NEED
When a country is rebuilding, education and skills are critical. For Ukraine, post-conflict recovery requires innovative tools to help people adapt to new realities and careers. At the same time, Finnish EdTech companies are eager to share their expertise, explore global markets, and support Ukraine’s recovery efforts.
Regions of Ukraine have relied on online education for nearly five years, first during the pandemic and then throughout the war. This makes collaboration on digital learning solutions even more essential.
APPROACH
To address these challenges, FUEL – Finnish-Ukrainian EdTech Launchpad program was created. Contracted by the Education Finland program & OPH, it was implemented by Crazy Town, in collaboration with Advicera, Urban Mill and Innovestor. All partners were either long-time Crazy Town partners, members or alumni.
From October to December 2024, FUEL brought together 10 EdTech startups—five from each country—in a fast-paced, hybrid program designed to foster learning, collaboration, and growth.
HOW IT WORKED?
Quick start: Within three weeks, 10 motivated teams with scalable solutions were recruited, thanks to the networks of the organizing partners.
Workshops and mentoring: Teams participated in online workshops, used a digital learning platform, attended onsite events, and received 1:1 mentoring. Hybrid approach allowed to connect both countries, but also teams working across multiple locations.
Global connections: Selected Ukrainian teams were invited to Slush 2024, connecting with them global investors, Finnish partners, and the international startup community.
Peer learning: Participants exchanged insights and supported each other, strengthening solutions and creating cross-border connections.
Photo: Nataliya Limonova from GIOS startup and Kari Mikkelä, startup and ecosystem expert, from Urban Mill, meeting each other at Slush 2024 side event Ukraine Friends Night, organized by Advicera. GIOS was one of the EdTech teams from Ukraine in FUEL.
IMPACT
FUEL delivered tangible results for many Finnish and Ukrainian teams:
Market access: Ukrainian startups gained insights into Finland’s advanced EdTech ecosystem and strategies for entering the EU market.
Future partnerships: Finnish teams deepened their understanding of Ukraine’s needs, building connections for long-term collaboration.
Real opportunities: Teams connected with investors, universities, and NGOs, securing a foundation for growth. Around a hundred connections created in total.
In the words of one participant: “We started with no knowledge of Finland. Now we have a plan and clear next steps for 2025.”
LEARNING POINTS FROM COACHES
Mikko and Toni from Crazy Town put together the following notes.
Business model evolution: EdTech teams should always explore diversifying beyond public sector (B2G) funding and find opportunities in private markets (B2B, B2C). Expanding into B2B markets like private schools, corporate training, or vocational education could accelerate growth, instead of long-sales processes of B2G. B2C opportunities include targeting families and individuals interested in lifelong learning.
Local representation matters: Both Finnish and Ukrainian teams need local partners or representatives for sales and distribution. This is where startups in different countries can support each other directly with internationalization.
Ukrainian strengths: Ukrainian teams showcased strong technology and software skills, offering collaboration opportunities for Finnish companies in R&D. Ukrainian teams also combined B2B and B2C approaches, enabling faster entry into markets like the USA, while Finnish EdTech companies were more accustomed to B2G.
WHERE COULD THIS WORK NEXT?
A big thank you to our partners Advicera, Urban Mill, Innovestor, the Education Finland program, OPH, and of course, our participants.
The FUEL approach is highly adaptable and could work in various contexts, such as supporting international startups in validating their solutions for the Finnish and EU markets.
Interested in creating similar impact? Crazy Town and its partners regularly run programs like FUEL. Reach out to Mikko Korpela at mikko.korpela@crazytown.fi for more information about our Growth and Innovation services.
FUEL was made with ❤️ as a Finnish-Ukrainian cooperation supported by Education Finland programme, made possible by Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH)
