EEX

What EEX does

EEX (Entrepreneurship Exchange) Oy is a Helsinki-based private company founded in 2014 that operates the EEX Journey program, a year-long structured exchange pairing senior corporate executives with sustainability-driven startup entrepreneurs on international advisory boards. The company's two-sided platform serves enterprise leaders — drawn from corporations such as KONE, Wärtsilä, Fortum, Neste, ABB, Bosch, Nokia, VR Group, Deutsche Bahn, and Fiskars — who seek to develop entrepreneurial decision-making by working directly with startups, while simultaneously providing early-to-growth-stage startups with strategic guidance, industry expertise, and corporate network access. EEX's flagship ecosystem event, the annual Collaborate for Growth conference, has run since 2017 (five documented editions 2019-2023) and is co-organized with Technology Industries of Finland.

EEX does not sell software or technology products; the offering is service-based. The core product is a facilitated, cohort-driven program in which each EEX Journey typically assembles 5+ advisors from different corporations and functions to support one or more startups over a 12-month engagement, with periodic in-person meetings held in Helsinki. The 14th cohort ("Entrepreneurial Europe") launched in February 2026, with documented cohort counts of 9th (2021), 10th (2022), 12th (2024), 13th (2025), and 14th (2026). Secondary offerings include the Collaborate for Growth event and ecosystem content (blog, media coverage in Finnish business outlets). Community-side infrastructure comprises a 400+ alumni network and 250+ advisor pool spanning Finland, Germany, the UK, the US, Sweden, Austria, Italy, and India.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees (negotiable, annual cadence) paid primarily by corporate participants. EEX is bootstrapped and founder-led by CEO Tapio Peltonen, with a small core operating team of 1-10 employees including Head of Movement Elisa Kitunen and Program Director Huimin Toh. There are no external funding rounds, acquisitions, subsidiaries, or patent/trademark filings on record. The company reports an outcome of 81% of corporate leaders feeling more confident making faster decisions after the program, used as the principal quantified impact metric.

Name

EEX

Legal name

EEX Oy – Entrepreneurship Exchange

Website

https://eexglobal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EEX (Entrepreneurship Exchange) is a Helsinki-based firm operating the EEX Journey program, which pairs senior corporate executives with sustainability-driven startup entrepreneurs in year-long international advisory board exchanges. It serves large Nordic and European enterprises seeking entrepreneurial leadership development alongside early-stage sustainability startups needing strategic guidance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Education and Leadership Development

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning Experience Design (LXD) & UX for Learning (EDAGAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Enterprise Architecture & IT Operating Model (BPAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Executive education
• Leadership development
• Startup advisory
• Corporate innovation
• Entrepreneurial exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. EEX Journey Program: Corporate leaders pay to participate in year-long Advisory Board programs where they learn entrepreneurial leadership by working with startup entrepreneurs. The program includes international Advisory Boards for startups and corporate leadership development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EEX operates the EEX Journey, a one-year experiential program in which senior corporate leaders serve on Advisory Boards for selected sustainability-driven startup entrepreneurs, enabling mutual learning of entrepreneurial leadership skills. The company complements this core program with the annual Collaborate for Growth flagship event, which convenes alumni, corporate partners, and industry speakers around entrepreneurial leadership, strategy, and sustainable growth topics.

Product overview

EEX (Entrepreneurship Exchange) is a Finnish organization that operates as a two-sided platform connecting corporate leaders from large organizations with sustainability-driven startup entrepreneurs. The core offerings consist of the EEX Journey program (a year-long Advisory Board arrangement where corporate leaders advise startups while learning entrepreneurial skills themselves) and the annual Collaborate for Growth event. The company does not offer software products or technology platforms; it is a service-based organization focused on leadership development and cross-organizational learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EEX Journey A one-year experiential program pairing senior corporate leaders with sustainability-driven startup entrepreneurs as Advisory Boards, enabling mutual learning of entrepreneurial leadership, strategy, and growth practices. For corporate leaders seeking an entrepreneurial mindset and for startups seeking senior strategic guidance and corporate network access.
• Collaborate for Growth An annual flagship event convening EEX Journey alumni, corporate partners, and industry speakers around entrepreneurial leadership, corporate innovation, strategy, and sustainable business growth. For corporate executives, startup entrepreneurs, and ecosystem partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 81% of corporate leaders feel more confident to make faster decisions after EEX Journey
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Technology Industries of FinlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey strategic partner for Collaborate for Growth events. Co-organized events with Technology Industries of Finland including the 2020 and 2021 virtual events. Executive Director Laura Juvonen frequently participates in panels and program development.
• KONE CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor corporate participant and event co-organizer. KONE WORX innovation unit case study featured at EEX events. Multiple KONE leaders have participated as advisors in EEX Journey program.
• ABBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate participant in 10th EEX Journey with multiple leaders serving as advisors to startups. R&D and innovation leaders engage through the program.
• FortumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive corporate participant with leaders from Business Line Batteries and Business Technology divisions serving as advisors. SVP Arun Aggarwal featured as speaker at Collaborate for Growth 2020.
• NestecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSVP Minna Aila featured as keynote speaker at Collaborate for Growth 2021 discussing sustainability transformation. Corporate leaders participate in program.
• BASF SEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresident EMEA Katja Scharpwinkel featured as keynote speaker at Collaborate for Growth 2021.
• WärtsiläcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate participant in 9th and 10th EEX Journey programs with Head of Business Development Tarik Sfendla participating.
• NokiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChairman Risto Siilasmaa featured prominently at Collaborate for Growth events as keynote speaker and panelist. Head of Ecosystems Jyrki Sarasti participated in alumni panel discussions.
• F-SecureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder and Chairman Risto Siilasmaa participated in fireside chat at Collaborate for Growth 2020.
• Metso OutoteccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVice President Rashmi Kasat participated as advisor in EEX Journey program. Head of Digital Technologies division engaged.
• HelvarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate participant sending leaders to participate in EEX Journey as advisors.
• DNAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish telecom company with multiple employees participating as advisors in EEX Journey, including Lasse Salonen and Mikko Saarentaus.
• PostiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish postal and logistics company with leaders participating as advisors in EEX Journey program.
• Columbia Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Rita McGrath from Columbia Business School served as keynote speaker at Collaborate for Growth 2020, discussing entrepreneurial leadership and strategy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Nesta: UK innovation foundation running corporate-startup innovation challenges and ecosystem programs — thematically aligned funder and program operator in the same space.

Direct peers

• Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator network running corporate-sponsored innovation programs and matching corporates with startups — directly comparable to EEX's two-sided corporate/startup model.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Large corporate-startup collaboration platform running industry-specific accelerator programs with major enterprise partners — analogous to EEX Journey in connecting corporates with early-stage startups.
• Board of Innovation: Consultancy specializing in corporate innovation and intrapreneurship programs for large enterprises — directly comparable consulting-style model helping corporates build entrepreneurial capability.
• NUMA: European innovation accelerator and corporate-startup matchmaking platform running programs across multiple geographies — overlaps with EEX on international corporate/startup cohort design.
• Hyper Island: Nordic-rooted experiential learning provider delivering leadership and business transformation programs to corporate clients — closest Nordic peer in methodology and target buyer.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator with corporate innovation partnerships serving Fortune 500 clients — a much larger incumbent offering comparable corporate-startup engagement at greater scale.
• IMD Business School: Swiss executive education provider offering leadership development programs for senior corporate executives — broader incumbent addressing the same enterprise learning buyer.

Regional players

• Aalto Startup Center: Finnish university-affiliated startup incubator and entrepreneurship program operating in the same Helsinki ecosystem and serving a similar startup audience.
• Vertical: Finnish early-stage investor and startup community operator — regional peer targeting Nordic startup founders with programs and community similar to EEX's startup side.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EEX_Global
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eex-oy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EEX