Forward Finland Forward: A founders’ mindset for Finland’s next chapter
Insights|March 6, 2026
At a time when economic uncertainty, demographic shifts and rapid technological change are redefining leadership, the question is no longer whether Finland needs entrepreneurs, but whether it can embed entrepreneurial thinking more broadly across society.
The opening session of the Forward Finland Forward talk series examined what a founders’ mindset can offer Finland as it looks to renew leadership, organizations and ambition for the long term.
The discussion brought together Peter Vesterbacka and Risto Siilasmaa for a wide‑ranging conversation on responsibility, renewal and belief in the future. Co-organized by Roschier, the University of Helsinki and Miltton, and moderated by Johanna Vesikallio, CEO of Nuorten yrittäjyys ja talous NYT, the session framed entrepreneurship not as a job title, but as a way of acting when outcomes are uncertain and stakes are high.
Leadership as ownership, not position
A recurring insight was that a founders’ mindset is fundamentally about ownership. It is the willingness to act as if there is nowhere to hide, regardless of formal role or hierarchy. In this view, leadership is defined less by authority and more by accountability: stepping forward when things go wrong, making decisions without perfect information and accepting personal responsibility for outcomes.
Risto Siilasmaa“When you are a good entrepreneur, you realize that yes, we do it together, but I am responsible. You can’t escape. There’s nowhere to go.”
This mindset is not limited to startups. It is equally relevant in established companies, partnerships and public institutions. Yet it requires deliberate choices. Recruitment, incentives and recognition must reward initiative rather than caution, and leaders must signal through their own behavior that taking responsibility is valued more than protecting positions. Without this, organizations risk drifting into passivity precisely when adaptability is most needed.
The discussion also highlighted the danger of believing that success in the past guarantees’ relevance in the future. Both companies and countries can struggle when they assume they have already solved the hard problems. A founders’ mindset, by contrast, remains alert, questioning and prepared to challenge comfortable assumptions.
Encouragement, ambition and the future talent base
The conversation broadened to Finland’s long-term capacity to renew itself. With declining birth rates and increasing global competition for talent, attracting and retaining people emerged as a strategic imperative. Immigration, education and integration were discussed not as isolated policy areas, but as interconnected elements of future competitiveness.
Equally important was the role of narrative. The discussion returned repeatedly to the importance of ambition and encouragement, particularly for younger generations. While Finland offers strong foundations, from education to quality of life, these advantages risk being underutilized if public discourse focuses too heavily on constraints and decline.
Peter Vesterbacka“The nice thing about the future is that we can make the kind of future that we want. The biggest limiting factor is our imagination.”
Encouragement, as it was framed in the discussion, is not about lowering standards or avoiding hard truths. It is about reinforcing the belief that individuals can build, create and lead from Finland, even in a world shaped by AI and rapid technological change. By fostering confidence, ownership and permission to try, leaders across sectors can help cultivate the founders’ mindset needed to shape Finland’s next chapter.
Upcoming session to continue the conversation
The second session, Creative Destruction, is hosted by the University of Helsinki. It focuses on collaboration between established and emerging players and on how we can build ecosystems that nurture growth and innovation.
The third session is hosted by Miltton under the theme Courage, Grit, Money & Timing and focuses on the key factors that make a company scale from idea to reality and tie together the private sector with media, politics, and academia.
Read about the Forward Finland Forward series:
Forward Finland Forward: Exploring founders’ mindset for the future of Finnish leadership