect the dots".

The knowledge available today about innovation & entrepreneurship is all fragmented and doesn't give you a well-defined framework and an overview of the entire journey.

As a result, you waste lot of time trying to connect the dots and trying to understand which knowledge is relevant at one point.

That makes your actions less effective than they could be if you had a framework that can scale your support services and boost your startup ecosystem.

Aim of Growth Academy is to avoid "reinventing the wheel" and to give a proven framework that can make you save time and be more effective for your ecosystem.

To whom

​Coaches and trainers that work closely with startups and that want to improve their support services by investing in innovation & entrepreneurship education.

Moreover, to those that aim to boost their startup ecosystem in order to contribute for the economic development of their region and to have an impact on the society.

Growth Academy will help you to:

  • Design good interventions for startups
  • Design rapid sustainable solutions
  • Reduce startup failure risks
  • Boost your startup ecosystem
  • Scale your support services
  • Improve your consulting methodology
  • Have an efficient toolkit
  • Have a proven and repeatable framework to increase the success of your customers

Structure of Growth Academy Online Training Course

Module I: Startup Journey 

Topics:
  • General presentation about startup development phases: from formation, to validation, to scaling. Key points from each of the stages from various perspectives (entrepreneur, team member, mentor, investor etc.)
  • Key terminology: idea & innovation, entrepreneurship & startups
  • Key success & failure factors
  • Investors, valuation, advisors & mentors
  • How startup stages help in building a venture
  • How do investors and others view startups
  • How is value built and measured in various phases
  • Basic methods & tools
  • Additional tools & resources for self learning​

Module IB: Ecosystem Training

​Topics:
  • General presentation about startup development phases (from formation, to validation to scaling) specifically from the support role’s perspective.
  • Key terminology: idea & innovation, entrepreneurship & startups
  • Innovation megatrends
  • Why startups?
  • Startup as a category​
  • Understanding & mapping startup ecosystems
  • Public-private partnerships
  • Developing startup ecosystems
  • Maturity levels and measures for startup ecosystems
  • Measuring and Collecting valuable data​​​

Module II: Formation

​Topics:
  • Focus on the formation phase, which is the most crucial phase for co-founding team building
  • Preparing for the journey: what things to focus on and why?
  • Value of ideas & how to innovate more systematically
  • Building BIG visions, Measuring potential
  • Success & failure factors
  • Mission, Vision & Strategy
  • Co-founder team building
  • Shareholder agreement (SHA)
  • Idea / team & Problem / solution fit
  • Market timing and journey, planning in short & long term​
  • Funding options and strategies at this stage
  • ​Additional tools & resources for self learning​​

Module III: Validation 

Topics:
  • Focus on product/service build and validation phase, which is the most crucial phase for future revenue and profitability generation
  • What things to focus on and why?
  • Defining a product and MVP
  • Defining initial business model
  • Customer development and future prioritization
  • Extended team building and funding options
  • Validation metrics
  • Methods & tools
  • Additional tools & resources for self learning

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Module IV: Scaling

Topics:
  • ​Focus on scaling phase,  ​crucial phase for ​getting serious about building a real and scalable business
  • What things to focus on and why?
  • Business planning
  • Go to market strategies
  • Born global & internationalization
  • Scaling metrics (KPI’s)
  • Recruiting
  • Building processes
  • Funding options
  • Working with big companies
  • Methods & tools
  • Additional tools & resources for self learning​

Want to learn more?

Watch the webinar: how to improve your startup support services & remove the highest universal risks on the journey

Testimonials

​Matti Vänskä 
​Global Head of Nokia Bridge program
Nokia
"One of the most popular tracks of the Nokia Bridge program in Finland was the start-up program that provided introduction to people aiming to become entrepreneurs. Objective of the start-up track was to provide a very pragmatic, concrete and realistic input and guidance. Growth Academy introductory module was selected due extensive experience and ability to describe the content in an engaging fashion. The program was well received by the participants and met / exceeded our expectations in terms of content."​
​Ari Seppänen
Startup Advisor
​NewCo Helsinki
"We have used Growth Academy in Newco Helsinki startup services to make sure our startup advisors have a common understanding of startup ecosystem building and our role in it. We exploit all the modules to ensure that all of us share the same view in our customer service. We as advisors find it very useful to recognize best practices to ensure we all share the same opinion and methods when working in a direct operative support function as we do. In addition to work as a professional team with different stages of startups in a systematic manner."
Liisa Välikangas
​Professor
Hanken School of Economics​
"I have worked with Startup Commons for many years. During this time I have developed a lot of trust in the company and its leaders. They are extremely competent and experienced both in business and education. Startup Commons is very skilled in making material extremely clear and actionable. The company is also able to position the material in a larger business and societal context, including business models and international dimensions. The student feedback has been excellent."
​Startup Commons for ecosystems development - Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil