International Venture Academy Investor Programme

International Venture Academy is an investor programme for healthtech, AI and cybersecurity startup and scaleup companies, who want to improve their investment readiness, are looking for an investment of 200,000€–1,000,000€, or are planning on entering new markets.

Who can apply?
The programme is targeted at growth ventures that desire to improve their investment readiness and are interested in Nordic and European markets or soft landing in the Nordics. Participating growth ventures must have a ready product or service, a clear vision, and proof of concept. In 2023 we have 10-12 seats available.

The program helped us especially in clarifying the business model. We understood the value of good references better and gained new confidence for investor discussions: the significance of a good story, what themes are important to investors, and how credible business figures are produced.”

Timo Airaksinen, Development Director,
Nursie Health, IVA Alumni 2021

“The organizers of Venture Academy have tremendous personal business skills and, above all else, plenty of networks directly with potential partners. We have had tangible introductions to the wider world through them.”

Kari Aho, CEO
Secapp, IVA Alumni 2020

“IVA is an excellent opportunity for start-ups looking for international growth. The feedback we got was clear and concrete, and we received excellent additions to our to-do list. Overall, the program was really good and worth my time. I can warmly recommend it to all those who want to learn and receive feedback and actively develop their start-ups.”

Heidi Kivimaa, CEO & Co-Founder
Northern Sports Insight and Intelligence Oy, IVA Alumni 2022

8 innovative health tech & AI start-ups selected for the IVA 2023 are

Apply now for the IVA 2023 Programme

The International Venture Academy program offers an excellent opportunity to scale growth with the help of seasoned European angel investors from EBAN's network.

The program consists of...

2 x one-on-one online pre-sparring in May
4-day Bootcamp in Jyväskylä Startup Factory from the 6th to 9th of June
International Venture Academy Pitching Finals for the jury and other investors 9th of June
Networking with ecosystem stakeholders in Jyväskylä

During the Bootcamp companies will be working on their blue ocean and go-to-market strategies, VSEM (vision, strategy, execution, and metrics) strategy framework and crafting their killer pitches and get sparring with their finances. Winners get tickets to pitch to international investors at the Jyväskylä Business Rally Investor Day on the 3rd of August, 2023.

IVA path 2023-1

The application period is open from the 24th of March to the 27th of April. The jury makes the selections for the program at the start of May. Programme is free of charge, participants pay only their own accomodation, lunch and travel expenses. A time commitment to the program is required from the participating startups.

Apply via Dealum by 27th of April

IVA Net Promoter Score: 100

"Really great experience. I learned more in four days than in the last four months."

More than 30 startups have participated in the International Venture Academy. The NPS (Net Promoter Score) of the IVA 2022 programme was 100.

Previous participants reported gaining valuable outside insight to support growth in various areas during the program.

Webinar

International Venture Academy Webinar 2022:

What is International Venture Academy and what it can offer to your business? Watch the webinar recording to learn more and hear the success story from IVA alumni 2021 Nursie Health!

Killer Pitch

How to craft a killer pitch by Audra Shallal:

Audra Shallal

Get to know Audra - watch the interview:

Jean-Louis Brelet, IVA Lead Coach
Sophia Business Angles

Jean-Louis is a member of France Angels Board, lead of EuropIA Capital and emeritus president of Sophia Business Angels. He is an executive coach of innovative entrepreneurs, investors in 15 companies, and trainer at Business Schools, incubators and Business Angels Networks within France, EU and North Africa regions.

Audra Shallal, IVA Coach,
BOSS Consulting

Audra is an expert in Women Entrepreneurship and Angel Investment in the EMEA region. She promotes Entrepreneurship and Angel Investing through programs, mentoring, business plan competitions, Business Angel Networks and Women Economic Empowerment within the EU and MENA region.

Marcel Dridje, IVA Coach, EBAN Board Member

After 30 years of Executive Sales & Business Development experience with EMEA, USA and APAC with High-tech Startups, Marcel is currently coaching, mentoring and training Startups, entrepreneurs and Business Angels in the EMEA region. Marcel is also an Executive Advisor to Startup Ecosystems worldwide and currently onboarding a move to the GCC region based in Doha, Qatar. Marcel leads his advisory services under his consultancy firm "Entrepreneur Avenue". Marcel is a UK citizen, bilingual in English and French with a working knowledge in Spanish, Italian, German and Arabic.

Alain Pujol
Angels Sante, pre-sparring expert

Alain is a seasoned Business Angel and he has invested in 15 startups. He is a Board Member of Angels Santé in Paris, which is the largest Business Angels Network in Europe investing in healthcare companies. His expertise is in many therapeutic fields including Anti-infectives, CV, Diabetes, and Oncology Before APHC Consulting. He also spent more than 20 years in different international business management positions in the health sector.

Michael O'Connor,
CEO of CorkBic, pre-sparring expert

Michael O’Connor is CEO of CorkBIC, specialising in high tech businesses involving international growth. He started in marine and arctic exploration in the UK, Spitsbergen, Nigeria and the Caribbean before moving to high-growth manufacturing and sales start-ups with Raychem Corporation in Menlo Park, California. He co-founded Intepro, a venture capital-backed Irish IT start-up. He led the Europe and U.S. market entry, building a team based out of Boston and San Diego and with several rounds of international venture capital before a successful trade exit. Since returning from the USA, he has advised over 500 start-ups.

Annukka Mickelsson,
FiBAN, jury member

Annukka got excited about startup investing during the financial crisis when there was a lack of financing for potential ideas and competent teams. She saw a need for an ecosystem where brainpower meets capital/funding to build new growth. She became a FiBAN member in 2015 to learn in practice about startups’ growth paths. Annukka’s background is in the real-estate and financial sector as well as politics. She has long experience in team leading and board work.

Jussi Muurikainen,
Liquido.vc, jury member

Jussi Muurikainen is a founder of Liquido.vc and a member of FiBAN. He is a co-owner in 20+ companies and also sparring hundreds of entrepreneurs yearly. He is a real startup veteran with extensive 15 years of background in the start-up scene. Jussi has strong experience specifically in SaaS and Fintech and his passion is to help not only companies but founders to succeed.

International Venture Academy

8 innovative health tech & AI start-ups selected for the IVA 2023 are