The Corporate Entrepreneurs Awards is a competition for corporate entrepreneurship. It rewards bold growth initiatives born inside established companies, and the teams and companies behind them.

The goal of the competition is to make role models of corporate entrepreneurship visible, strengthen a bold corporate culture and spark discussion about the conditions for growth in Finland.

The competition is intended for companies with a turnover of more than 100 million euros and at least 200 employees. You can enter, for example, a new product, service, business or operating model. The competition is not aimed at startups. Participation is free of charge.

Anyone who has taken part in the initiative, enabled it or knows it well can submit an application. The applicant must have the company’s permission to enter the initiative. The application names a core team of up to five people.

No. The initiative can still be in progress or continue for years. However, it must already have some results and be known at least within the company. The evaluation considers both the impact so far and the future potential of the initiative.

The jury evaluates the idea, boldness and impact of the initiative and the support the company has given it. To be eligible, the growth initiative must be recognised within the company and have significant business relevance to the organisation.

One application enters you into all competition categories. In every category, the growth initiative, the team that carried it out and the company that enabled it are awarded. The competition awards the main prize as well as the Culture Pioneers, Bold Challengers and Growth Accelerators recognitions. There is no cash prize.

Yes. Applications are used only by the jury. Public case presentations are made of the shortlisted initiatives, and their content is reviewed with the participants before publication. Confidential information is not published.

Applications are open 19.10.–31.12. at vuodenpoikkeustekijat.fi. The jury evaluates the applications and selects the initiatives that proceed to the shortlist. The winners are awarded at the Corporate Entrepreneurship Awards event in March 2027.

The competition is organised by Hanken together with its partners. The initiatives are evaluated by a jury consisting of board professional Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae, Anora Group CEO Kirsi Puntila, LABORE Director Mika Maliranta, board professional Ville Voipio, Professor of Practice at Hanken Torkel Tallqvist and Fazer CEO Christoph Vitzthum (jury president).

We hope for one growth initiative per company. If several initiatives are proposed from the same company, at most one initiative per company can be selected among the finalists.