Meet Ville Saarenpää: "The best part is seeing the spark of excitement ignite in a student’s eyes"
How can the Innovation Centre team support researchers and students at the University of Oulu? Our expertise covers a wide range of areas — from commercializing research results to intellectual property rights, developing business ideas and securing funding! To make our experts more accessible to you, we are introducing them in this blog series.
First up is Ville Saarenpää, our business expert.
Ville Saarenpää
Business Expert
What do you do?
"I am responsible for student entrepreneurship at the University of Oulu and for developing the local entrepreneurship ecosystem from the university’s perspective. I help students turn their business ideas from thoughts into reality and improve their chances of success. In practice, I coach and mentor students, connect them with relevant contacts, and for more mature ideas, we can even discuss applying for €5,000 PoC funding. I work closely with various startup networks and am always open to discussing future opportunities. If something entrepreneurship-related is happening in Oulu that involves students in any way, I’m very likely involved in organizing it."
What is your educational background?
"I come from the Konekilta student guild and hold a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. After graduation, I also studied international business management at the Oulu Business School. During my studies, I was very active in extracurricular activities, which helped me gain a broad understanding and extensive networks across the university, Oulu, and Finland’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. I worked as a tutor for freshmen, was part of the Pestipäivät fair team, served as an external relations officer in the Konekilta board, worked with sponsorships for Rattoradio and Formula Student Oulu, mentored international students, and even chaired OuluES (Oulu Entrepreneurship Society)."
What is the best part of your job?
"The best part is seeing the spark of excitement ignite in a student’s eyes as things start happening! It’s rewarding to help bold and curious individuals move forward and see that our coaching and discussions provide real benefits. Often, students don’t yet know exactly what they want to do or how, but they have the seed of an idea. That’s part of the process and usually the first step on this new path. I’m happy when a student realizes there’s support available and dares to try something new. Most students come back for multiple discussions."
What would you say to a student interested in entrepreneurship or who has a business idea?
"I would start by getting to know the person and figuring out what truly excites and motivates them. Everything doesn’t suit everyone, but there’s definitely something for everyone. I would introduce them to the student entrepreneurship scene in Oulu and connect them with the right people. There are numerous events and competitions in Oulu throughout the year."
What is your favorite innovation?
"The world is full of amazing innovations. I have a soft spot for simple, practical innovations, but this time, I have to go with the laser — an innovation based on Einstein’s theories that has been truly groundbreaking. From a scientific perspective, it’s fascinating and has enabled everything from reading and measurement devices to material cutting, marking, metal welding, 3D printing, and even rapid rust removal. When innovations operate at the atomic level, things tend to get really exciting!"
Tell us something about yourself that people might not know!
"I used to be quite shy — I was nervous about public speaking, avoided attention, and didn’t like doing new things alone, even though I’ve always been a curious person. Through student guild and organization activities, as well as studying abroad in Germany, I managed to break out of my shell. These experiences gave me a lot of confidence and courage, which have only grown stronger over time!"
What do you do in your free time?
"I spend a lot of time at Puokkari gym and cooking. I often get deeply interested in a topic, and then the rabbit hole takes me in. I also attend many events outside of work hours."
Get in touch with Ville!
Are you a student interested in entrepreneurship, looking for funding or support to develop your business idea, or perhaps seeking to build an entrepreneurship network? Feel free to reach out to Ville!