Supporting top founders to build globally successful companies.


Support entrepreneurs to build globally successful companies.


The application period for the SILTA S23 (19.2.-13.5.2023) batch will take place on 20.10. - 4.12.2022!
01

What is SILTA?

SILTA is a program that takes top founders from Finland to the SF Bay Area for three months to immerse them into the vibrant, lively culture of the SF Bay Area. The purpose of SILTA is to enable the founders to develop their company and vision in the can-do environment of Silicon Valley.

We want to transform the humble Finnish attitude atmosphere to support taking on new, internationally ambitious ideas - to promote companies to become global from day one.
“As a young CEO 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 Siilasmaa
Founder of F-Secure & Supporter of the SILTA project
02

What we offer you

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 easily trackable goals.

Read more about the program from our program page.
Flights & Accomodation
We will cover to the flights and rental costs for 0-6 entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley to live at a rental house from the SF Bay Area.

The program and the accommodation will be taken care of by a program lead who will be living with the participants.
Access to the Bay Area startup ecosystem
We facilitate a network of Valley-based mentors (KUMMIs) that are able to support you on achieving your objectives and run a program that will help you to connect with the SF Bay Area startup ecosystem.
03
"SILTA was our way of doing a go-to market to the US market. We got our first US and Canadian customers which really helped our startup to confirm the market demand."
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Niilo Pirttijärvi
Co-Founder at Inven, SILTA S22 participant
"SILTA is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for early stage founders."
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Patrik Holopainen
CEO, Founder at Opeton, SILTA S22 Participant
“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."
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Kristo Ovaska
Co-Founder at Smartly
“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."
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author, & Keynote Speaker
“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.”
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Annu Nieminen
Co-Founder, CEO at Upright Project
"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.”
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Pia Henrietta Moon
Co-Founder, CEO at Carbo Culture
“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."
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Kristian Ranta
Co-Founder, CEO at Meru Health
”Silicon Valley is a wonderland that opens your mind to unlimited opportunities and energy”
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Riko Nyberg
AI at NREP, ex-Apple
”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”
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Nasim Selmani
Founding Partner, DEI Consultant at deidei
“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.”
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Katja Toropainen
Co-Founder, CEO at Inklusiiv
“Silicon Valley is nothing more than a focal point of ambitious people. You can do it.”
Perttu Pölönen
Inventor, Author & Keynote Speaker
Jaakko Rauhala
Co-Founder, CEO at Kapacity.io
04

Want to be part of the buzz?

Come check out our events in Finland and San Francisco!
SEE OUR EVENTS
05

SILTA is supported by the following people and organizations:

People
• Kristian Ranta, CEO & Founder at Meru Health
• Ilkka Paananen, CEO & Co-Founder at Supercell
• Risto Siilasmaa, Co-Founder at F-Secure
• Kristo Ovaska, Founder of Smartly.io
• Will Cardwell, Partner at Courage VC
Organizations
• Yksityisyrittäjän Säätiö
• Startup Foundation
• Meru Health
06

Interested in participating? Stay tuned!

The application period for the S23 batch has ended. Thank you for the applications!