The entrepreneurship team of the Talent Hub Eastern Finland project had the opportunity to interview two emerging startup entrepreneurs about their entrepreneurial journey in the Joensuu region.
- Text Heikki Immonen, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Talent Hub Eastern Finland project | Photo Karoliina Gavrilov
Ghanaian Peter Zorve and Nigerian Olusegun Akinyemi met and found a common direction for their entrepreneurial path at the University of Eastern Finland’s Joensuu campus, in the Carelia building’s student restaurant. Peter, who came to work on his PhD in computational chemistry at UEF, had been supporting his young compatriots in IT skills both in his home country and after moving to Finland. Entrepreneurship would allow him to achieve this goal on a much larger scale.
Having grown up in an entrepreneurial family, Olusegun gained his own business experience at an early age. A key success from those years was the production and sale of a drink based on his own Zobo recipe. On the best days, sales volume reached 300 bottles.
Higher education in Finland, becoming a PhD, and a startup entrepreneur
Like Peter, Olusegun moved to Joensuu, Finland, for his studies. In 2017, he completed his master’s degree in environmental sciences and started his now nearly completed doctoral studies a couple of years later. Olusegun’s special expertise lies in optical imaging techniques and research in biology.
Both Peter and Olusegun emphasize how studying and working as a researcher in a new country and culture provides a lot of the determination and stress tolerance needed in entrepreneurship. To finance their studies, both worked part-time or full-time in various jobs, from the hospitality, media and research sectors. Peter’s first sole proprietorship was born out of the need to provide solutions for in-demand courier services.
Both Peter and Olusegun stress the importance of IT and coding skills, as well as international networks developed through their studies and research, in the founding of their joint startup, EduZolve Oy, a limited company. Leveraging their previous experience, Peter and Olusegun chose a Joensuu-based firm known to Peter through his sole proprietorship as their company’s accounting firm. During their studies, they learned about local entrepreneurship services through UEF’s Business for PhD’s course.
Adapting to Finnish culture
Moving to Finland and becoming part of Finnish society has been a long but rewarding journey. Alongside the cold, the first major difference from their home countries was the quiet bus rides. In Ghana, there’s always a story to share, even with strangers, but in Finland, each passenger respects the peace of others.
For Olusegun, who is from Lagos, one of the world’s largest metropolises, northern Finland was a haven of silence, tranquillity, and cleanliness. In Finnish culture, Peter and Olusegun most appreciate politeness and loyalty. Since living in Finland, Olusegun has also become a father, which has given him a deeper insight into Finnish society, starting with maternity clinics and daycare.
EduZolve Oy is born
In the autumn of 2023, Peter and Olusegun registered their joint limited company, EduZolve Oy, following a four-month Draft Program training session and a €1,000 grant from the Draft Program. EduZolve has received assistance from both the Business Joensuu business accelerator and the Lipertek business services in Liperi municipality. The company’s operations start from Liperi, which makes it possible to apply for rural startup funding and join the Patteristo Express entrepreneur community.
EduZolve is based on three core activities. The first and most important is a digital product targeted at the West African education market, to be launched in 2024, and offered to high school students aspiring for higher education. The second service package is the Mentor Me program, which helps young people in important IT skills, such as Python and machine learning. The third service is aimed at both African youth and European universities, where EduZolve acts as a bridge between the institutions and students.
The EduZolve team is a fantastic example of entrepreneurship, determination, and talent. When a student from abroad possesses these qualities, their entrepreneurial dream can become a reality. Good partners on this journey in North Karelia and North Savo are:
- Finding a realistic business idea and developing local networks: Talent Hub course (coming spring 2024)
- Testing your own business idea and microfinancing to start operations: Draft Program
- Advice for starting businesses from Business Joensuu and Business Center North Savo
This article has been published originally on Draft Program website.
