Adventures in Entrepreneurship Law

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The talk show series is part of the Aalto University course 'Entrepreneurship Law', which can be completed online through Aalto Open University. If you are ready to immerse yourself in independent, yet engaging online course activities, educative quizzes, and written assignments, then taking the online course could be the right choice. Watch the short introductory video and then decide if you would like to follow our episodes on this page or register via Aalto Open University and become our student:

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For Aalto students an extended version of the course ‘Entrepreneurship law in practice’ will be available. Please check Sisu for further information. 

How to cope with startup culture?

^{Episode guest: Elina Lappalainen, Business Journalist, Helsingin Sanomat.}
‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast!’ is a famous quote by Peter Drucker. In this episode Petra and Moritz talk with Elina Lappalainen about startups and startup culture. We learn from Elina what a startup culture is, what problems may arise in a startup environment and how these problems may be prevented. We also explore the role of the media and how startups should communicate and interact with them.

What kind of contracts do startups need? Commercial contracts in a nutshell.

^{Episode guest: Jaakko Lindgren, Partner, Dottir Attorneys at Law.}
Many startups have an unclear idea about contracts and how to use them. In this episode Petra and Kalle discuss with Jaakko Lindgren what startups should look for in commercial contracts. They will also talk about the difference between a contract and a memorandum of understanding, the magic of reading and the significance of written contracts. We also learn what terms should be avoided to stay out of trouble and how important it is to understand what you own.  

How to start a business in Finland? Starting a company in practice.

^{Episode guest: Pia Partanen, Business advisor, Business Helsinki.} 
Starting a company is important, and it does not need to be complicated. In this episode Pia Partanen, a seasoned entrepreneur and currently a business advisor at Business Helsinki, will explain how surprisingly easy it is to start a company in Finland in practice. In addition to the legal requirements, we will also discuss what kind of help, support and funding the government and municipalities offer to new entrepreneurs.

How to pay tax? Business taxation in a nutshell.

^{Episode guest: Risto Walden, CEO and Senior Tax Advisor, Bilanssi Oy.}
Already Benjamin Franklin knew: In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes. Yet, the questions as to what, when and how much tax is to be paid can be tricky. In this episode of Adventures in Entrepreneurship Law Talk Show, Kalle and Moritz talk with Risto Walden about the key principles of business taxation. We learn about the key tax consequences of running a business via a limited liability company, partnership, or sole proprietor. Furthermore, we explore some key accounting principles and briefly touch on international taxation.

How to prevent disputes? Proactive law in practice.

^{Episode guest: Petra Hietanen-Kunwald, LL.D., Aalto University, Business Law.}
Litigation in courts is a time-consuming and expensive process and can be a significant risk for startups, who often have limited resources. In this episode Kalle and Moritz talk with Petra Hietanen-Kunwald about how to prevent legal disputes and how to take a strategic proactive approach to conflicts. We learn about the archetypes of dispute resolution in civil and commercial matters: litigation and arbitration on the one hand and negotiation and mediation on the other.

What is a startup? Most startups are not companies.

^{Episode guest: Kalle Airo, Co-founder of Aalto Ventures Program Aalto University.}
What do you get when you mix a bunch of ambitious dreamers with a dash of chaos and a pinch of uncertainty? In this episode Petra and Moritz talk with Kalle Airo about the nature of startups. What are startups, where do they come from and how do they differ from other companies? They will explore the entrepreneur's role in the startup and the startup's role in the entrepreneur's life. We will learn that companies are tools to achieve goals and explore how entrepreneurs can use them.

What does it cost to hire people? Taxes and employment.

^{Episode guest: Marika Kaitamaa, Senior Tax Manager, KPMG.} 
You need some helping hands for your business and decide to employ someone. What kind of tax and social security obligations are connected to such an action? In this episode Kalle and Moritz talk with Marika Kaitamaa about the key duties that must be fulfilled by the entrepreneur acting as an employer. Furthermore, they discuss alternative forms of acquiring labor.  

What is a company? Role and purpose of a limited liability company.

^{Episode guest: Manne Airaksinen, Senior advisor, Roschier, Attorneys Ltd.}
Companies are important tools for entrepreneurs and company law is needed to use and structure these tools. In the first episode on company law, Petra and Kalle will talk with Manne Airaksinen about limited liability companies. We will cover the foundations of companies and company law, the main characteristics of limited liability companies and their purpose.

How to gently kill a company? Bankruptcy, restructuring and running down the company.

^{Episode guest: Pauliina Tenhunen, Partner, Castrén & Snellman Attorneys Ltd.}
Business does not always work out as planned. The company may get into financial difficulties or there may be other reasons for dissolving the company. In this episode Petra and Kalle will talk with Pauliina Tenhunen about corporate insolvency and how to deal with it. They will look into different alternatives and discuss the role and liability of the board of directors in situations of financial distress.  

What is it like to be an entrepreneur? Part 1/2

^{Episode guest: Tiina Zilliacus, Entrepreneur and startup board professional.}
The best way to predict the future is to build it. Many of the people shaping the future choose to do it as entrepreneurs. In this episode, we will talk with entrepreneur and startup board professional Tiina Zilliacus about what it is like to be an entrepreneur building something new and why you might want to become an entrepreneur yourself.

How to build your company? Part 2/2

^{Episode guest: Tiina Zilliacus, Entrepreneur and startup board professional.}
The best way to predict the future is to build it. Companies are a key tool in any entrepreneur’s toolkit in shaping the future. In this episode, we will talk with entrepreneur and startup board professional Tiina Zilliacus about how to build your company.

How to design privacy? Privacy, data protection and GDPR. 

^{Episode guest: Tobias Bräutigam, Partner, Bird & Bird Attorneys Ltd.} 
The processing of personal data is highly regulated in Europe. There are sanctions for breaching data protection regulations and breaches are detrimental to the image and value of a company. In this episode, Kalle and Petra talk about personal data, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and data privacy by design with Tobias Bräutigam.  

What is value-added and why is it taxed? VAT law in a nutshell.

^{Episode guest: Marja Hokkanen, LL.D., Aalto University, Business Law.}
Value Added Tax - the money machine for the government and the nightmare for the entrepreneur? No need to be frightened. In this episode Kalle and Moritz talk with Marja Hokkanen about the key principles of the value-added taxation (VAT) system in Finland. We will learn about when there is a need to register for VAT, how VAT is paid, and what can be done with so called input VAT.

How to create value through IPR? Copyright, trademarks, patents and strategy.

^{Episode guest: Timo Helosuo, CEO, Kolster Oy.}
Understanding the basics of intellectual property law is essential for any entrepreneur. In this episode, Petra is joined by Timo Helosuo, CEO, Kolster Oy. They explore how entrepreneurs can protect and profit from their ideas through intellectual property rights. We will learn about patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets and discuss how they can be used to create value.

Why and how to sell your company? Part 1/2.

^{Episode guest: Ainomaija Haarla, Board professional & business angel.}
The key to success in business is to build value for your customers. One way to harvest that value is to sell your company. In this two-part episode, we will discuss with board professional & business angel Ainomaija Haarla about selling and buying companies from the point-of-view of both the buyer and the seller. In this first part of the discussion, we will start the discussion from understanding the buyer’s motivations and their effect on the buying process and price.