Pre-Incubation
Hanken Business Lab’s pre-incubation offering is designed to empower aspiring entrepreneurs by providing the tools, knowledge, and support needed to navigate the early stages of company creation. Our programs run throughout the spring and fall semesters.
The services are free of charge, with the primary goal of encouraging participants to join the entrepreneurial community by registering their own companies.
To ensure compatibility with students' schedules, the Playground aligns with Hanken's academic calendar. The spring cohort runs from February to May, while the autumn cohort takes place from September to December.
Contact
If you have any inquiries about Hanken Business Lab's pre-incubation offerings, please reach out to us via our Helpdesk hankenbusinesslab@hanken.fi.
The Playground
The Playground pre-incubation programme is temporarily paused.
Thank you for your interest in the Playground. We are currently taking a temporary pause and will not be accepting new applications until autumn 2026.
We remain committed to supporting early-stage founders and look forward to welcoming new participants when the programme resumes. In the meantime, we encourage you to explore our other resources and keep your eyes open for future updates.
The Playground programme is an intensive 8-week journey designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs turn ideas into thriving companies. Each cohort accommodates up to 20 participants, either on a structured track or an on-demand basis. The program focuses on validating business ideas, establishing companies, and achieving initial sales.
Participants will be expected to deliver key milestones, including:
- One-Pager: Summarise the company concept and goals.
- Landing Page: Create a platform for first customers to learn about the service or offering.
- Pitch Presentation: Present to a panel of entrepreneurs, specialists, and potential investors. Participants who successfully register their companies will gain access to the community's exclusive perks and benefits.
The programme covers essential phases, from idea validation and customer discovery to product development and launch planning.