Frequently asked questions

  1. Who are OWI's clients?
  2. Why is OWI interested in well-being sector?
  3. Does a company need to operate in the well-being sector?
  4. What does OWI want to know about a company or business idea in order to discuss cooperation?
  5. Does OWI have foreign clients?
  6. How can an entrepreneur be certain that his/her business idea will remain confidential? Does OWI sign an NDA?
  7. Are OWI's consulting services expensive?
  8. Can OWI obtain finance for a company?
  9. Which financiers does OWI cooperate with?
  10. Will OWI become a shareholder of a company?
  11. What do OWI´s services mean for company in practise?
  12. Which services OWI can offer to financiers?
  13. What kind of network does OWI have?
  14. How can OWI help a company to become global?
  15. What size of companies OWI serves?

1. Who are OWI's clients?

Our clients are primarily innovative private individuals and start-up companies, but also nationally and globally operating companies, service providers and financiers.

2. Why is OWI interested in well-being sector?

Health and well-being industry is a new growing business, that offers various possibilities for new products and services. The health and well-being sector is formed from the technology industries working in this field combined with a diverse field of health care and social services. The producers of social and health care services can further be classified into three sectors: public sector, organizations and enterprises. More than 25 % of the world´s the fastest growing companies belongs to the well-being sector.

3. Does a company need to operate in the well-being sector?

Yes. OWI is a specialist in the health and well-being business. Our team has proven experience of global health and well-being business and we use this expertise for our customers´ best.

4. What does OWI want to know about a company or business idea in order to discuss cooperation?

Come as you are! You do not necessarily need to have a formal business plan, but you need to communicate your business idea articulately to us. A 10-slide PowerPoint presentation is often a good way of capturing the essence of a business — why would the customer care about your business. Here is one example of good presentation outline:

1. Executive Summary
2. Team
3. Market Opportunity / Customers´ Problem
4. Product and Technology
5. Sales and Districution
6. Pricing and Promotion
7. Competition
8. Financials
9. Risk analysis
10. Summary / Current Phase

5. Does OWI have foreign clients?

Yes. OWI is contacted also from abroad. Our foreign customers are interested in Finnish expertise and networking with health and well-being industry partners.

6. How can an entrepreneur be certain that his/her business idea will remain confidential? Does OWI sign an NDA?

We do not sign an NDA. Confidentiality is the key requirement of all our operations and for that reason we keep the business secrets of all our clients highly confidential.

7. Are OWI's consulting services expensive?

Our services are free of charge for entrepreneurs operating in the Oulu region. OWI´s operations are funded by The Centre of Expertise Programme (OSKE) of The Ministry of Employment and the Economy and The City of Oulu.

8. Can OWI obtain finance for a company?

We are able to improve the company's fundability significantly. We make sure that clients´ business idea is market oriented and there is a clear customer need for the product or service. We also challenge our clients to clarify its competitive advantage in order to fight the competition. As a result of our operation the business case is more attractive to both private and public financiers. We also have excellent network with financiers and we can help entrepreneurs to choose the most suitable partners for them. Together we can also build funding roadmaps for our clients.

9. Which financiers does OWI cooperate with?

OWI initiated the establishment of the health, well-being and environment business focused fund in the Oulu area – Oulun Seudun Hyvinvointirahasto Ky. We cooperate with many other financiers – public as well as private, national as well as global.

10. Will OWI become a shareholder of a company?

OWI is non-profit foundation and does not become a shareholder of its clients´ companies.

11. What does OWI´s services mean for company in practise?

OWI team works together with the entrepreneur team. Whe challenge his/her business case and product concept. The cooperation between OWI and our clients varies case-by-case from a few hours sparring to several years cooperation.

12. Which services OWI can offer to financiers?

We can network financiers to potential investment targets within the health and well-being industry. We can also work together with the financier to develop the business case they are interested in.

13. What kind of network does OWI have?

OWI has a wide national and global network. It consists of well-being sector´s key activators, as financiers, research institutes, consultants, experts and authorities.

14. How can OWI help a company to become global?

OWI has a global network, which is able to help our client companies in building a global business.

15. What size of companies OWI serves?

OWI serves companies of any size, from start-ups and micro companies to small and medium-sized companies. OWI can also help private persons, whose business is at the idea state.