To become an entrepreneur

“Silvadrones Oy was founded in 2020 with the core business idea of using drones for boron fertilization in forests. We had identified traditional boron fertilization methods as rigid and highly dependent on specific site conditions. We realized that with modern agricultural drones, boron fertilization could be carried out efficiently and cost-effectively, regardless of the area size or terrain difficulty.

Since only a very small amount of boron fertilizer needs to be applied in forests, precision and even distribution are crucial. After an extensive research, development, and testing phase, we launched commercial boron fertilization services in the summer of 2021. Our drones have proven to be highly effective tools for the job.

To date, we have fertilized thousands of hectares of Finnish forests, and our growth trajectory is steeply upward. Drone-based boron fertilization is here to stay, and we are proud to have significantly modernized forestry practices in Finland. In addition to boron fertilization, we are continuously working on expanding and improving our business.”

– Founders of Silvadrones Oy: Veli-Matti Lähteenmäki, Elisa Ylimäki, Tomi Karjalainen, and Ville Karjalainen

Link to Silvadrones’ website

“The Cooperative Metsäopiskelijoiden OsuusMetsä was founded in 2020 to support the employment opportunities and work readiness of forestry students during their studies.Students from all educational levels in the field can join the cooperative as members. For forestry companies and forest owners, the cooperative provides a flexible workforce for both short-term needs and longer-term employment.OsuusMetsä has over 50 members and has provided jobs for dozens of students.”

– Pekka Ylimäki, Founding Member of OsuusMetsä and First Chairman of the Board

Link to Osuusmetsäs’ website

“In the spring of 2023, as we graduated as foresters from Joensuu, we decided to create something that would better connect forest owners and forestry professionals. In November, we launched Nettimetsä, a public marketplace for forest estates and forestry services.

Our mission is to make selling forest estates easy and profitable while improving the visibility of forestry entrepreneurs. Nettimetsä provides forest owners with a seamless way to search for services at the regional and municipal levels and directly contact service providers. For entrepreneurs, we offer a platform that efficiently connects them with local forest owners.

The platform has already generated significant interest – currently, it attracts 500–1000 users daily. Nettimetsä’s vision is to become the future platform that enhances the forestry market and creates new value for all stakeholders.”

– Founders of NettimetsäJaakko Hekkala &
Eetu Dahl

Link to the Nettimetsä