Start-up companies ONIT Sport and Neuwo have greatly benefited from Jyväskylä's support for businesses. Their journey towards systematic funding and internationalisation began with the International Venture Academy (IVA) investor programme, which also initiated a mutually beneficial collaboration.
ONIT Sport's CEO, Laura Andelin, and Neuwo's CEO, Johannes Harju, connected during the four-day IVA program. ONIT Sport specializes in mental coaching for athletes and creates digital tools to gather high-quality data and leverage AI. Neuwo focuses on AI-driven classification and analysis of online content, facilitating targeted digital advertising without relying on third-party cookies.
Andelin explains that collaborating with Harju during IVA Week felt natural, and they quickly realised they could combine their efforts in business. As ONIT Sport's data usage expanded rapidly, they needed an efficient, modern AI solution to manage it. In ONIT's Skills mobile app, athletes and other users answer thousands of questions annually. Now, as Andelin scales the service to international markets, the data volume is set to increase significantly.
- Neuwo's technology classifies data quickly and accurately, making it perfectly suited to our needs at this stage, says Andelin.
Harju and Andelin collaborate by referring potential customers to each other. Currently, Neuwo is expanding into the Austrian market and aims to assist other start-ups in doing the same.
- If Johannes succeeds in Austria, it will be a shared success. I am confident that if he gains a foothold there, he will pave the way for us as well. In return, we will reciprocate in sectors like sports, where extensive data processing is required and Neuwo's services are in high demand, explains Andelin.
IVA was a springboard for applying for funding
Neuwo is Harju's first company with international potential, and he is actively seeking external investment. Harju credits the IVA and the subsequent Business Rally for their significant support.
- At IVA, we developed a comprehensive investor deck and received extensive advice on pitching. The program also provided a structured approach to applying for funding, helping us carefully consider the type of investors we wanted to target. IVA was instrumental in kickstarting our investment activities. I began reaching out to potential funders, and now one VC has made an offer, Harju emphasizes.
Start-up entrepreneurs are often so busy that they don't have time to sift through countless growth programs and services to find the ones that truly benefit their business.
- While there are both good and bad growth programs, Jyväskylä stands out because it carefully selects the companies it invites. The Jyväskylä community connects the right people, supports their success, and celebrates their achievements, says Andelin.
Following the IVA, Andelin and Harju joined a delegation trip to Bilbao organized by Jyväskylä Business Services in spring 2024. After Bilbao, Andelin also participated in delegations to Madrid and Seville. Consequently, ONIT Sport and LALIGA began collaborating to enhance the mental well-being of young athletes.
- Jyväskylä facilitates networking, leverages existing connections, and opens doors to international markets, says Andelin.
Harju has compared the differences between the Austrian and Finnish markets. Internationalization has also provided insights on how to further develop Jyväskylä's operations.
- Austria excels in onboarding processes, even identifying potential client companies in advance.
Harju suggests that Jyväskylä could similarly enhance efforts to connect companies with financing and potential customers. He believes that the collaboration initiated in Jyväskylä has significantly contributed to Neuwo's success and strengthened the partnership between Neuwo and ONIT Sport.
- Having ventured into international markets, we now recognize that Finland is a small country, making it crucial for us to collaborate, Andelin adds.
