A key career path remains invisible to many young people. Growth entrepreneurship is not part of education pathways, even though interest in entrepreneurship is strong.
Public discussion often focuses on which fields to pursue and where the jobs are. Less attention is paid to how many young people see entrepreneurship as a realistic option.
Young people are interested in entrepreneurship. According to the Youth Future Report (2023), more than half of lower and upper secondary students could see themselves as entrepreneurs.
“There is a clear contradiction. On the one hand, only around one third of 15-year-olds know what a startup is. Startups should be more visible in education, particularly at the secondary level. In addition, there should be dedicated study modules on startups in higher education. This would likely lead to more startup entrepreneurs and help drive Finland’s economic growth,” says Päivi Tiittanen, public affairs and communications manager at the Finnish Startup Community.
In Finland, the entrepreneurial path is not embedded in the education system. Many young people do not encounter what startup entrepreneurship means in practice or how they could get involved during their studies. Without this understanding, entrepreneurship easily remains a distant option.
Some educational institutions are already doing valuable work in promoting entrepreneurship, but the extent to which the topic is addressed varies widely and does not reach all young people. As a result, entrepreneurship and growth entrepreneurship do not appear as clear alternatives alongside other education pathways.
The startup ecosystem in Finland is growing rapidly, and its importance to the economy is increasing. This makes the emergence of new entrepreneurs even more important. There are approximately 4,200 startups in Finland, and in 2023 they accounted for around one percent of GDP. This share is expected to rise to as much as four percent by 2035, equivalent to the role Nokia played in the Finnish economy at its peak.
Education must keep pace with change
Many factors are currently affecting young people’s confidence in the future. Financial concerns among young people have increased, the transition into working life has become more difficult, and education pathways are perceived as more demanding than before. At the same time, pressure on young people has grown as responsibility for personal choices is increasingly emphasised.
A recent final report by an expert group commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Culture highlights the need to reassess student selection processes in higher education. The current system forces young people to make binding career choices at an early stage. Allowing students to choose their major later could increase flexibility, help them find the right field and strengthen overall wellbeing. It could also encourage more women to enter technology fields.
“Gender imbalance in technology fields remains significant. Many young women do not feel comfortable in studies that are heavily male-dominated and end up changing fields. At the same time, we need more highly skilled professionals, which means we also need more women in these fields,” says Tiittanen.
At the same time, artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the nature of work. Young people are considering what kinds of jobs will be available in the future and whether their skills meet the needs of working life. Meanwhile, some of the typical entry-level roles are already changing or disappearing.
Public debate around AI often focuses on risks, even though it also presents significant opportunities. Young people will increasingly need the skills to work alongside AI.
“Artificial intelligence lowers the threshold for entrepreneurship. Starting a company, developing a product and scaling internationally are in many ways easier than before. An individual or a small team can now achieve things that previously required more resources,” says Tiittanen.
Technological transformation is also reshaping the skills young people need. AI makes it possible to build new products and companies faster and with fewer resources than before. Recognising this across different fields of education and in public debate is essential. Otherwise, there is a risk that fewer new companies will be created in Finland, leading to weaker economic growth.
Sources:
Business Helsingin tutkimus 9.-luokkalaisten näkemyksistä startup-yrittäjyydestä (2023)
NYT Nuorten tulevaisuusraportti (2023)
Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön asiantuntijaryhmän loppuraportti: Nuorten tulevaisuususko horjuu – millaisia toimia nyt tarvitaan? (2026)