#90DayFinn
Apply to Become a 90 Day Finn
This is a bonus piece I am writing as my duty to Helsinki Partners, City of Helsinki, Finland, and the New Nordics.
I still remember the day I put my email address on the waitlist to apply for the 90 Day Finn program back in 2024. I thought I would come in 2025, but out of nowhere, I received an email from Sami, then Program Lead for 90 Day Finn. If I remember right, I was in between countries - Singapore, the UK, and flying to Korea. I had no clue that I could make it on time, but I did, and boy oh boy, I found my Kotona in Finland.
I have been a Nordic optimist for a while, especially on the ethical (conscious) capitalist side, and trust infrastructure. I was never about that; I would land in Finland first and build such deep, profound human connections. I came here with no expectations but just as a mere spectator, an observer, and a meaningful visitor.
I have always seen my life as an outsider, someone who doesn’t belong anywhere, a homeless, a vagabond, a nobody that receives love, care, and kindness wherever he goes - from the little kids to older people.
There are a lot of talent-attraction agencies, and as an entrepreneur and investor, I have several interactions with many of them, but Helsinki Partners is special, and the 90 Day Finn program was really special. It brings top-notch talent from all over the world, gives them exposure to the Finnish ecosystem, educates them about Finland, and provides an overall exposure to the Nordics. It is a special program not because it has the best structured program like a fellowship, but the humans behind the 90 Day Finn program are pretty special; they have rawness, the real Finnishness, the authenticity, and a no bullshit attitude whether it is Panu, Sonja, Maria, Cristina, Johanna (who has now moved to Business Finland), Tian, Eelis, Sami, and countless other folks who are behind the curtain.
It is an unusual program where your relationship with Finland forms, like an invisible thread; you connect with Finland and the Nordics more deeply. My cohort had amazing mothers, kids, dads, and solos like me - some of them have become lifelong friends and threads of my life. I was made feel like a family man. The experience is surreal; in any of these programs, it is up to the individual what they make out of it. If you come with an extractive mindset, there is not much to gain from Finland - Finns are simple and, in general, educated and with a deep soul.
My spiritual reflection while being in Helsinki, Finland
Contrary to what people say on social media, you can make real deep friendships here. When I meet Kimmo & Janne, we hug each other as if we want to touch each other's souls. Panu, who leads the VC vertical and organizes another fantastic program - Venture Nordics, became a friend, we eat dinner together, clean dishes, and more.
Europe, Tandon argues, has deep pools of capital, strong research institutions, and a growing pipeline of climate and industrial technologies. Yet much of its money remains parked in low-yield savings accounts or recycled back into US markets.
“Europe has the infrastructure,” Sagar said. “But the money is just sitting here. Or flowing back to the US. A lot of it is passive.”
In my recent interview with Impact Loop, I said: Forget about Silicon Valley and look to Europe; Europe should bring back its capital and invest in opportunities here. I will extend and say, come to Nordics, whether you are a builder, capital allocator, or an investor - there is trust, strong ethics, stability, and a working infrastructure. Europe should step up to invest in Europe - the Nordics, the Netherlands, and the Baltics, for example, have such a strong research base, powerful impact alignment is there in the region - the startups from the EU could serve the broader global markets as well. Thanks, Siôn Lawrence-Geschwindt, Managing Editor at Impact Loop, who brought life to my fuzzy thoughts.
If you want to come to Europe, then come to the Nordics; if you are coming to the Nordics, come to Finland if you are looking for the right place to expand your business and further develop your product or solution, apply for the 90 Day Finn program or contact the team (Maria, Eelis, Cristina, and Simonelle) at Helsinki Partners.
DEADLINE - 28th February, 2026
Anyway, I should stop talking and take some rest, but don’t forget to apply and spread the word. KIITOS!
Feel free to reach out to me at s@firstfollowers.co if you’d like to discuss and exchange ideas. Or sagar@beyondimpact.vc.
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PS: I hope to find my final freedom and independence in 2026 to write, read, learn, and invest.