Networking is crucial when moving to a new country as it provides vital support, opportunities, and cultural integration. By connecting with locals and fellow expatriates, you gain valuable insights, guidance, and referrals that facilitate settling down in Southwest Finland. Networking opens doors to job prospects, education, and collaborations, while fostering a sense of belonging. It enhances language skills, intercultural communication, and personal growth. Engaging with your new community and building a strong network helps you navigate the challenges of relocation and make the most of your international experience.
There are several groups in the Turku region that offer peer support, here are some of them! Contact us, if you would like to have your group added to the list.
Networks for expats
There are several active communities on Facebook, which also meet regularly in-person. Join for example the Expat Turku Network, Events in Turku // Tapahtumat Turussa or International Women Community S-W Finland, to name only a few.
International Working Women of Finland is a vibrant community of 8700+ women from around the world living in Finland. Their mission is to empower and support each other through their shared work experiences and ambitions. Join their Turku section for networking, seminars or workshops and meet inspiring internationals.
Mothers in Business (MiB) provides a platform for peer support, opportunities for professional competence development and networking between international and Finnish career-oriented moms.
Talent Turku is the official name of the project responsible for the development of this very website. We also take part in organizing various meetups and get-togethers for international talents in the Turku region, often in co-operation with International House Turku. Keep an eye on our Events page and follow Turku Business Region on social media to stay up to speed! We are also informing about events for jobseekers and startups.
Networks for jobseekers
DigiMESH supports the career development of immigrants by developing digital networking methods.
Integrify provides international talent living in Finland opportunities to find employment and integrate into Finnish society through work.
The Shortcut organises workshops, talks and webinars on finding a job or starting your business in Finland. Their events are open to everyone and free of charge.
Networks for startups
Startups are never alone in Turku. The SparkUp startup community provides networking with peers, premises, presentations and events. The SparkUp community consists of entrepreneurs, company representatives, and public organisations. In addition to SparkUp’s physical premises, the community has also launched its online component on the Solved platform.
Boost is a Turku-based entrepreneurship society that inspires and helps young students become startup entrepreneurs. They organise events, accelerator programs and offer mentoring sessions for startups.
Spark Finland provides intensive and systematic support for increasing the maturity of ideas towards practical and value creating solutions in the health tech and life science space. They also provide access to top-tier professional networks around the world and open educational and networking events for wider audiences.
Networks for tech professionals
Turku ♥ Frontend is a community for frontend developers and designers in Turku. They organize monthly meetups, hackathons, programming competitions and other gatherings to promote developer culture. The doors are open for everyone, from hobbyists to professionals.
Turku.ai organizes events for machine learning and AI enthusiasts to get together and share knowledge.
Networks for students
The friendship programme is organised by the city of Turku and the higher education institutions in Turku under the Study in Turku network. The Friendship Programme takes place twice a year, in the spring and autumn semesters and requires enrollment.
Erasmus Student Network in Turku provides all kinds of free-time activities mainly for international students. However, they also aim at fostering the integration between the exchange students and the local students in Turku and openly welcome all internationally-minded students to join in, no matter where they are from!
Also remember to keep an eye on the opportunities provided by your place of study. For example, the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi have partnered with Turku Science Park to build connections between researchers and local companies under the UNICOM project.
Be active, stay active!
