Starting a business and business planning

The business advisors at Business Espoo provide personal coaching and assistance with all your questions. Your business advisor will offer tips for creating a business plan and ensure your profitability and financial calculations are in order.

Through business advisory services, you have the opportunity to access further consultations provided by Business Espoo’s expert network, which includes consultants, lawyers, and other specialized service providers. The first consultation with an expert is free of charge. Any additional services are billed separately according to the expert's pricing.

Book an appointment with a business advisor.

Through the Business Espoo network, you also have access to other partners, including the City of Espoo, Enter Espoo, Espoon Yrittäjät, Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce, Omnia and Espoon Seudun Uusyrityskeskus ry.

Understanding the different stages of starting a business helps you avoid common mistakes and guide your company in the right direction from the start. Guide to Entrepreneurship -brings together all the essential information in an easy-to-understand format. Whether you're considering starting a limited liability company, a sole proprietorship, part-time entrepreneurship, or light entrepreneurship, the guide provides helpful information to support your plans. Download the Guide to Entrepreneusrship.(external link, opens in a new window)

The guide covers various stages of starting a business, including:

• Testing the business idea
• Preparing an initial business plan
• Choosing the business form and name
• Initial business financing
• Preparing founding documents
• Registering the business
• Finding necessary partners and networks
• Acquiring pension and other necessary insurances for entrepreneurs

Our How to set up a company in Finland Webinar is available to help you with the basics of turning your idea into a business. The training covers the fundamental aspects of starting a business, including information about the startup grant.

Our business experts are also here to help you select suitable software for managing finances and accounting, cybersecurity, marketing, project management, and customer relationship management (CRM). Book an appointment with our business advisor.

Starting a business should begin with careful planning. A business plan helps clarify your ideas and consolidates them into a tool for entrepreneurs, which should be updated as the business develops. The business plan outlines the revenue model, goals, and strategies for achieving them. It helps you understand the resources you need and how the profitability of your business is built. A business plan is also required when applying for startup grants (external link, opens in a new window) and other financial support.

We are here to assist you in creating your business plan and financial projections:

• Download business plan and calculation model templates.(external link, opens in a new window)
• Book an appointment with a business advisor to work on your business plan and financial projections.

A business or entrepreneur located in Espoo, or planning to establish operations there, may require various permits from the city when starting or changing their activities. Business operations may also require licenses issued by other authorities.

For more information about licenses for business activities not granted by the city, please contact business advisory services or visit our website.

We offer a wide range of entrepreneurship training and development opportunities to enhance entrepreneurs' skills in areas such as:

• Business fundamentals
• Financial management
• Sales and marketing
• Product and service development
• Apprenticeship training.

Explore the training opportunities offered by the Business Espoo network through the following partners' websites:

• Omnia's training and services for entrepreneurs.(external link, opens in a new window) You can deepen your skills with professional or specialist qualifications or gain new knowledge through shorter continuing education programs.
• Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce's trainings(external link, opens in a new window) (webpage in Finnish)
• Federation of Espoo Enterprises' trainings.(external link, opens in a new window)