Viran co-founder Aaro Angerpuro joined Aalto University's Inventors programme to discuss startup commercialisation and the role of public procurement in bringing new technologies to market.
Aalto Inventors supports researchers taking their first steps towards commercialising their research. Its multidisciplinary cohort brings together doctoral researchers and postdocs working in quantum technology, biotechnology, built environment engineering, cybersecurity, photonics and water engineering.
During the session, Aaro shared experiences from building Viran and discussed the practical challenges early-stage companies face when finding their first customers. He also gave feedback on participants' mid-term pitches.
When should a startup explore public-sector sales?
A particular focus of the discussion was when and how startups should approach public-sector sales. For many research-driven companies, public organisations can be important customers. Universities, hospitals, research institutions and government agencies procure advanced technologies, specialised equipment and innovative services.
Yet finding relevant opportunities, understanding procurement processes and knowing what buyers expect can be difficult for companies entering the market for the first time.
At Viran, we work to make public procurement more accessible. We help companies identify relevant tenders across international markets, analyse requirements and prepare bids for public-sector opportunities.
The discussion at Aalto Inventors highlighted a useful question for founders: if your technology addresses a public-sector need, could a public organisation be among your first customers? It can be worth exploring that route early, alongside other paths to market.
Finland has significant research and technological expertise. Programmes such as Aalto Inventors help researchers build the commercial understanding needed to turn that expertise into new businesses.
Thank you to the Aalto Inventors team for the invitation and to the participating researchers for the engaging discussion. We hope the programme helps bring more research-driven, high-growth companies to market in Finland.
