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Aalto University’s new From Zero to Product course gives aspiring student founders a structured way to test and validate their early-stage ideas. During six intensive weeks, students learn how to design and run real-world validation experiments, turning uncertainty into insight and ideas into evidence.

This is a completely new course and the first of its kind in Finland. It combines research-based entrepreneurship methods with the practical experience of leading founders and educators. The team conducted more than 40 interviews, among them Finland’s leading startup product experts (e.g., behind Smartly, Swappie, and Swarmia) to gain a comprehensive understanding of the best-practices and processes used in real-world cases. The course itself has been developed as a prototype, using the same iterative, feedback-driven process it teaches.

‘We built this course the same way a start-up validates its product — by talking to users, testing assumptions, and iterating fast,’ says Juha Mattsson, Responsible Lecturer in the course.

The course is open to Aalto students interested in entrepreneurship, startups, and innovation. It’s especially valuable for those planning to launch or join a startup but also suits anyone wanting to apply entrepreneurial thinking in research or corporate innovation projects.

Students participate in teams of one to three, working on a startup idea of their own or developing one during the course. Each week combines one lecture and one workshop, linking conceptual frameworks with practical experimentation.

Profound learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to design and execute structured validation experiments for early-stage business ideas, analyse and interpret validation data to make go/no-go decisions, apply evidence-based methods to refine product and business concepts, and communicate findings clearly to investors, customers, and partners.

The course teaches a high-throughput approach to testing and refining ideas — much like pharmaceutical screening for new molecules — giving students a repeatable process for discovering what truly works.

‘Students who learn to test their assumptions early will shape the next generation of successful startups. This course helps them build that essential habit of learning fast and adapting with insight,’ says entrepreneur and CEO Mårten Mickos who leads the Aalto Founder’s School. 

This course matters for society and students

Startups are engines of innovation, growth, and sustainability. However, most never find a market that wants what they build, and even the most successful ones usually waste significant amounts of time chasing the wrong ideas. By teaching rigorous validation skills early, universities can foster a new generation of founders who build smarter, faster, and with less waste. Finland – and the world – needs entrepreneurs who combine creativity with disciplined testing.

For anyone dreaming of starting a company, this course provides a crucial capability: knowing what to build and why. Instead of “building first and learning later,” participants learn to test, measure, and learn before committing resources — dramatically increasing their odds of success.

The course team combines insights and experience from entrepreneurship, student ecosystem, and academia: Dr. Juha Mattsson, a serial startup CEO (Responsible Lecturer), Niko Laukkanen (former Aaltoes Chair) and Annika Blomqvist (Ignite Accelerator Director 2026), and Mikko Jääskeläinen, Associate professor of High-growth entrepreneurship at Department of Industrial Engineering and Management (Supervising Professor).

During development, the team interviewed founders and executives from leading startups from Finland ensuring the course content reflects the realities of today’s entrepreneurial landscape. The course aligned with Aalto Founder’s School led by Mårten Mickos (celebrated Finnish entrepreneur and CEO) and Maija Renko (Professor of Entrepreneurship at Aalto University).

Further information:
Juha Mattsson, juha.mattsson@aalto.fi 
Niko Laukkanen, niko.m.laukkanen@aalto.fi
Annika Blomqvist, annika.blomqvist@aalto.fi