“Tampere has an active, vibrant and dynamic start-up community”

Balance point method Oy is a wellness company offering new types of body care exercises. The concept behind the Tampere start-up community has already been quoted domestically, so the next step is to expand into larger markets.

“Our concept is a new body care method that draws on my past occupations as an osteopath and masseur”, says the founder Tiana Newell. The method allows service users to perform short, joint-friendly exercises at home that increase body control and recovery. According to Newell, the Balance point method does not sell instant diets, but more far-reaching solutions for sustainable body care. Responsibility is also emphasized in the company’s mission to provide state-of-the-art, advanced products. The services are produced electronically, so the environmental load is also low.

“Over the past year, we have been training health care professionals and students and testing the body care concept at a local dance school”, Newell explains. “Next, we will introduce video tutorials on body care.”

In the autumn of 2019, the company took part in the Red Brick Accelerator start-up incubator and advanced to the podium in the pitching competition. It also redeemed the place for the Nordic Startup School accelerator, which begins in February.

“This is where we get to meet new mentors and get more coaching in business development”, Newell says. “At the same time, we are launching our first products and planning a sequel for the next couple of years. The intention is to expand to America as well.”

Tampere and the start-up community in the region receive praise from Newell. “This is a growing and attractive city. Here is an active, vibrant and dynamic start-up community, as well as a number of service providers for every step of the way from establishment to start-up phase. An atmosphere that supports innovation is also an important factor. I recommend utilizing these services.”

Three tips for a start-up entrepreneur

According to Newell, the most challenging part of a start-up entrepreneur’s daily life has been communication. “I have had to crawl out of my own nerd-bubble and find, instead of a professional jargon, easy-to-understand, common-sense terms to pitch my ideas”, she says. However, studying the new vocabulary and conventions in the start-up field are already in good shape, and you constantly learn new things along the way. Newell also provides tips for novice start-up entrepreneurs on terminology management. “If the vocabulary is still lost, YouTube is a treasure trove. For example, Harvard i-Lab Startup Secrets is a great video library with lots of tutorials.” It is also important to think in good time about the values that guide your business. In addition, the roles and job descriptions of the various team members must be clear. “They also need to be updated as the business grows and develops”, Newell concludes.

Check out the video provided to learn more about Newell’s ideas for start-up entrepreneurs and the future plans for the Balance point method.

Building Tampere’s startup ecosystem together

6Aika – Ecosystems of growth: enabling the growth of companies through collaboration of the Kuutoskaupungit cities

The project supports the access of growth-oriented companies to suitable networks and services supporting research and product development activity. The project is implemented by the six biggest cities in Finland: Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Turku and Oulu, and the Council of Tampere Region. The project is based on the idea of the cities’ active role in supporting the innovation activities of companies and the related support networks.