The Salo Sprint Marked a Major Milestone for GSAI Batch 1
After nine months of intensive collaboration, experimentation and international market exploration, the first cohort of GSAI – Growth and Scaling through AI – concluded in Salo, Finland on 3-4 February 2026.
The Salo Sprint brought together 15 startups from Sweden, Estonia and Finland for two focused days centred on scalability, AI-driven growth and investor readiness. What began in Gävle in spring 2025 as a cross-border scaling journey has now translated into measurable, tangible progress for almost the entire cohort.
From Assumptions to Measurable Progress
A defining moment of the sprint was the second scalability assessment led by Davide Sola. Having conducted the first assessment at the start of the programme in Gävle, this follow-up created a clear before-and-after perspective on each company’s development.
The shift was evident.
14 out of 15 companies have now achieved scaled-up status, and 12 out of 15 have successfully implemented AI augmentation in their business.
Scaled-up status within GSAI means that a company has demonstrated validated market fit and successfully implemented a soft landing in its target market. For the startups, this has translated into concrete milestones such as:
- Raising investment
- Refining and strengthening the business model
- Launching new products or services
- Expanding the core team
- Generating revenue from their foreign target market
This is not theoretical progress – it is operational, commercial and strategic advancement across borders.
“The first time we conducted our scalability assessment, we hadn’t fully considered the risk of being copied. Revisiting it changed our perspective. We’ve now strengthened our model to the point where we can confidently say it’s built to be truly hard to replicate”, says Mari-Liis Tamm, Co-founder, Raalio.
Market Validation Before Investor Conversations
With the Market Discovery Missions completed earlier in the programme, the Salo Sprint focused on outcomes rather than hypotheses. Guided by Richard Hainsworth, founders reflected on how customer interviews, pilot cases and local insights had reshaped their value propositions, pricing strategies and go-to-market plans.
Sessions with growth and fundraising experts further translated these insights into investor readiness. Mari Luukkainen shared practical perspectives on accelerating growth through AI, while Tuomas Pahlman addressed what investors expect to see in AI-driven ventures today.
The sprint culminated in investor pitch sessions where each startup presented a refined three-minute growth narrative.
“Presenting the entire business – its history and operations – in three minutes is a hard task. The main purpose of pitching is to capture investors’ attention. I am impressed how everyone managed to stay focused and deliver the message”, says Johan Willdeck, investor.
“With AI now integrated into many startups, VC investors are looking for companies that can clearly articulate how AI creates competitive advantage”, says Samela Kivilo, investor
The quality of the pitches reflected not only technical and commercial progress, but a visible increase in clarity, confidence and international ambition.
A Strong Foundation for the Next Cohorts
For Movexum and the GSAI partnership, the Salo Sprint was more than a closing event – it was proof of concept.
Cross-border collaboration, structured scalability assessment and hands-on AI application have together created real business outcomes within less than a year. The first cohort now moves forward with stronger networks, clearer strategic direction and validated international traction.
“Cross-border learning in scaling enabled by using AI already appears to have delivered excellent results for the participating companies. Through the collaboration of top-tier expertise and ambitious, driven companies, success stories are clearly in the making.”
– Johanna Puhtila, Project Manager, Interreg Central Baltic
With Batch 1 completed, GSAI now builds on this momentum as new international cohorts enter the programme — further strengthening the Central Baltic innovation ecosystem.
About GSAI
GSAI – Growth and Scaling through AI is a joint initiative by Movexum (Sweden), Yrityssalo (Finland), AI Sweden (Sweden) and Tehnopol (Estonia).
Running from 2025 to 2028, the programme supports 45 startups from the Central Baltic region in scaling their business through the strategic application of AI. The aim is to enable startups to expand or refine their value proposition and business model to enter their first — or next — EU market.
Funded by: Interreg Central Baltic Programme and Region Gävleborg
Apply for next round now!
Apply by March 15, 2026.
