The SILTA Program
The Program
The Program brings early-stage founders from Finland to the San Francisco Bay Area to build companies and immerse themselves in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The program acts as a gateway for capital, customers, or market validation.
We accommodate the very best founders in central San Francisco and provide support through our extensive alumni and "Kummi" mentor network.
We organize our flagship SILTA program twice a year, running both Spring and Fall. Within these two time options, we offer 6 and 12-week tracks. The 6-week program is perfect for idea validation, particularly suited for solo-founders or recently formed teams. The 12-week program is your go-to GTM track, giving you plenty of time to set up your GTM playbook.
New: Female Founders
There is a fundamental diversity gap in the startup ecosystem, where women remain significantly underrepresented as founders and a gender funding gap persists. This stems from risk aversion, the dominance of masculine startup culture, lack of visible role models, limited access to relatable success stories, and systemic barriers in venture capital funding.
The Female Founders program is a three-week program for aspiring women founders to immerse themselves in the SF Bay Area ecosystem, refine ideas, build connections with mentors and investors, and gain confidence and tools.
Idea Validation - 6-Week Track
Track A: 16.2. - 29.4.2026
Track B: 30.4. - 17.5.2026
- Validate your idea
- Conduct user testing or initiate a pilot
- Find Co-Founders and early hires
- Prepare for a GTM push
- Learn from the best in the business
Go-To-Market - 12-Week Track
16.2. - 17.5.2026
- Customer acquisition
- US market access
- Obtain funding
- Recruit top talent
- Enlist advisors
Female Founders - 3-Week Track
5.3. - 25.3.2026
- Build up your network
- Access mentors
- Commit to your entrepreneurial career
Join the next generation of Finnish founders taking their startups to Silicon Valley
Who is this for? You are eligible to apply if:
- Finnish citizen or resident
- Company registered in Finland (Y-tunnus) or will be registered prior to program
- Clear goals and objectives for the SF program experience
- Over 18 years old
- Able to cover flights and food expenses ($1000-1500/month)
- Valid ESTA or US visa for program duration
- Available for orientation program in Finland
What is SILTA?
SILTA is a program that takes entrepreneurs from Finland to live at a startup hacker house in San Francisco. Depending on the track you choose (idea Validation or GTM), the program can act as a light incubator or accelerator. The main point of the program is to offer you a place and a network to step into the world of Silicon Valley.
What is included in the Program?
SILTA is a completely free program for selected participants. We cover housing, organize networking events and arrange top notch speakers. We do not cover your transportation costs nor other living costs.
Where will SILTA take place?
The SILTA-house is located in downtown San Francisco. The program takes place there, with a short orientation program organized in Finland prior to departure.
How can I participate in the Program?
The application period usually take place in November for the Spring batch and in May for the Autumn batch. We will announce the start of the application period in our social medias, or alternatively, you can sign up for a reminder above.
Can I apply if I don't have a company yet?
You can apply to the 6-week Idea Validation track. For the 12-week track we require you to have a company registered in Finland by the time of departure. These apply with the exception of R2B spin-outs, from which we do not require incorporation, but only the approval of your TTO.
Should I apply alone or as a team?
We primarily select individuals to the program. We have a guest room, which is used to facilitate co-founders visiting the house.
For which stage companies is this?
The stage of your company depends on the chosen track and still exceptions can be made for good enough reasons. We look case by case on the underlying reasons why access to San Francisco is relevant to you and your company.
How does the application process work?
The application process has two stages. The application and interviews. We go over each application with a jury, and score them as individuals. Our evaluation criteria is threefold in order of importance: Founder potential, Reasons to go to SF, and Company potential.
I'm not located in Finland. Can I still apply?
All Finnish residents and citizens are able to apply. We very strongly prefer candidates whose company is or will be prior to the program a legal entity in Finland. Meaning has a Finnish Business ID. This does not apply to R2B spinouts from Finnish universities.
What does the program look like?
The weekly program consists of progress check, keynote speaks and workshops from some of the best entrepreneurs in the world, and various networking events. You have freedom over almost the entirety of your daily schedule.