Boost Tales: Minna Janhonen
My journey with Boost Turku started in Autumn 2010 when I accidentally found my way to the Start-Up Farm, which was still under construction. Because no one was in (no one was expecting me to visit there that night, the least myself) I decided to leave an old-fashioned note pinned on the wall with my greetings and contact details asking someone to be in touch with me, as I was interested in what's Boost all about. Not too long after Toni Peramaki messaged me, invited me to an event and the rest is history.
I moved to Turku from Jyvaskyla in Spring 2011, after graduating from Tiimiakatemia and really wanted to keep working in an entrepreneurial environment. I rented a small office at the Farm, sharing it together with Minna Valtari, who had just founded Someco Ltd. I was working on many projects between 2011 and 2014, so Boost Turku's Start-Up Farm was a great place to have an office at. I was teaching and coaching students in Business and Entrepreneurship at Turku University, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Paasikivi College, Novia University of Applied Sciences, HUMAK and so on; I used the Start-Up Farm space a lot to host events, courses and 'lectures'.
When Toni was stepping down as the Community Manager at the end of 2013 I saw my chance to get more involved in running the Farm; I applied for the role, got invited to the interview and got the role sharing it with a brilliant power lady Erika Halonen. I acted as the Community Manager from the end of 2013 to the beginning of 2015; what a journey that was! I was in charge of innovating, developing and executing the events at the Farm as well as initiating the co-operation with the Turku Science Park that is now known as 'Spark Up Turku'. I got to visit the Silicon Valley with the Boost Turku Board, various Start-Up events and accelerators in Europe as well as expanded my knowledge and networks locally in Finland. I forged some long-lasting friendships over the years and I believe that being part of the student start-up scene affected my ways of working and seeing the world in a profound way. I really find it difficult to summarize my years with Boost Turku into a short story, as it truly was so exciting! 4
At the beginning of 2015, I moved to England to study International Business Management and Human Resources. I initially came for 6 months but now, more than three years later I guess I could start calling England 'home'. I never planned to stay, but one thing led to another and here I am. I work at the University of Kent, where I can see similar initiatives to Turku region's entrepreneurial scene. However, what Boost Turku has created is truly unique, and that has been also externally recognised (winning the best Nordic Accelerator award etc.)
Keep up the good work and changing the world!
Original Author: Boostturku