Haaga-Helia is Finland’s most efficient university of applied sciences in creating startup companies

A Europe-wide study ranks Haaga-Helia as the most efficient university of applied sciences in Finland and the Nordic countries, and among the very top higher education institutions in Finland.

Covering more than one thousand European higher education institutions and universities, the Redstone University Startup Index measures the ability of higher education institutions to transform their resources into vibrant businesses. To ensure comparability, the study uses the number of startup companies created per EUR 100 million annual budget as its primary metric.

Efficiency measured through concrete results

In the efficiency comparison, Haaga-Helia achieved an excellent result of 20.2 startup companies per EUR 100 million budget. At the national level, this figure makes Haaga-Helia Finland’s most efficient university of applied sciences in creating companies.

A closer look at the research data reveals a significant international achievement: Haaga-Helia ranks 14th among all universities of applied sciences and comparable institutions in Europe. At the same time, we are the most efficient university of applied sciences in the Nordic countries in creating startup companies.

At the European level, in the category of small higher education institutions (budget under EUR 100 million), Haaga-Helia ranks 47th.

The study’s key recommendation for European higher education institutions is to elevate entrepreneurship to a strategic core pillar alongside education and research.

– The figures demonstrate the impact of long-term entrepreneurship education, high-quality entrepreneurship guidance, and practice-oriented Research, Development and Innovation activities (RDI). By systematically supporting students and involving them in projects, we create new expertise and tangible economic value for society in the form of new growth companies, says Petteri Tiljander, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Haaga-Helia.