Aalto University Student Union AYY

What Aalto University Student Union AYY does

Aalto University Student Union AYY is a statutory, non-profit student union operating under the Finnish Universities Act and headquartered at Otakaari 25 in Otaniemi, Espoo, Finland. Formed on January 1, 2010 through the merger of three predecessor unions (TKY, KY, TOKYO) when Aalto University itself was created, AYY serves over 18,000 degree students across Aalto's arts, design, business, and technology disciplines. All degree students are mandatory members, with doctoral and exchange students able to opt in via the OILI enrollment system.

AYY's core service portfolio spans affordable student housing (~2,600 apartments housing 3,200 members under the AYY Asunnot subsidiary), facility rentals (saunas, meeting rooms, event venues, and a minivan bookable through the TILA system), student card services via Frank/Kide.app, and the TTER grant program funding student projects. Supporting infrastructure includes the Lomake forms platform, services.ayy.fi association portal for 200+ affiliated associations, a weekly newsletter reaching ~19,000 subscribers, and the Museum of Student Life — the only museum dedicated to student culture in Finland. The organization also delivers advocacy, study guidance, and harassment support.

AYY is funded primarily through mandatory membership fees, rental income from its ~€130M property portfolio, and facility/service charges, with an annual budget of approximately €15M and ~40 employees supplemented by 150+ volunteers. The union is governed by a 45-member Representative Council that appoints a 10-member Board, with Antti Ilmavirta serving as Executive Director and Joona Lipponen as Board Chair. AYY is not a technology company and does not operate API, SDK, or AI/ML products; its digital systems are administrative in nature.

Name

Aalto University Student Union AYY

Legal name

Aalto-yliopiston ylioppilaskunta

Website

https://ayy.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aalto University Student Union AYY is a statutory Finnish non-profit serving over 18,000 Aalto University students through mandatory membership, delivering affordable housing, advocacy, events, facility rentals, and grant funding since 2010.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Union Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Housing Ancillary Services (Utilities Setup, Furnishings, Deposits/Guarantors, Cleaning) (EDAIALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Billing, Invoicing & Account Statements (EDALAJAC), Financial Aid Administration & Packaging (EDALAJAA), Student & Youth Hostels (Youth Organization/HI-style) (THAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Student union services
• Student housing
• Student advocacy
• Membership services
• Facility rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Espoo

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Mandatory membership fees collected from all Aalto University students through the OILI enrollment system
2. Rental Income: Revenue from renting out student housing units (2,600+ apartments) and event/meeting/sauna facilities to members
3. Property Management: Property holdings including student housing portfolio generating rental income; turnover was 17 M€ in 2018

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AYY is a statutory student union representing over 18,000 Aalto University students, providing affordable student housing (approximately 2,600 apartments), rentable facilities (saunas, meeting rooms, event venues, minivan), student advocacy and guidance services, student card services, and financial grants through the TTER fund. Operations are funded by mandatory membership fees from degree students and rental income from its owned property portfolio (~130 million euros in assets).

Product overview

Aalto University Student Union AYY is a student union offering a comprehensive suite of member services centered around student housing, facility rentals, advocacy, and community building. The core products include AYY Asunnot (housing with ~2,600 apartments), rental facilities bookable via TILA, student cards via Frank/Kide.app, and the TTER grant system for student projects. Supporting infrastructure includes the Lomake forms system, services.ayy.fi association portal, and a weekly newsletter. AYY represents approximately 18,000 students across arts, business, and technology disciplines at Aalto University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TTER (Teekkaritoiminnan edistamisrahasto): A fund established in 2006 that supports Aalto University students and AYY-affiliated associations with grants for projects, events, purchases, and other activities.

Products and services

• AYY Asunnot (AYY Housing) Student housing service providing approximately 2,600 affordable apartments for over 3,200 AYY members in the Helsinki metropolitan area, addressing the student housing shortage through an owned property portfolio.
• Rental Facilities (Saunas, Meeting Rooms, Event Spaces, Minivan) AYY rents out saunas, meeting rooms, event venues, and a minivan to members at discounted rates, bookable through the TILA online booking system.
• Advocacy and Guidance Services Student advocacy services including harassment support, study guidance, and representation in university and government decision-making across areas of education policy, social policy, internationality, equity, and sustainable development.
• Student Card Services (Frank / Kide.app) Digital and physical student card issuance through Frank and Kide.app platforms, providing proof of student status and access to student benefits and discounts.
• TTER Grant System (Teekkaritoiminnan edistamisrahasto) Grant application and management system for student projects, with continuous application and three annual application rounds, supporting AYY-affiliated associations and student projects, events, purchases, and other activities.
• Museum of Student Life Finland's only museum dedicated to student life and culture, maintained by AYY volunteers, showcasing Aalto University student traditions and history.
• AYY Membership Services Mandatory membership for all Aalto University degree students (Bachelor's and Master's), providing access to all member services including housing, advocacy, discounts, and community. Membership fees are collected through the OILI enrollment system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,200 students housed in AYY properties
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Green Building Partners (GBP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Consulting partnership to help create a broader picture of property portfolio development from sustainability perspective. Discussions have focused on possibilities for increasing local energy production through solar panels and heat pump systems.
• PTK ry (formerly TTEY)coreOthersTeekkari Activities Promotion Association (TTEY) was the founding donor of TTER fund capital in 2006. Now known as PTK ry, they continue to have representatives on the TTER board and maintain teekkari traditions and honors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Turun yliopiston ylioppilaskunta (TYY): Student union of the University of Turku, Finland. Directly comparable as a Finnish university student union providing housing services, advocacy, and student culture activities under the same legal framework as AYY.
• Helga (Haaga-Helia Student Union): Finnish student union for Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, providing similar services including advocacy, member benefits, and student representation. Directly comparable as another Finnish UAS student union under the same regulatory framework.
• Helsinki University Student Union (HYY): The student union of the University of Helsinki, the largest student union in Finland by membership. Directly comparable as a Finnish university student union providing housing, advocacy, events, and member services under the Finnish Universities Act.
• Tampere University Student Union (TREY): Finnish student union formed through the merger of Tamy and TTYY for Tampere University. Directly comparable as a Finnish university student union offering similar housing, advocacy, and community services.
• Jyväskylän yliopiston ylioppilaskunta (JYY): Student union of the University of Jyväskylä. Directly comparable as a Finnish university student union with member services, advocacy, events, and rental housing operations similar to AYY's portfolio.
• Oulun yliopiston ylioppilaskunta (OYY): Student union of the University of Oulu. Directly comparable as a Finnish university student union offering similar membership-based services including housing, advocacy, and community programming under Finnish Universities Act.

Regional players

• TU Delft Student Union: Student union at TU Delft in the Netherlands. Comparable in structure and function — a statutory student union at a technical university offering housing, advocacy, and member services — though operating under a different national regulatory regime.

Others

• SYL (National Union of University Students in Finland): National umbrella organization representing all Finnish university students, including AYY. Comparable as an advocacy-focused body in the same ecosystem that influences policy affecting AYY's operations and members.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ayy_fi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpax6oradCbsbQsY1g9dDOw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ylioppilaskunta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aalto-university-student-union
• Instagraminstagram.com/ayy_fi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Aalto University Student Union AYY