NORTHERN LIGHT – MARIA.IO

Join the Nordics' Leading Startup Community For Startups For Partners For Investors Accelerator Show Quick Links ↓ maria\01\logo\black\RGB Accelerator Northern Light The first accelerator that combines market access with founder resilience — helping international startups land, validate, and expand in Finland and Europe. Apply for the Autumn 2026 Batch The Northern Light accelerator delivers hands-on support to validate your product with real customers, navigate sales in local and EU markets, and secure traction alongside revenue. We also prioritise founder resilience to keep your team focused and execution-ready. The result: faster market entry, reduced burn, and a higher chance of sustainable growth in the European ecosystem. I only wish I’d done this earlier. The program helped us refine our product and learn to pitch our vision in just two minutes. It also gave us the insight we needed to enter the European market — from understanding the local ecosystem and customers to navigating the culture and business landscape. It’s an ideal landing pad for anyone looking to break into Europe. – Naren Meadem, Quipu What it includes 1\. Product-Market Fit Tailored, hands-on guidance to help you validate real customer needs, gain traction, and generate revenue. 42% of startups fail due to building products no one wants — we help you avoid that with structured frameworks, mentor support, and live customer feedback. 2\. European Market Access Tap into our deep local networks to accelerate your entry into the European market. Based at Maria 01 — one of Europe’s leading startup communities — you’ll get introduced to potential customers, partners, and the local ecosystem. 3\. On-the-Ground Support & Founder Community Relocate with confidence. Join a vibrant ecosystem of 200+ startups, right in the heart of Helsinki. You’ll get not just a desk, but a community — along with services that prioritise your resilience and help you build a sustainable business from day one. What you’ll walk away with • Validated business model with early traction • Tangible connections to potential customers, partners & community • A soft landing in Finland and the wider EU market • Founder-focused support system to sustain long-term growth Startups – spring 2026 The second cohort brings together founders from Brazil, Japan, Argentina, Australia, India, the UK, Singapore, Cameroon, South Africa, Turkey, Ireland, and Iran. Meet the inspiring startups of the spring 2026 batch! Meet the Startups Our startup has grown rapidly. The moment we joined Maria 01 and shared that we were part of their accelerator, people started seeing us differently. We gained momentum and attention from all over the world. By the end of the program, we closed our first-ever angel investment round. The accelerator is incredibly valuable for anyone coming from outside Europe and looking to enter the local market. Finland’s strong connections across the region make it a true gateway to Europe. Being part of the accelerator — and the wider Maria 01 community, which is widely respected in the Finnish ecosystem — helps international startups grow quickly. Finland also has immense technical talent, so if you’re missing a co-founder, this is the place to find one. We’re definitely planning to stay at Maria 01. – Annu Mathew, thinnan Join a free webinar to learn more about the program Online Webinar Session: Thursday 22nd January 2026, 1-2 pm EET Learn More & Sign Up How it works Our 3-month accelerator program is designed for non-Finnish founders or teams ready to build in Europe, starting from Helsinki. We provide a physical base at Maria 01, enabling you to join our vibrant community. Program Fee There is a participation fee for the Northern Light Accelerator of €2,000 (incl. VAT) per startup (up to two founders). This includes not only the full program, its activities, and support package valued at €120,000, but also a dedicated desk space at Maria 01 for three months with full access to all campus services and facilities, as well as a startup ticket to Slush 2026 for the Autumn Batch – all delivered equity-free. Current program and application period