Business Turku honoured three companies from the Turku region with its annual Entrepreneurial Spirit of Turku Awards on 27 August 2026 at the Europe Forum. The awards were presented for the 23rd time.
The 2026 Entrepreneurial Spirit of Turku Awards were presented to shipbuilding turnkey supplier Provision Master, digital learning solutions provider Eduten, and A-Laiturit, which has successfully expanded into defence and security of supply solutions.
Presented annually, the awards recognise companies in the Turku region that have demonstrated strong growth, an international business vision, and the courage to renew and reinvent themselves.
– These three award-winning companies demonstrate how ambitious growth is built. Provision Master is multiplying its growth through its network, Eduten developed its learning platform as an international product from the very beginning, and A-Laiturit has successfully reinvented its business by expanding into the defence sector, says Minna Arve, CEO of Business Turku.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Turku Awards were presented for the 23rd time this year. The award-winning companies reflect a broader trend in which businesses are showing increasing confidence in growth, international expansion and new investments.
– The courage to grow and reinvent is becoming increasingly visible among companies in the Turku region. This year, Turku Growth Hub, an innovation hub located on the University of Turku campus and expanding through its network, will accelerate this development further by bringing together growth companies, higher education institutions and key networks across the region, Arve says.
Growth in Sight – Provision Master Oy
Paimio-based Provision Master, which has rapidly grown into a turnkey supplier for the shipbuilding industry, received the Growth in Sight award in recognition of its exceptional growth and its ability to create opportunities for its wider business network. Founded in 2020, the company’s turnover grew by 126.8 per cent year-on-year, while its operating profit margin rose to 13.0 per cent.
– Our focus has always been on getting things done, so this recognition came as a surprise. It is rewarding to see our long-term work acknowledged by others as well, says Kimmo Häkkänen, CEO of Provision Master.
Provision Master manages a subcontractor network serving Meyer Turku and other shipbuilding companies. As the company grows, it creates new orders and development opportunities for a wide range of smaller engineering and installation firms across the region.
– Legend of the Seas was our first major vessel delivery for Meyer Turku, and we already have contracts covering the next three Icon-class ships. These major orders have enabled our growth and proven that we are a trusted partner for our customers, Häkkänen says.
The company is seeking further growth through opportunities at Helsinki Shipyard, where it has submitted tenders, as well as through collaboration with other turnkey suppliers.
Born Global – Eduten Oy
Turku-based Eduten, which develops digital learning solutions for mathematics education, received the Born Global award for building its business for international markets from the outset.
Based on more than 20 years of research at the University of Turku, Eduten now operates in more than 50 countries and serves over four million users. The company launched international sales of its learning platform in 2018, securing its first customers in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Qatar that same spring.
Eduten also ranked 47th in Deloitte’s Fast 50 list after achieving revenue growth of 227 per cent.
– We have been actively involved in the Turku startup community, so it is wonderful to see our success recognised here at home as well, even though our operations are international, says Henri Muurimaa, CEO of Eduten.
For the company, internationalisation was a necessity given the limited size of the Finnish market. Mathematics was deliberately chosen as its export product, a universal language around which product development, marketing and distribution have been built from the beginning as a globally scalable business.
– We have always been an export-oriented company, but establishing our place in international markets required a great deal of work. While Finland’s successful education system is well known globally, every education environment is different, so we needed partners with local market expertise, Muurimaa explains.
Eduten is currently targeting growth particularly in Central Asia and Latin America. The company recently won a significant public procurement contract in Argentina.
– There is relatively little competition in large-scale government education projects, and the use of technology in education is growing rapidly, so we see strong opportunities for future growth, says Muurimaa.
Brave Move – A-Laiturit Oy
Raisio-based A-Laiturit received the Brave Move award for its bold expansion from traditional leisure marina and waterfront construction into dual-use solutions that support security of supply and crisis preparedness. Developed in cooperation with public authorities, the company’s Nord by A-Laiturit system is a heavy modular concrete pontoon structure that serves as port infrastructure under normal conditions and can be rapidly deployed as a bridge or equipment platform in emergency situations.
– We have always followed our own path and focused on the work itself, so this recognition came as a real surprise and is very humbling, says Hannu Ylärinne, CEO of A-Laiturit.
According to Ylärinne, A-Laiturit has been an innovative pioneer throughout its history, including within its traditional marina business.
– Our people continuously generate new ideas, and their expertise makes our everyday success possible. Together we have developed a marina product that no one else in the world can replicate without infringing our patent. I doubt our idea bank is empty just yet, Ylärinne says.
The company sees significant growth potential in international defence markets but is approaching the new sector cautiously and systematically. Its solution has already been presented at international defence industry forums.
– The market is global, but growth in this sector does not come easily. We move forward pragmatically and with careful risk management. We are not rushing in headfirst; instead, we do our homework and apply our expertise whenever opportunities arise, Ylärinne says.