Maria 01 is the Nordics’ leading startup campus where ambitious early-stage startups, scale-ups, seasoned investors, VCs, and big enterprises all come together with one shared goal: to help each other succeed. 

Let’s take a look at how Maria 01 grew into Helsinki’s hub for startups and innovation, and its impact on the Nordic startup community.

Abandoned hospital turned into Nordic’ top startup hubs

In Helsinki, we love to refurbish old buildings, and Maria 01 is the perfect example. For over a century, Marian Sairaala—Helsinki’s very first hospital—served as a war and public hospital, until it closed in 2014. Two years later, the City of Helsinki had a new vision: to transform the old hospital into a thriving startup campus. The Nordic startup community rallied together, and Maria 01 was born.

Today, Maria 01 spans six buildings and 20,000 square metres, making it Europe’s top startup campus. Its mission? To provide the best environment and community for startups to grow. Everything Maria 01 does supports Helsinki’s rise as a leading global startup hub. 

Fostering collaboration and impact in Helsinki’s startup scene

Maria 01’s 2023 Impact Report paints a vibrant picture of the campus’s success not only over the past year, but since it opened in 2016. Something truly special is happening within (and beyond) its old hospital walls. The community now includes nearly 1,500 members representing over 42 nationalities, along with 25 investors and 23 ecosystem partners. While the campus welcomes all industries, the majority of startups focus on software. In 2023, Maria 01 saw a spike in startups within the AI and e-commerce & online marketplace sectors, as well as startups led by more seasoned founders. 

Since opening its doors in 2016, Maria 01 startups and alumni have generated over €1 billion in revenue and paid out €466 million in salaries. By the end of 2023, the campus was home to 185 startups, 72 of which were new arrivals. 

In fact, applications to join Maria 01 spiked by 20% in 2023 compared to previous years, highlighting the growing demand for this collaborative space and the Finnish spirit of camaraderie among competitors. 

As Maria 01’s CEO, Sarita Runeberg, puts it, “The record number of applications shows just how much entrepreneurs value the support, collaboration, and sense of togetherness we offer here.” 

Since 2016, Maria 01 startups have raised an impressive €917 million in funding. Among its standout startups is greentech company Swappie, which holds the record for the largest funding round in the community, having raised €169 million across four rounds. As Europe’s largest iPhone refurbisher, Swappie illustrates how circularity is woven into Finnish culture and emphasises the growing demand for circular solutions.

More than coworking: Yoga, sauna, and happy hours  

Maria 01 goes beyond your average co-working space. Besides access to meeting rooms and common areas, it offers an array of facilities and amenities designed to improve the member experience. From a gym and yoga rooms to a relaxing sauna lounge, it’s easy to to unwind and connect with other Marians.

Members also enjoy invites to exclusive community events, workshops, and parties. With 379 events hosted in 2023 alone, there’s truly never a dull moment. Investors within the Maria 01 community also benefit from unique opportunities, including deal flow & matchmaking, and enhanced brand visibility. 

At its core, Maria 01 is all about community. It brings the sharpest thinkers and boldest ideas under one roof to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. Lena Belozerova, People Partner at Datacrunch, shares: “Maria 01 isn’t just a hub for networking and discovering opportunities; it’s a platform for innovation and bringing new ideas to life.”

All-year-round Slush  

Maria 01 is gearing up to become one of Europe’s largest startup hubs. In the coming years, they aim to build a new growth and technology block, adding about 50,000 square metres of fresh space to host around 5,000 employees across the entire campus. 

Marialena Rinkeneva, Director of Economic Development for the City of Helsinki, perfectly sums it up: “Maria 01 has fulfilled all the dreams we had when it first started. It’s become an all-year-round Slush and a true landmark of Helsinki.”

Startups at Maria 01 are tackling global challenges, aligning perfectly with the city’s aim to support innovation-oriented entrepreneurship and create a positive impact on society. Marialena adds, “Maria 01 is where I come to find inspiration and energy to keep pushing forward and make Helsinki the best business environment in the world.”

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