How AI saved hours in everyday work – Wulff Ekonomi’s lessons from the AIStart Programme

The opportunities offered by artificial intelligence are attracting growing interest among companies, but getting started is not always easy. How can businesses identify where AI can create value in their operations, and how can they begin without major risks or investments?

Wulff Ekonomi Oy found answers to these questions by participating in the AIStart program. The company’s experiences show that adopting AI can begin with small, practical experiments that make everyday work easier and evolve naturally from the company’s own needs.

Wulff Ekonomi is part of the Wulff accounting firm network, where entrepreneurial spirit, highly personal service, and strong use of an expert network come together. According to Wulff Ekonomi’s Chief Operating Officer, Mauri Pennanen, financial management services are a critical partnership for entrepreneurs: accounting and payroll services form the backbone of many businesses. Wulff Ekonomi’s roots go back to the Espoo-based company Carpentum Oy, which was founded in 1997 and later became part of the Wulff accounting firm network.

The City of Espoo aims to lower the threshold for companies to experiment with new solutions and develop their capabilities.

“Companies have very different levels of readiness and varying needs when it comes to utilizing AI. The city’s role is to provide support, networks, and concrete learning opportunities such as the AIStart program, enabling businesses to move forward from their own starting points,” says Nelli Vasse, Senior Advisor for the City of Espoo.

When AI became a major topic for Wulff Ekonomi in 2025, interest in utilizing it grew significantly. The AIStart program, discovered through Business Espoo’s communications channels, offered a clear and practical way to explore the topic in depth.

“The program seemed like a well-structured package that could help us better understand how AI could be used in areas such as marketing and customer segmentation,” Pennanen explains.

For Wulff Ekonomi, the AIStart program was not a shortcut to ready-made solutions, but an opportunity to learn, experiment, and structure their own thinking. One of the program’s greatest strengths was the combination of theory and hands-on exercises.

The structured progression, clear lectures, and weekly assignments helped build a comprehensive understanding of AI’s possibilities. Particularly valuable was the final project, where participants applied what they had learned directly to their company’s own needs. This made it easier to identify where AI could create the greatest added value.

The sense of community within the program also brought significant benefits. Networking with other participants, many of whom were entrepreneurs, and events such as the community gathering held at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences provided inspiration and fresh perspectives.

“Above all, we expected new ideas and tools — and that’s exactly what we received,” Pennanen says.

The lessons from AIStart were quickly put into practice. At Wulff Ekonomi, AI primarily acts as an everyday productivity enhancer, a small assistant whose role is continuously being explored, reducing manual work and freeing up time for expert tasks.

Pennanen has experimented with, among other things, a virtual sales room where customers can explore Wulff Ekonomi’s services and quickly receive answers to their questions. The company also uses AI-powered tools that retrieve up-to-date information on topics such as legislation and collective labor agreements.

The benefits have been tangible: document preparation takes significantly less time, communication has become more consistent and higher in quality, and information retrieval is considerably faster.

“AI helps us provide customers with even better and more up-to-date service,” Pennanen says.

For Wulff Ekonomi, participating in the AIStart program is part of a continuous development journey. The company believes that AI’s opportunities extend far into the future. Beyond financial management work, they aim to leverage AI in areas such as market analysis, competitor monitoring, and customer segmentation.

The company’s next steps include piloting new AI solutions and broadening its thinking even further. They continuously evaluate their operating environment and opportunities to deepen their expertise.

Pennanen encourages other entrepreneurs to get started boldly:

“Start small and experiment with AI in everyday tasks such as customer communication. Stay curious and follow developments in the field – new ideas can emerge from the most unexpected places.”

According to him, networking is also important: for example, Business Espoo’s events provide an excellent opportunity to learn and connect with other entrepreneurs.

Pennanen gives the AIStart program a strong recommendation: it is suitable for companies of all sizes, as long as they have a clear goal and a genuine motivation to develop their operations.