Challenges in Developing Student Entrepreneurship in the New Startup Ecosystem of Eastern Finland

Abstract

Student entrepreneurship is a key source of future innovation and potential vitality, especially in areas where population development and skills shortages challenge economic growth. In Eastern Finland, student entrepreneurship is strongly linked to the functionality of regional entrepreneurship ecosystems and the role of universities as enablers of new business ideas and paths. Despite this, the development of student entrepreneurship appears fragmented and project-based, and the current structure does not support the long-term and systematic construction of entrepreneurship skills. The aim of this article is to examine what is missing from the student entrepreneurship ecosystems in Eastern Finland and why the current structures do not meet the needs of student entrepreneurship. Special attention is paid to Generation Z, whose work-life values, expectations, and ways of operating challenge traditional entrepreneurship support models. The study was conducted as a descriptive case study, and the data consists of semi-structured theme interviews and a group interview with key ecosystem actors and student entrepreneurship actors. In addition, the results are reflected in the observations of the Slush Finnish Founder Survey. The results show that the most significant deficiencies in the student entrepreneurship ecosystem are the lack of systematics and continuity, the weakness of trust between actors, and the lack of common physical and digital spaces. These factors weaken the ecosystem's ability to meet Generation Z's expectations of a meaningful, communal, and well-being-supporting entrepreneurial environment. The article highlights the need to move from fragmented support measures towards a systematic, student-centered, and generation-sensitive ecosystem development in Eastern Finland. The findings indicate that the current ecosystem lacks structural coordination and long-term continuity, which limits its ability to support student entrepreneurship in a sustainable manner. The results contribute to entrepreneurship ecosystem research by highlighting the importance of generation-sensitive and student-centered design. Future research should focus on comparative ecosystem models and the impact of coordinated interventions on student entrepreneurial outcomes.