First batch of international scale-up program successfully concludes as next application phase begins
The first cohort of the Growth and Scaling through AI (GSAI) program has officially concluded, marking a successful start to this cross-border initiative for scaling startups across European markets. Over nine months, 15 startups from Sweden, Finland, and Estonia navigated a series of international sprints designed to transition them from local players to internationally competitive scale-ups.
The journey, which began in June 2025, brought together five startups from each country to tackle the challenges of transitioning from a startup to a successful international scale-up.
“We see the need for scale-ups in the Central Baltic region and how important they are to the business ecosystem,” says Jini Nälsén, Project Manager at Movexum. Astrid Sjögren from AI Sweden adds: “As small countries, it's important that we collaborate; we make each other stronger together.”
With this program, we not only want to help the companies achieve growth, we actually also see a big benefit in them being able to visit each other in each respective country, and thus collaborating and learning from each other.
Astrid Sjögren
Sector Initiative manager at AI Sweden
A nine-month international journey
The GSAI journey was built on four curated sprints hosted in Gävle, Stockholm, Tallinn, and Salo. This international rotation allowed participants to step away from daily operations and visit different ecosystems to learn from regional experts.
"Startups don't have the luxury of time," Alexander Brunner, Startup Partner Manager at AI Sweden, notes. "They need to work smart and fast - and that means seeing AI not as a future trend, but as a critical tool that allows them to scale faster."
Workshop session during the GSAI-sprint at AI Sweden's office in Stockholm.
A finale in Salo
The final sprint, Growth Convergence, was hosted by Yrityssalo in Salo, Finland. Against a backdrop of -20°C weather, the energy inside remained high as participants consolidated takeaways from previous sessions. The program concluded with final pitches, where startups presented refined business models and AI roadmaps to international investors.
AI Sweden’s contribution: Turning AI ambition into action
As a project partner, AI Sweden and experts from its partner network provided the technical expertise and strategic frameworks needed to turn AI’s potential into a concrete, actionable plan. The journey began with an "AI 101" foundational workshop and moved into hands-on sessions where founders could, as Sector Initiative Manager Astrid Sjögren puts it, "roll up their sleeves" to identify real-world opportunities.
Kalle Magnusson and Astrid Sjögren guided participants through an AI opportunity mapping workshop.
Batch 2: Now Open for Applications
As the first cohort transitions into their next phase of growth, AI Sweden and our project partners Movexum (Sweden), Tehnopol (Estonia), and Yrityssalo (Finland) are preparing to welcome the next 15 startups.
Apply by March 15th 2026.
Startups that meet the following criteria are eligible:
- The startup is up to 5-7 years old
- Based in the Central Baltic region (Sweden, Finland, Estonia)
- Have achieved product–market fit in the home market
- Have a hypothesis for at least a basic AI augmented product or feature
- Board-level commitment to international expansion
- Potential access to customer or application data
- A committed team/co-founders onboard
- Open to international investment opportunities
9 months of expert guidance, tailored support, and a market discovery mission!
- Apply by March 15th
- An online introduction to AI on May 28
Four sprints in three countries:
- May 18–19 in Gävle, Sweden
- June 9–10 in Stockholm, Sweden
- September 15–16 in Tallinn, Estonia
- February 2–3 (2027) in Salo, Finland
The GSAI program is co-funded by the Interreg Central Baltic Programme.
Related articles
15 startups from Sweden, Finland and Estonia gather in Stockholm to further sharpen AI skills
Nordic-Baltic AI Center launched with base in Stockholm
OpenEuroLLM secures strategic access to multiple supercomputers: A milestone for European language models
Follow us
AI Sweden Newsletter
Sign up for the latest in Swedish AI
AI Sweden is formally hosted by Lindholmen Science Park AB.