A late-2025 report from the European Centre for International Political Economy sent ripples through Finland’s scientific community when it named Greater Helsinki one of the top two quantum innovation hubs globally. Otaniemi has long been the central location from which much of that innovation has proliferated.

Decades of commitment to fundamental research, dating back to the founding of Professor Olli V. Lounasmaa’s Low-Temperature Laboratory in the 1960s, have created fertile ground from which some of the world’s highest-profile quantum technology companies have sprung.

Now, a new initiative at Aalto University, the Aalto Inventors programme launched in 2025, aims to translate academic research into viable startups; as founder Myungji Suh explains, “I’m so proud to be in contact with these researchers, and if we can put a little seed into their heads so they can later go back and realise, ‘Actually, maybe I could start something,’ then it’s really great.”

Aalto Inventors Program Cultivates Quantum Research Entrepreneurship

This assessment sent ripples throughout Finland’s scientific community, highlighting a rapidly evolving landscape where the nation is now a major player. Suh, now a research entrepreneur facilitator, specifically targets doctoral students working in deep-tech fields, providing them with the tools and mentorship needed to assess the business potential of their discoveries, Aalto Inventors says.

The programme’s second cohort, focused on quantum technologies, recently had its final presentations wrap up in April 2026, drawing participants across Finland, many of whom are also involved in the Quantum Doctoral Education Pilot Programme, or QDOC. The curriculum of Aalto Inventors moves beyond purely scientific considerations, challenging participants to confront the realities of the marketplace.

Students are tasked with identifying a first customer, developing robust financial models and revenue projections, and refining their ability to clearly articulate the problem their research solves. “Your research deserves more than a paper,” Suh says, a sentiment that has become a guiding principle for the programme and emphasizes the importance of practical application. This focus on commercialization is particularly vital in the quantum realm, where significant investment is required to move from theoretical breakthroughs to functional technologies.

The programme’s structure is a collaborative effort developed jointly by Suh, Aalto Corporate Relations Manager Juho Pirinen, and Aalto Inventors Specialist Elettra Virtanen, ensuring a coordinated approach to innovation, according to the company. Aalto University also coordinates both the Finnish Quantum Flagship, funded by the Research Council of Finland, and InstituteQ, Finland’s National Quantum Institute, which is a central coordinating body for quantum research, education, and business development nationwide.

InstituteQ’s member organizations include Aalto University, CSC, IT Center for Science, Tampere University, The University of Eastern Finland, The University of Helsinki, The University of Jyväskylä, where Clemens Lindner is a doctoral researcher, The University of Oulu, where Alina Helena Sánchez Gallardo is a doctoral researcher, The University of Turku, and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, demonstrating a broad national commitment to advancing quantum technologies.

European Report Elevates Helsinki as Quantum Innovation Hub

The Aalto Inventors programme, now in its second year, directly addresses this translation challenge by equipping doctoral students with the skills to build businesses around their research. Clemens Lindner, a doctoral researcher from the University of Jyväskylä, noted a change in academic perspectives, stating, “I definitely don’t think it’s a bad idea to get academics more involved on the industry side.

Because, in the end, hopefully academics are the ones who know what the future is going to be like in their space, and I see no reason why they shouldn’t profit from it.” This sentiment reflects a growing recognition that academic research holds significant commercial potential. The emphasis on entrepreneurship within Aalto Inventors aligns with a broader ecosystem-building strategy in Finland.

Juha Vartiainen, Co-Founder and Chief Global Affairs Officer at IQM Quantum Computers observed a positive evolution in the research landscape, saying, “It feels very different from when I was a student 25 years ago, and very encouraging to see.” Vartiainen believes that strong ecosystems are built incrementally, through knowledge sharing and mutual support, fostering the next generation of innovators. This collaborative network aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of quantum technologies, building on the foundation laid by decades of commitment to fundamental research and initiatives like the Aalto Inventors programme.

Vartiainen summarized this collaborative spirit, stating, “I have come to believe that strong ecosystems are built step by step, through people sharing what they’ve learned, supporting one another, and helping the next generation find their way.”

Source: https://instituteq.fi/from-quantum-labs-to-startups-aalto-inventors-turns-researchers-into-founders/

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