Kuopion seudun Uusyrityskeskus ry, Enterprise Agency of Kuopio

What Kuopion seudun Uusyrityskeskus ry, Enterprise Agency of Kuopio does

Kuopion seudun Uusyrityskeskus ry is a non-profit registered association (rekisteröity yhdistys, Business ID 1441415-9) founded in 1998 that delivers free, confidential business advisory services to individuals planning to establish or acquire a company in the Kuopio region of Eastern Finland. The organization operates from Asemakatu 38-40 in Kuopio and serves six municipalities: Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, Lapinlahti, Rautavaara, Kaavi, and Tuusniemi. Its service portfolio includes core business advisory (business plans, financial calculations, startup grant applications), ownership transfer consulting, light entrepreneurship consulting, the European Social Fund-funded "Yrittäjän Uusi Suunta" well-being program, and digital resources including the Ideanappi.fi idea-testing tool and a downloadable guide for starting a business in Finland.

The organization is staffed by approximately seven employees, three of whom are named: Tarja Pöyhönen (CEO and business advisor), Hanna Tuhkio (business advisor for starting entrepreneurs), and Arto Leskinen (business advisor specializing in business acquisitions and starting businesses). The advisory team is supported by a board of directors comprising representatives from Kuopio City, regional municipalities, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Savon koulutuskuntayhtymä, Kuopion Yrittäjät ry, and the national Suomen Uusyrityskeskukset ry umbrella organization. The agency is ISO 9001 certified by Kiwa and displays a quality certification badge on its website.

As a non-profit, the organization does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through public subsidies, municipal contributions, and European Social Fund grants, with all services provided free of charge to clients. Its go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer: entrepreneurs can book appointments online (via an Outlook-based calendar), by phone, or via contact form, and meetings are conducted in person, remotely, or by phone in Finnish and English. Customer segments include pre-venture and new entrepreneurs (primary), business purchasers/successors, and light entrepreneurs (kevytyrittäjät). The organization is not a technology company — its technology footprint is limited to a WordPress website, an online booking system, and links to third-party digital tools (Ideanappi.fi, Material Bank hosted at uusyrityskeskus.fi).

Name

Kuopion seudun Uusyrityskeskus ry, Enterprise Agency of Kuopio

Legal name

Kuopionseudun Uusyrityskeskus ry

Website

https://kuopionseudunuusyrityskeskus.fi

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kuopion seudun Uusyrityskeskus ry is a Finnish non-profit founded in 1998 that provides free, confidential business advisory services to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs across six municipalities in the Kuopio region, funded by public and EU sources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Advisory Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG)

Keywords

• Business advisory services
• Entrepreneurship consulting
• Startup planning support
• Small business incubation
• Entrepreneur support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuopio

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public funding and subsidies: As a non-profit association (ry), the organization is funded through public subsidies, EU funding (European Social Fund), and municipal contributions. Services are provided free of charge to clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The organization provides free and confidential business advisory services to individuals in the Kuopio region who are planning to start a new business or acquire an existing one. Services include reviewing business plans, financial calculations, startup grant (starttiraha) applications, ownership transfer consulting, light entrepreneurship guidance, and digital resources for idea validation and business planning. The organization also delivers an ESR-funded entrepreneur well-being program called Yrittäjän Uusi Suunta.

Product overview

Kuopion Seudun Uusyrityskeskus is a business advisory organization providing free, confidential consulting services for entrepreneurs starting or acquiring businesses. The service portfolio centers on the core Business Advisory Services, complemented by specialized Ownership Transfer Consulting, Light Entrepreneurship Consulting, and the Yrittäjän Uusi Suunta well-being support service. Digital resources include the Ideanappi.fi idea-testing tool, the downloadable Guide – Becoming an Entrepreneur in Finland, the Digital Startup Guide, and the Material Bank containing templates and links. The organization also offers Work Well-being Guides for entrepreneur wellness. All services target the Kuopio region (Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, Lapinlahti, Rautavaara, Kaavi, and Tuusniemi) and are provided free of charge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Advisory Services Free and confidential business consulting for individuals planning to establish a primary or part-time business, including review of business plans, financial calculations, and startup grant eligibility assessments, delivered by certified business advisors in Finnish and English.
• Ownership Transfer Consulting (Yrityskaupat) Advisory services for prospective entrepreneurs considering purchasing an existing business, covering profitability calculations, financing arrangements, due diligence, and acquisition planning.
• Light Entrepreneurship Consulting (Kevytyrittäjyysneuvonta) Consulting on light entrepreneurship models and comparison of different invoicing service providers for individuals wanting to sell their own work without establishing a formal company.
• Yrittäjän Uusi Suunta (Entrepreneur's New Direction) ESR-funded service supporting micro-business owners with business development and entrepreneur well-being, offering expert consultations, small group activities, and educational events across Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, Rautavaara, and Kaavi regions.
• Ideanappi.fi Business Idea Testing Tool Online self-service tool that helps aspiring entrepreneurs test and validate business ideas before formal business planning, linked from the organization's website as a referral resource.
• Guide – Becoming an Entrepreneur in Finland Downloadable guide covering business plans, financing options, and company registration procedures for starting a business in Finland.
• Digital Startup Guide Online digital guide covering all essential steps from idea development to business registration for planning a business.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% of purchased businesses continue operations 5 years after acquisition (Finnvera research)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Suomen Uusyrityskeskukset ry (Finnish New Enterprise Centers)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026National umbrella organization coordinating regional new enterprise centers. Supports network development, organizes national competitions (Vuoden Uusyrittäjä), provides shared resources and best practices.
• Kuopion kaupunki (Kuopio City)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Main municipality partner and board member. Provides funding and support for regional entrepreneurship development.
• Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulu Oy (Savonia University of Applied Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Educational institution represented on board. Potential collaboration on student entrepreneurship and research.
• Itä-Suomen yliopisto (University of Eastern Finland)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026University represented on board. Potential academic collaboration and student entrepreneurship support.
• Savon koulutuskuntayhtymäminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Vocational education provider represented on board.
• Kuopion Yrittäjät ryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Local entrepreneurs' association represented on board. Referral partner for entrepreneurship support services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• YritysHelsinki: City of Helsinki-owned business advisory service offering free startup and growth advisory to entrepreneurs in Helsinki. Comparable municipal-funded model targeting the same pre-venture and SME segments.
• Helsingin Uusyrityskeskus (Helsinki Enterprise Agency): Direct peer regional agency providing free, confidential business advisory services to aspiring entrepreneurs in the Helsinki metropolitan area under the same national Uusyrityskeskus model.
• Turun Seudun Uusyrityskeskus: Another regional Uusyrityskeskus in Southwest Finland providing comparable free business advisory services to pre-venture and new entrepreneurs in the Turku region.

Regional players

• Kuopion Yrittäjät ry: Local entrepreneurs' association and Kuopion Seudun Uusyrityskeskus board member. Represents existing entrepreneurs' interests and offers networking, advocacy, and peer advisory — complementary rather than competitive.

Broad incumbents

• Business Finland: National innovation funding and internationalization agency. Not a direct peer but adjacent — provides funding, advisory, and ecosystem services to Finnish SMEs and startups, overlapping on the entrepreneur-enablement mandate.
• TE-palvelut (TE Services / Employment Services): Public employment services providing startup grant (starttiraha) administration and labor-market services to unemployed individuals pursuing entrepreneurship. A key referral partner and overlapping service provider for the same target segment.
• Suomen Uusyrityskeskukset ry: National umbrella federation of which Kuopion Seudun Uusyrityskeskus is a member. Operates the shared brand, organizes the national Uusyrittäjä competition, and coordinates the network of regional enterprise agencies across Finland.
• EL Y-keskukset (ELY Centres): Regional Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. Act as the channel for ESF/EAKR funding and provide SME development services in the same regions where Kuopion Seudun Uusyrityskeskus operates.

Others

• Butterfly Ventures: Finnish early-stage venture fund focused on deep tech and science-based startups originating from universities including the University of Eastern Finland. Adjacent ecosystem participant in the same regional innovation pipeline.

Emerging players

• Norstat-yhtiöt / Perustamisopas etc. Online business establishment guides and tools in Finland (e.g., Perustamisopas.fi, UKKO.fi, Kevytyrittäjä.fi). Adjacent digital-first providers of pre-venture guidance and invoicing for light entrepreneurs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kuopion-seudun-uusyrityskeskus-ry

Compliance1 record

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 Kuopion seudun Uusyrityskeskus ry, Enterprise Agency of Kuopio