Tampere boasts a rich history of innovative and visionary entrepreneurs dating back to the 19th century, setting the stage for over 200 startups that now call the city home. Margarita Khartanovich, CMO at Platform6, notes, “If you are a risk-taker with an open mind, dedication, vision, and dreams, it is easy to fit in here.”
Bold innovative thinking, risk-taking, and unwavering determination have been the driving forces behind the growth of Tampere, a small Finnish city that seems to have the startup mindset ingrained in its DNA.
Rewind history a couple of centuries, and we find that King Gustav III of Sweden founded Tampere in 1779 with the vision of creating a vibrant town for international communities. The city’s unique beginning included the construction of four churches representing different religions in the city center. While the success of this approach is unclear, what followed was the arrival of Scottish yarn-spinning machine expert James Finlayson. His cotton factory, Finlayson, marked Finland’s first large-scale industrial company, making James Finlayson, in essence, Tampere’s first startup founder. He envisioned a roadmap for his business, seized the opportunity, ran a minimum viable product (MVP), and scaled his company while emphasizing culture and impact. The factory evolved into a city of its own with its bank, schools, churches, and even currency.
Another notable founder, Gustaf Adolf Serlachius, moved to Tampere in 1858 to run a pharmacy. In a side project, he assisted in running Fredrik Idestam’s groundwood mill and recognized the profitability of the business. Serlachius purchased the western bank of Mäntänkoski Rapids, along with a share of the hydropower rights, and established his groundwood mill. Thirty years of dedicated work resulted in Serlachius’ industry, bringing two groundwood mills, two steam sawmills, a paper mill, a cardboard converting factory, and a bag factory into being.
Despite the pandemic, startups in the Tampere region have not only survived but have shown growth compared to previous years. Tampere consistently ranks as Finland’s most attractive city to live in, celebrated for its technological and innovative environment. The city’s legacy includes notable achievements such as lighting the first electric light in the Nordic countries in Finlayson’s factory in 1882, introducing the first biodegradable implant in 1984, and receiving the first GSM phone call in 1991.
Tampere remains committed to taking risks, seizing opportunities, attracting investments, and supporting local and international startup founders. For those with an entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to take risks, Tampere welcomes you. As history has shown, it’s always the right time to act and fulfill your entrepreneurial dreams.