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The autumn semester’s Aalto Digital Creatives pre-incubator program started with the onboarding of new teams. The program’s second open call received 55 applications in total. Thirteen teams were selected into the program with business ideas that represent different branches of the creative industries such as architecture, design, film and television, fashion, gaming and extended reality.

During the next 12 weeks, Aalto Startup Center’s business advisors will coach the teams as they begin their journeys towards entrepreneurship. On the technology and creative industry specific needs, the teams are guided by the experts at Aalto Studios as well as external mentors. One of the program’s aims is to offer tailored coaching for each individual project.  

The Aalto Digital Creatives pre-incubator program was born out of the need to have innovation services designed for the creative industry students, researchers and practitioners. Many graduates from the Aalto University’s School of Arts, Design and Architecture continue to entrepreneurship after their studies. The Aalto Digital Creatives program hopes to bring the university’s innovation services closer to the creative industries by offering customized support for the early stages of creative industry entrepreneurship.  

The pre-incubator program runs twice a year and the next call for applications will open in early January 2023. The Aalto Digital Creatives program also collaborates on various events during the autumn semester to enable opportunities for networking. The program is a part of the wider Campus Incubators network supported by the City of Helsinki. In Aalto University, the program is coordinated by Aalto Startup Center and Aalto Studios.