You need a lot of information before you can start a business in Finland. You must know how entrepreneurship works in Finland. Knowledge of Finnish or English is important for an entrepreneur so you can manage your business matters. 

First, you need to plan your business idea. 
In your business plan, you explain: 

• what you sell, 
• to whom you sell, and 
• how you sell. 

You can test your business idea on a small scale before becoming a full-time entrepreneur. 

You can start as a part-time entrepreneur. As a part-time entrepreneur, you are not a full-time entrepreneur, so you can accept full-time work and may still receive unemployment benefits. As a part-time entrepreneur, you may have a business ID (Y-tunnus) or work as a light entrepreneur. 

As a light entrepreneur, you do not need to establish your own company, and you do not have a business ID. You can use an invoicing service, which means another company handles your invoicing and taxes. In that case, your income is considered as wages. 

If you are a job seeker, you must inform your employment official if you start business activities lasting more than two weeks. After four months of entrepreneurship, your activity will be assessed as full-time or part-time. During these four months, you may receive unemployment benefits if you meet the conditions. 

A business plan is a written plan on how to implement your business idea in practice. 

In the plan, you should describe the benefits of your product or service, the market, and the industry. Also include information about yourself, your skills, and your goals as an entrepreneur. 

You need to gather a lot of information when writing the plan. Find out if your idea already exists and who your competitors are. Try to research whether your competitors have enough customers. 

Also study the market for your product—whether there are many buyers and how much work is available in your field. Think carefully about your pricing so your business is profitable. A feasibility study can help you in this process.  

Consider how your industry will develop in the future. 

It is important to think about who your customers are—who will buy your product or service. 

Make a marketing plan for your business. For example, you can create a one-year schedule for marketing and customer acquisition. 

Plan your finances. Think about how your financial situation will change in the future. Remember to plan your expenses, such as rent, insurance, and taxes. 

You can read more about creating a business plan on the Uusyrityskeskus website (available in English). 
 
You can create a business plan using the Job Market Finland website tool (available in English). 

You can get free advice on starting a business from Keski-Suomen Yritysidea. 
First, attend the information sessions organized by Keski-Suomen Yritysidea. You can find the dates on their website. 
 
Here is the link to the K-S Yritysidea website (available in English). 

If you want to attend events in Finnish, join these two: 

• Itsensä työllistämisen info  
• Liiketoimintasuunnitelmavalmennus

In addition, you can attend: 

• Ideapajaan 
• Liiketoimintasuunnitelmainfoon.  

If you speak English well, attend these two: 

• How to become an entrepreneur in Finland? 
• Business plan training 

You can choose whether to attend events in Finnish or English. It is enough to attend in one language. 

Sometimes K-S Yritysidea organizes events in Russian. In that case, an employee from International House Jyväskylä who speaks Russian will be present. You can find information about Russian-language events on the K-S Yritysidea and International House Jyväskylä websites. 

After attending an event, you can book a personal appointment by sending an email to asiakaspalvelu@yritysidea.fi.  
 
Book an appointment only after you have completed your preliminary business plan and calculations. 

If you are registered as a job seeker, you can participate in labor market trainings where you will learn about starting a business. Ask your personal coach about these trainings. 

After receiving help with your business plan and calculations, finish them carefully. You need them to apply for start-up grants and other funding.

When starting a new business, you must choose a suitable business form. 

There are several types of business forms in Finland. 
 
The most common are: 

• Sole trader (toiminimi) 
• Limited liability company (osakeyhtiö) 

Consider these factors when choosing your business form: 

• Is there one founder or several? 
• How long do you plan to be an entrepreneur? 
• How large will your business be? 
• Will you hire employees? 
• Will your business be international? 
• What are your future plans? 

You must also decide on your company name. First, check the YTJ’s register to ensure the name is not already in use. 

You can read more about business forms on the Suomi.fi website (available in English). 

In some industries, you need a permit to start a business. 
 
Such industries include: 

• grocery stores, 
• restaurants, 
• social services, 
• beauty salons. 

Check in advance whether your business requires a permit. 

Here is the link to the Suomi.fi website for more information (available in English). 

When you start as an entrepreneur, you can apply for a start-up grant. This grant helps you financially at the beginning of your business. The start-up grant is about €740 per month (2025). You must pay taxes on the grant. 

Submit your application before starting your business. You can apply for the grant through Job Market Finland’s E-service. 
 
Here is the link to Job Market Finland’s E-service (available in English). 

Remember that the start-up grant is discretionary, meaning not all applicants will receive it. 

Several factors affect whether you can get the grant, such as the industry of your business and your readiness as an entrepreneur. 

Think in advance about how you will finance starting and running your business.
 
Consider whether you have enough money yourself or need a bank loan. The bank decides whether you get a loan. 

Read more about financing options on the City of Jyväskylä’s business development services website (available in English). 

Once you have completed your business plan and calculations, you can establish your company. 
The company is founded through the YTJ service. In this service, you can submit the start-up notification, register your company in the Trade Register, and in the Tax Administration’s registers. 

Registering your company in the Trade Register costs a fee. The price depends on the business form, and in 2025 the registration fee is approximately €70–€370. By registering your company in the Trade Register, you protect your company name. 

You can read more about the YTJ system here (available in English). 
 
At the same time, you can also register your company in the Tax Administration’s registers. 

The Tax Administration’s registers include: 

• Prepayment register 
• Employer register 
• VAT register 

Find out which Tax Administration registers your company needs to be registered in. 
You can read more about the different registers on the Suomi.fi website (available in English). 

Once you have established your company, you will receive a Business ID (Y-tunnus). This is an identifier used to recognize your company. The Business ID is always used when the company makes agreements. 

You will need a lot of support and various services to operate as an entrepreneur. 
For example, you will need: 

• a bank, 
• an accounting firm or accountant, 
• an insurance company, 
• and premises for your business. 

You may also need: 

• a legal expert, 
• marketing assistance. 

Compare providers by requesting quotes from different companies before deciding whom to purchase services from. 

If you operate as an entrepreneur in Finland, you must have YEL insurance. YEL is the entrepreneur’s pension insurance. 

You are required to take out YEL insurance when you have been an entrepreneur for at least 4 months and your annual income as an entrepreneur is at least €9,208.43, which is about €768 per month. These are the income limits for 2025. 

You need YEL insurance even as a part-time entrepreneur or light entrepreneur. 
You can choose which insurance company to take your YEL insurance from. 

The YEL contribution is a certain percentage of your confirmed income. The percentage depends on whether you are a starting entrepreneur and your age. Your confirmed income should correspond to the salary that would be paid to an employee for similar work. 

Your pension and rehabilitation allowance are based on your YEL income. The amount of daily allowances from Kela also depends on your YEL income. These allowances include sickness allowance, accident allowance, and parental allowance. 

You can also take out voluntary insurances, such as: 

• accident insurance, 
• liability insurance, 
• and legal expenses insurance. 

You can read more about YEL insurance on the Suomi.fi website (available in English). 

Now you can start working!
 
Remember to invest in marketing so you get enough customers. Make sure customers can find your business. It is good for your company to have, for example, a quality website and social media profiles. Think about where you will find your customers. 

Remember to maintain your skills. Network with other entrepreneurs and partners. Get to know local entrepreneur associations and their events. 

Also, remember to take care of your well-being and endurance.