University of Helsinki – Innovation and Incubation Specialist
Andrés works within the innovation and incubation ecosystem at the University of Helsinki, where he is involved in the management of deep tech and AI incubation programmes. He participated in the Live My Life project to gain first-hand insight into how innovation, incubation and technology transfer activities are organised at partner universities, and to exchange perspectives with colleagues working in similar contexts. The experience offered him an opportunity to reflect on different institutional models and to bring back ideas to support the development of innovation ecosystems at his home university.
Through the Live My Life exchange, Andrés was able to observe how innovation-related activities are structured in a different institutional setting. In particular, he found it interesting to compare the level of integration between incubation, innovation support and technology transfer. While at the University of Helsinki the Technology Transfer Office operates as an independent company owned by the university, in Bologna these functions are more closely connected within the institutional structure.
This difference encouraged reflection on how organisational models can influence collaboration and efficiency. Seeing a more consolidated ecosystem in action highlighted the potential benefits of stronger coordination between actors and clearer pathways for supporting innovation projects from early-stage ideas to more advanced development phases.
This was Andrés’s first experience with a job-shadowing initiative, and it proved to be both engaging and professionally enriching. Coming from a background strongly focused on startups and incubation, the exchange allowed him to broaden his perspective and to better understand how innovation activities are embedded within the wider university framework.
The experience also prompted reflection on the importance of preparation and internal alignment on the home institution’s side. Clearly defining objectives and expectations in advance can help maximise the value of these exchanges and ensure that participants are able to focus on the aspects most relevant to their professional development.
One of the most valuable aspects of the exchange was observing a well-established innovation ecosystem in which different units are already accustomed to working together. The long-standing experience of the host institution provided a concrete example of how stable structures and long-term collaboration can support more seamless interaction between incubation, innovation services and external partners.
This perspective offered useful insights into how similar cooperation mechanisms could be strengthened in newer or more fragmented ecosystems, encouraging a more holistic and coordinated approach to innovation support.
Andrés’s participation in the Live My Life project underlines the importance of international exchanges as opportunities for professional growth and strategic reflection. The experience in Bologna allowed him to critically assess his own institutional context, gain inspiration from a more mature ecosystem, and develop new ideas for fostering collaboration and innovation at his home university.