About the Program

SILTA takes early-stage founders from Finland to the San Francisco Bay Area for three months to build their companies and enables them to immerse themselves into the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the SF Bay area. The program is organized twice a year, spring and autumn. (Note application DL to each batch takes place multiple months prior to the actual program dates)

Build

Focus on building your company during the three-month program. We take care of accommodation and facilitate your efforts to go big!

Connect

Connect with ambitious, like-minded founders, investors and experts. Gain access to our "KUMMI"-mentoring network.

Level up

Develop yourself to become a world-class founder. Push yourself to compete in the super ambitious and hard-working entrepreneurial culture of Silicon Valley.

Who is this for?

A Finland based Founder or Co-founder who has a clear business benefit to gain from the San Francisco access.

Idea Validation

  • Validating your business idea
  • Doing user testing
  • Finding co-founders
  • Gaining new perspectives and inspirations

Go-to-market

  • Doing go-to-market strategy
  • Expand to the US market
  • Raising capital
  • Recruiting

Application

The applications for Autumn 2025-batch will be opened mid April.

Sign up for a reminder

You are eligible to apply to the program if the following points check out:

The founders selected to the program:

  • You are 1-2 people team representing a startup or looking to found one (Note! If you're applying with a two people team, each team member needs to submit an application for the program separately).
  • You have well-outlined objectives and a plan for the program. Guidelines for drafting plan as well as an example plan can be found from here.
  • You have Finnish business ID.
  • Everyone applying to the program is over 18 years old.
  • You are able to pay for your own flights, and pay for your living costs during the program (meaning food, public transportation, etc.).
  • You are able to either 1) apply for an ESTA or 2) have an existing visa to the US (e.g., B-1/B-2 visitor visa) for the duration of the program.

Contact Person

Tiina Erho

Tiina Erho

Team Lead

tiina@siltahouse.com