Silta is a program that takes Finnish entrepreneurs to the SF Bay Area for three months to immerse them into the vibrant, lively culture of the SF Bay Area.
The program brings the entrepreneurs into the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem to explore their ambitious visions and to learn what is required to turn them into reality.
The purpose of Silta is to enable ambitious entrepreneurs from Finland to develop their company and vision in the can-do environment of Silicon Valley. In the big picture, we want to transform the humble Finnish attitude atmosphere to support taking on new, internationally ambitious ideas - to promote companies born global from day one.
Living in Silicon Valley has been a life-changing event for numerous entrepreneurial people. Here's how they described it:
"If you’ve ever felt like a misfit, don’t worry! The Bay Area is the place where it’s ok to think big, have big dreams and reach for the stars. In Silicon Valley the future is not something distant and abstract but something that’s being built every day. It had a profound impact on me and my thinking."
"Snooping around in Silicon Valley gave me confidence to just go ahead with founding my company. In a place full of ridiculously ambitious plans, it's easier to just blend in and get cracking."
"As a young CEO or an aspiring entrepreneur I would absolutely grab any opportunity to join the Silta program and immerse myself in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Spending time there will bring in numerous benefits, both predictable and completely surprising"
"Silicon Valley is more of a state of mind than anything else. The ambition and the energy is contagious, and the only way to adapt the mindset in building your company or developing your career is by spending time there."
"Surrounding yourself with talented and ambitious people is a contagious way to grow your mind. I couldn't recommend spending time abroad more and while anywhere will do you great service, the San Francisco Bay Area in particular is a hotspot for tech growth, global talent and capital."
"Silicon Valley is nothing more than a focal point of ambitious people. You can do it."
"For anyone curious and entrepreneurial-minded, I can warmly recommend spending time in Silicon Valley. It's a place full of exciting opportunities and spending time there might open up some new adventures and perspectives that shape your career - or even lead to founding your own company"
"There’s so much to learn from Silicon Valley. The ambition level. The way of building companies. The relentless culture of experimentation. If you have a chance to spend time there, do it. Warning: Spending time under the Californian sun may change the course of your company – or career."
"Building Meru Health in Silicon Valley and in the US in general has been a uniquely positive and exciting experience. We've been able to get to work with the absolute best people and partners in our industry
(Y Combinator, Stanford, Harvard) and we've learned so much from other founders and other world leading digital health companies."
"Stanford, Berkeley, startup accelerators, book stores, long hikes, driven people who think big and are constantly building something new. The entrepreneurial environment of Silicon Valley is characterized risk-taking and innovation and spending time in the Bay Area really gives you more confidence and can be a life changing experience."
"My experiences from the time I spent in the Bay Area opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunities that I couldn't have dream of before"
"You don't have to be in Silicon Valley but Silicon Valley has to be in you. This is where you understand what it is all about. Excitement, fun and building the future. Get ready for the most inspiring time in your life."
"For any founder, it's very useful to learn how some of the best companies are started and scaled. Still today the bay Area has the highest concentration of experienced entrepreneurs in the world. Spending time in the Bay Area will help you to gain the skills and contacts you need to take your company off the ground. That's why I warmly recommend every new entrepreneur who has not yet spent time in the Bay Area to participate in the SILTA program."
"It is amazingly inspiring to live in SF among people who follow their dreams and take concrete steps to build the type of world they believe in. No one ever asked me, “Aren’t you scared your thing does not work” but rather “that sounds interesting, tell me more.” Living in this kind of environment pushes one to do better and to succeed in solving problems they find meaningful."
"Living in the heart of our planet's technology development is not only inspiring, but it is truly life-changing."
"Silicon Valley is a wonderland that opens your mind to unlimited opportunities and energy."
"The real hockey players go play hockey in the NHL. The real doers go reinvent the world in Silicon Valley."
""If you’ve ever felt like a misfit, don’t worry! The Bay Area is the place where it’s ok to think big, have big dreams and reach for the stars. In Silicon Valley the future is not something distant and abstract but something that’s being built every day. It had a profound impact on me and my thinking.
"My experiences from the time I spent in the Bay Area opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunities that I couldn't have dream of before"
"Building Meru Health in Silicon Valley and in the US in general has been a uniquely positive and exciting experience. We've been able to get to work with the absolute best people and partners in our industry (Y Combinator, Stanford, Harvard) and we've learned so much from other founders and other world leading digital health companies."
"Living in the heart of our planet's technology development is not only inspiring, but it is truly life-changing."
"For anyone curious and entrepreneurial-minded, I can warmly recommend spending time in Silicon Valley. It's a place full of exciting opportunities and spending time there might open up some new adventures and perspectives that shape your career - or even lead to founding your own company"
"Silicon Valley is a wonderland that opens your mind to unlimited opportunities and energy"
"For any founder, it's very useful to learn how some of the best companies are started and scaled. Still today the bay Area has the highest concentration of experienced entrepreneurs in the world. Spending time in the Bay Area will help you to gain the skills and contacts you need to take your company off the ground. That's why I warmly recommend every new entrepreneur who has not yet spent time in the Bay Area to participate in the SILTA program."
"You don't have to be in Silicon Valley but Silicon Valley has to be in you. This is where you understand what it is all about. Excitement, fun and building the future. Get ready for the most inspiring time in your life."
"There’s so much to learn from Silicon Valley. The ambition level. The way of building companies. The relentless culture of experimentation. If you have a chance to spend time there, do it. Warning: Spending time under the Californian sun may change the course of your company – or career."
"Silicon Valley is nothing more than a focal point of ambitious people. You can do it."
"Snooping around in Silicon Valley gave me confidence to just go ahead with founding my company. In a place full of ridiculously ambitious plans, it's easier to just blend in and get cracking."
"Surrounding yourself with talented and ambitious people is a contagious way to grow your mind. I couldn't recommend spending time abroad more and while anywhere will do you great service, the San Francisco Bay Area in particular is a hotspot for tech growth, global talent and capital."
"As a young CEO or an aspiring entrepreneur I would absolutely grab any opportunity to join the Silta program and immerse myself in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Spending time there will bring in numerous benefits, both predictable and completely surprising"
The participants will be living in a startup hacker house situated in the SF Bay area for 3 months. The participants' rental and traveling costs are covered by the program.
We facilitate a program that aims to help you with your agenda to go to Silicon Valley by turning it into an objective and weekly and monthly goals. Read more about the program from our program page.
We facilitate a network of Valley-based mentors that are there to support you on your agenda and objective for the program. KUMMIs will be invited to different events, get togethers, and other communal activities.
Living in Silicon Valley has been a life-changing event for numerous entrepreneurial people from Finland. Here's how they described it:
""If you’ve ever felt like a misfit, don’t worry! The Bay Area is the place where it’s ok to think big, have big dreams and reach for the stars. In Silicon Valley the future is not something distant and abstract but something that’s being built every day. It had a profound impact on me and my thinking.
"My experiences from the time I spent in the Bay Area opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunities that I couldn't have dream of before"
"Building Meru Health in Silicon Valley and in the US in general has been a uniquely positive and exciting experience. We've been able to get to work with the absolute best people and partners in our industry (Y Combinator, Stanford, Harvard) and we've learned so much from other founders and other world leading digital health companies."
"Living in the heart of our planet's technology development is not only inspiring, but it is truly life-changing."
"For anyone curious and entrepreneurial-minded, I can warmly recommend spending time in Silicon Valley. It's a place full of exciting opportunities and spending time there might open up some new adventures and perspectives that shape your career - or even lead to founding your own company"
"Silicon Valley is a wonderland that opens your mind to unlimited opportunities and energy."
"For any founder, it's very useful to learn how some of the best companies are started and scaled. Still today the bay Area has the highest concentration of experienced entrepreneurs in the world. Spending time in the Bay Area will help you to gain the skills and contacts you need to take your company off the ground. That's why I warmly recommend every new entrepreneur who has not yet spent time in the Bay Area to participate in the SILTA program."
"You don't have to be in Silicon Valley but Silicon Valley has to be in you. This is where you understand what it is all about. Excitement, fun and building the future. Get ready for the most inspiring time in your life."
"There’s so much to learn from Silicon Valley. The ambition level. The way of building companies. The relentless culture of experimentation. If you have a chance to spend time there, do it. Warning: Spending time under the Californian sun may change the course of your company – or career."
"Silicon Valley is nothing more than a focal point of ambitious people. You can do it."
"Snooping around in Silicon Valley gave me confidence to just go ahead with founding my company. In a place full of ridiculously ambitious plans, it's easier to just blend in and get cracking."
"Surrounding yourself with talented and ambitious people is a contagious way to grow your mind. I couldn't recommend spending time abroad more and while anywhere will do you great service, the San Francisco Bay Area in particular is a hotspot for tech growth, global talent and capital."
"As a young CEO or an aspiring entrepreneur I would absolutely grab any opportunity to join the Silta program and immerse myself in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Spending time there will bring in numerous benefits, both predictable and completely surprising"
"Silicon Valley is more of a state of mind than anything else. The ambition and the energy is contagious, and the only way to adapt the mindset in building your company or developing your career is by spending time there."
"Stanford, Berkeley, startup accelerators, book stores, long hikes, driven people who think big and are constantly building something new. The entrepreneurial environment of Silicon Valley is characterized risk-taking and innovation and spending time in the Bay Area really gives you more confidence and can be a life changing experience."
"It is amazingly inspiring to live in SF among people who follow their dreams and take concrete steps to build the type of world they believe in. No one ever asked me, “Aren’t you scared your thing does not work” but rather “that sounds interesting, tell me more.” Living in this kind of environment pushes one to do better and to succeed in solving problems they find meaningful."
SILTA is a program that takes Finnish entrepreneurs to the SF Bay Area for three months to immerse them into the vibrant, lively culture of the SF Bay Area.
The program brings the entrepreneurs into the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem to explore their ambitious visions and to learn what is required to turn them into reality.
The purpose of Silta is to enable ambitious entrepreneurs from Finland to develop their company and vision in the can-do environment of Silicon Valley. In the big picture, we want to transform the humble Finnish attitude atmosphere to support taking on new, internationally ambitious ideas - to promote companies born global from day one.
Living in Silicon Valley has been a life-changing event for numerous entrepreneurs. Here's how they described it:
“As a young CEO or an aspiring entrepreneur I would absolutely grab any opportunity to join the Silta program and immerse myself in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Spending time there will bring in numerous benefits, both predictable and completely surprising”. -Risto
“As a young CEO or an aspiring entrepreneur I would absolutely grab any opportunity to join the Silta program and immerse myself in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Spending time there will bring in numerous benefits, both predictable and completely surprising”. -Risto
The participants will be living in a startup hacker house situated in the SF Bay area for 3 months. The participants' rental and traveling costs are covered by the program.
SILTA is connected to a network of KUMMIs, Valley-based mentors who support the participants through the program.
SILTA offers possibilities for driven entrepreneurs from Finland to immerse themselves into the vibrant culture of Silicon Valley.
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