A new business idea competition – Arctic Bright Minds – Light Up Your Idea – has been launched in Lapland, seeking bold innovations in green transition, sustainable tourism, Arctic technology, and the creative industries. 

The total prize pool exceeds € 5,000, including mentoring, business advisory services, pitch training, media visibility, and funding to develop the winning ideas further. 

The competition focuses on themes that are particularly relevant to Lapland, with four participation categories: 

  • Smart and Sustainable Mining – innovations and circular economy solutions for the green transition in mining. 
  • Arctic Tourism & Experiences – responsible Arctic tourism services and experiences. 
  • Tech from the Arctic – technology and data-based services developed for Arctic conditions. 
  • Creative North – Culture & Storytelling – games, design, cultural content, and storytelling in new business models. 

The idea matters most 

Teams of at least two people can participate. The competition especially welcomes students (from universities and vocational institutions), international students, creative professionals, and other idea-rich teams from Lapland. 

Participants can join with an early-stage idea, as the competition’s goal is to coach and refine concepts further. The idea and its rights remain owned by the team. Due to the public nature of the final, no separate NDA agreements will be used. 

Applications are open until November 16, 2025. Teams can join by completing the registration form, including team details, idea description, and chosen theme. 

In mid-November, the organizers will preselect 8–12 promising ideas to advance to the next stage. These teams will receive sparring and coaching at the end of November before finalizing their pitch presentations for the final, held on December 3, 2025, from 14:00 to 16:00 at Lapland University of Applied Sciences in Rovaniemi. 

Registration: https://link.webropol.com/s/abm 

The finalists will pitch their ideas to the audience and jury, and the winners will be announced at the end of the event. 

Competition backed by partners with strong business expertise and belief in young innovators

The Arctic Bright Minds competition is organized by the Lapland Startup Hub project, led by Lapland University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with the University of Lapland, Business Kemi, Business Rovaniemi, and Lapland Education Centre REDU. 

The competition is made possible by several important partners: Circular Economy Centre, NewPaakkola Oy, Pohjolan Osuuspankki, Nasdaq Helsinki, and Eezy Lapland, who contribute through both prizes and expertise. 

According to Markus Pellikka, Project Manager at Lapland UAS, the competition offers a unique opportunity to turn ideas into real businesses, build networks with partners and other competitors, and gain international visibility for the winning ideas. 

Tommi Juntikka, CEO of NewPaakkola Oy, the competition partners, also sees strong potential in the initiative: 

“At NewPaakkola Oy, we want to support young talents in developing innovations, for example in the field of sustainable mining. The Arctic Bright Minds competition is a great opportunity to highlight fresh ideas that can have a real impact on businesses and the vitality of the Lapland region,” Juntikka says. 

Lapland Startup Hub 

The Lapland Startup Hub is a joint project of Lapland University of Applied Sciences, University of Lapland, Business Rovaniemi, Business Kemi, and Lapland Education Centre REDU. It aims to build a multidisciplinary startup incubator in Lapland, offering entrepreneurs mentoring, sparring, and networking opportunities while promoting a sustainable growth-oriented startup culture. 

The project runs from 1 February 2024 to 28 February 2026, with a total budget of €747,585, of which €598,068 is funded by the EU and the Finnish state. The project is financed by the Just Transition Fund (JTF) through the Regional Council of Lapland. 

FACT BOX 

Competition name: Arctic Bright Minds – Light Up Your Idea 
Timeline: Idea call open 21 Oct – 16 Nov 2025, Final on 3 Dec 2025, 14:00–16:00 
Venue: Lapland UAS, Jokiväylä 11, Rovaniemi 
Prize pool: Over €5,000 + mentoring, pitch training, international visibility 
Themes: Smart and Sustainable Mining, Arctic Tourism & Experiences, Tech from the Arctic, Creative North – Culture & Storytelling 
Organizers: Lapland UAS, University of Lapland, Business Kemi / Digipolis, Business Rovaniemi, Lapland Education Centre REDU 
Partners: Circular Econoy Centre, NewPaakkola Oy, Pohjolan Osuuspankki, Nasdaq Helsinki, Eezy Lapland 
Who can apply: Teams of at least two people from Lapland – students, international students, creative professionals, and others with ideas 
 Registration: https://link.webropol.com/s/abm