Elävä säätiö

What Elävä säätiö does

Elävä säätiö is a Finnish non-profit foundation (säätiö sr, Y-tunnus 2211414-8) founded in 2008 by the City of Kuopio, Siilinjärvi municipality and Savon koulutuskuntayhtymä (Sakky), headquartered in Kuopio, Eastern Finland. The foundation combines social employment coaching with circular economy operations under its proprietary TAVARA-TIETO-TAITO framework — TAVARA (goods/materials), TIETO (knowledge/impact data) and TAITO (skills/competence). It has supported nearly 13,000 individuals since inception, trains roughly 800–1,000 participants annually (956 in 2024), and processes around 788 tonnes of donated goods per year with over 80% redirected to reuse. Active methodologies include the Työkoutsi work-coaching model and the RAKKI reuse-mapping system for deconstruction sites.

The foundation's commercial operations center on the Elävä kauppa second-hand retail network — physical stores in Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, Suonenjoki and Varkaus, the Elävä Puoti & Paja concept store at Kauppakeskus Matkus (opened May 2023), the Elävä verkkokauppa e-commerce platform (elavakauppa.fi) and pickup/delivery logistics — supplemented by Elävä Café outlets. Coaching and rehabilitation services (work trials, supported employment training, wage-subsidized employment, Reitti workshops, social rehabilitation, Kela Nuotti coaching) are delivered at four locations across North Savo and are commissioned primarily by the Pohjois-Savon hyvinvointialue, Kela, municipalities and partner businesses.

Revenue derives from five streams: retail sales of donated goods, commissioned coaching and rehabilitation services, EU and national project grants (notably the €5.75M ICELife consortium led by Savonia with €3.45M EU funding), transport/logistics fees and donations (phone lines, MobilePay, bank transfer). The foundation is funded in part by significant EU and ESF project cycles (ICELife, Toimiva, Kieppu, RAKKI, Lähe mukkaan!, Sauma). On 1 July 2025 the foundation established wholly-owned subsidiary Elävä Kauppa Oy (Y-tunnus 3547943-7), creating a group structure that separates commercial retail from core social-employment operations. Forthcoming flagship is the Matkus Luuppi circular economy center inside Kauppakeskus Matkus, scheduled to open August 2026 in partnership with Ingka Group, Jätekukko and Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus. Leadership includes CEO Erno Kääriäinen (foundation) and CEO Satu Takkinen (Elävä Kauppa Oy), with Kristiina Karhu (Lähijohtaja) and Susanna Mahlanen (Hallinto- ja kumppanuuspäällikkö) handling partnerships and regional operations.

Name

Elävä säätiö

Legal name

Elävä säätiö sr

Website

https://elava.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elävä säätiö is a Finnish non-profit foundation in Kuopio combining second-hand retail, circular economy operations and vocational coaching for youth and long-term unemployed across the North Savo region. It serves municipalities, Kela, partner businesses and individual consumers via four retail stores, e-commerce and commissioned rehabilitation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services and Circular Economy

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM), Entrepreneurship & Self-Employment Transition Support (BPACAOAK)

Keywords

• Social rehabilitation services
• Second-hand retail
• Circular economy operations
• Vocational coaching programs
• Employment training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuopio

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales of Second-hand Goods: Sale of donated and refurbished goods through Elävä kauppa physical stores (Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, Suonenjoki, Varkaus) and Elävä verkkokauppa e-commerce (elavakauppa.fi). All revenues reinvested in foundation's social mission.
2. Coaching and Employment Services: Social rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, work trial, and wage subsidy coaching services commissioned by municipalities, well-being services area, Kela, and businesses. Säätiö produces services under Social Welfare Act (sosiaalihuoltolain mukaisia palveluita).
3. EU and National Project Funding: ICELife EU-funded project (€3.45M EU grant, total €5.75M), along with national ESF-funded projects (Toimiva, Kieppu, RAKKI, Lähe mukkaan!, Sauma). Project durations 1-4 years.
4. Transport and Logistics Fees: Fees charged for pickup/delivery of donated goods and purchased items from customers. Fee schedules differ by location.
5. Donations: Charitable donations accepted via phone donation lines (0600 prefixes), MobilePay, and bank transfer. Funds designated for courses, citizen activities, circular economy education, youth and unemployed engagement, and general operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Elävä säätiö operates as a non-profit foundation (säätiö sr) combining vocational coaching and employment rehabilitation services with second-hand retail and circular economy operations. It delivers social rehabilitation, work trials, and wage-subsidized employment programs commissioned by municipalities and Kela, while running physical second-hand stores, a café, transport services, and an e-commerce platform selling donated and refurbished goods across North Savo, Finland.

Product overview

Elävä säätiö operates a circular economy-based social enterprise consisting of physical retail stores (Elävä kauppa in Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, Suonenjoki), an online store (elavakauppa.fi), and the experiential concept store Elävä Puoti & Paja at Matkus Shopping Center. The foundation also provides employment training services (valmennuspalvelut) and café operations (Elävä Café) at store locations. As of July 2025, the foundation restructured into a group with wholly-owned subsidiary Elävä Kauppa Oy. Proceeds from all commercial activities fund social employment services, circular economy promotion, and prevention of social exclusion in North Savo region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elävä kauppa Network of physical second-hand retail stores operated by the foundation, selling donated and refurbished goods to consumers in North Savo locations including Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, Suonenjoki, and Varkaus.
• Elävä Puoti & Paja Combined second-hand shop and workshop concept that integrates retail with refurbishment activities, providing work-experience opportunities for coaching participants.
• Verkkokauppa Online e-commerce platform selling donated and refurbished second-hand items to consumers, complementing the physical store network.
• Valmennuspalvelut (Coaching Services) Vocational coaching and social rehabilitation services including work trials, wage-subsidized employment, and individual rehabilitation programs commissioned by municipalities, Kela, and businesses for at-risk youth and long-term unemployed individuals.
• Työkoutsi Targeted work coaching program that provides on-the-job coaching and structured support to help unemployed individuals transition into regular employment.
• Elävä Café Café operations serving customers at foundation locations, providing work-experience placements for coaching participants and supporting community engagement.
• Kuljetuspalvelut (Transport Services) Logistics and transport services supporting the foundation's circular economy operations, including collection and delivery of donated goods between stores and customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70% of participants find a positive onward path (positiiivinen jatkopolku) after coaching
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulu (Savonia University of Applied Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Lead coordinator of the €5.75M ICELife EU-funded project (€3.45M EU grant). Project aims to accelerate the Matkus Luuppi circular economy center's launch, investments, and development over 48 months. Elävä säätiö is a key consortium partner implementing the project alongside Jätekukko and Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus.
• Jätekukko OycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Consortium partner in ICELife project. Manages the sorting station at the Matkus Luuppi circular economy center. Provides waste management expertise and infrastructure for textile and material sorting operations.
• Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus OycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Consortium partner in ICELife project. Contributes Helsinki metropolitan area expertise and helps replicate the Luuppi circular economy center model in the Helsinki region. Brings scale and replication potential to the partnership.
• Ingka Group (Ingka Finland Oy)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025Co-developer of the Matkus Luuppi circular economy center at Kauppakeskus Matkus. Ingka owns and operates Kauppakeskus Matkus. The Luuppi center will be a flagship circular economy destination within the shopping center, opening August 2026.
• Kauppakeskus Matkus (Matkus Shopping Center)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for Elävä Puoti & Paja (opened May 2023) and the upcoming Matkus Luuppi circular economy center (opening August 2026). Joint marketing events including Pop-up sales, Matkus Rekrypäivä recruitment fair, Kierrätyspäivä recycling day, and outlet events.
• Luovi, Spesia, Diak, Sakky, Savonia (Educational institutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational education and university partners providing student internships and work placement opportunities. Elävä säätiö uses the PAIKKO system for skills demonstrations. Institutions provide practical training placements for students in social work, business, and other fields.
• Turvalinkki Päiväntasaaja, Kulttuuripaja Luode, Sirkkulanpuisto, Martat, Nuorisoseurat, Setlementti PuijolasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional NGO partners providing additional engagement activities, support services, and enrichment for coaching participants. Collaboration enhances participant wellbeing and social integration.
• ALTE-verkosto (Regional Youth Work Network)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network of youth work actors across North Savo. Elävä säätiö participates as a member, sharing best practices and coordinating youth work initiatives across the region.
• Pohjois-Savon hyvinvointialue (North Savo Wellbeing Services County)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommissions Social Welfare Act services (sosiaalihuoltolain mukaisia palveluita) from Elävä säätiö for three municipal areas. Primary public sector commissioning relationship for coaching and rehabilitation services.
• Kela (Social Insurance Institution of Finland)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommissions Nuotti coaching and vocational rehabilitation services (työllistymistä edistävä ammatillinen kuntoutus) across North Savo. Key public commissioning partner for rehabilitation services.
• LUT-yliopisto (Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned a master's thesis to investigate conditions for building a circular economy business ecosystem around Matkus Luuppi. Research conducted as part of ecosystem development planning.
• Lahjoittamo (Finnish Donation Platform)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerListed on the Lahjoittamo platform (lahjoittamo.fi) as a registered charity organization. Enables individual donors to find and support the foundation's social mission.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fida International: Finnish second-hand charity chain combining thrift stores with development cooperation funding. Comparable in retail format, Christian-affiliated community roots, and donor-supplied inventory model.
• Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus Oy: Helsinki metropolitan area reuse and recycling center operating a similar non-profit model combining second-hand retail with employment coaching for vulnerable groups. Direct consortium partner on the ICELife project, making it the most structurally comparable peer.
• UFF (U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland): Finnish second-hand clothing charity operating collection points and retail stores while funding international development cooperation. Direct peer in the second-hand charity retail category with overlapping social mission.
• Humana Suomi: Finnish arm of the Nordic Humana second-hand chain, collecting and reselling textiles with revenue supporting international development and employment programs. Comparable for the second-hand retail / social employment intersection.

Broad incumbents

• Kuusakoski: Established Nordic recycling and circular economy services company with broad B2B focus. Comparable only thematically in the circular economy and material recovery space; operates at industrial scale rather than the social employment niche.
• Lassila & Tikanoja: Large Finnish listed environmental services company offering waste management, circular economy, and facility services nationwide. Adjacent — overlaps in circular economy operations but does not specialize in the social/employment coaching niche.

Regional players

• Turun Kierrätyskeskus: Turku area reuse center operating second-hand retail alongside employment coaching and rehabilitation services. Comparable for the integrated reuse + social employment operating model in another regional market.
• Pirkanmaan Kierrätyskeskus: Tampere region reuse center combining second-hand retail with employment and training services. Similar Finnish regional operating model and member of the same national recycling centers association.
• Jätekukko Oy: Regional waste management company serving North Savo, operating the sorting station at the upcoming Matkus Luuppi. Direct ICELife consortium partner with overlapping circular economy mission but more municipal/utility-scale focus.
• Lahden Kierrätyskeskus: Lahti region reuse center with structurally similar second-hand retail plus employment activation model. Operates in a different Finnish region but uses the same national membership framework (Suomen Kierrätyskeskusten Yhdistys).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/elavasaatio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Elavasaatio
• Facebookfacebook.com/elavasaatio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elava-saatio-sr
• Instagraminstagram.com/elavasaatio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Elävä säätiö