Accelerator · Helsinki, Finland

Northern Light Accelerator

Twelve-week equity-free accelerator at the Maria 01 startup campus in Helsinki for international pre-seed and seed startups entering Europe, with in-person weeks at the start and end and the rest online.

Status unknown Run by Maria 01

Verified 18 October 2026 · From the programme's own pages

Terms

Funding
not published
Instrument
No investment
Equity taken
None (equity-free)
Programme fee
€2,000 €2,000 including VAT per startup, covering up to two co-founders, payable before the start
Duration
12 weeks
Cohort size
not published
Cohorts
not published
Delivery
Hybrid
Stages
Pre-seed, seed
Sectors
Sector-agnostic
Open to founders from
Anywhere
Perks
  • Dedicated desk at Maria 01 for three months
  • Slush ticket for the autumn batch

The programme does not invest. Founders attend in person for the first two and last two weeks.

Application dates

Status unknown

Dates not published. Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort open in November 2026.

Usual timing: Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort open in November 2026.

Who can apply

  • Registered company with a live-demoable MVP, early traction and pilot users
  • International startups; companies already in Finland need at least one non-Finnish co-founder or team member
  • Commitment to scaling in Europe; hardware startups need EU approvals in place
  • Stage: pre-seed, seed

What founders should check

  1. The programme says it takes no equity. Still read the agreement for warrants, revenue shares or rights in a later round.
  2. There is a fee: €2,000 including VAT per startup, covering up to two co-founders, payable before the start.
  3. It mixes remote and in-person sessions in Helsinki. Ask how much time on site it expects.
  4. Dates for the next cohort are not published. Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort open in November 2026.

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