For general media distribution 7.9.2011Sanoma News and the Aalto University's Start-Up Center have agreed on cooperation with the aim of strengthening the growth of digital media and start-up business activities in Finland. The cooperation supports Sanoma's digital growth strategy and young Finnish companies."Strong digital growth requires us to network more extensively in the Finnish start-up environment. At the same time, it is also important that start-ups acquire strong customers in Finland, although it is increasingly more common that they intend to go to the international market directly," says Marja-Leena Tuomola, Chief Digital Officer at Sanoma News and Sanoma Media Finland.Sanoma's representatives meet with growth companies from the Aalto Start-Up Center on a regular basis. The concepts that have the most potential and are the most compatible with the Sanoma strategy will receive extensive support. Sanoma News, Finland's leading actor in digital media, is capable of providing start-ups with advertisement spots in its online services that reach nearly three million Finns every week. Direct investment in start-ups is also possible."By combining young companies' open-minded, new ideas with Sanoma's services, we can create new online and mobile solutions that are more appealing to consumers," says Tuomola.The Start-Up Center at Aalto University has 80 customer companies, and it is the largest university-based start-up centre in Finland."The cooperation with Sanoma News will provide us with resources to develop the business of start-ups and will give excellent paths of growth to our customers. We receive several new business ideas every week for evaluation, and we continuously seek partners that would be the most suitable for our activities. We particularly seek partners such as Sanoma News that have a strong strategic approach to future business opportunities," says Marika Paakkala, Project Director at the Aalto Start-Up Center.Cooperation with the Aalto Start-Up Center complements the cooperation that was launched between Sanoma News and the Aalto Center for Enterpreneurship in the summer.More information:Marja-Leena Tuomola, Chief Digital Officer, Sanoma News Ltd, Sanoma Media Finland,tel. +358 40 513 6630Marika Paakkala, Project Director, Aalto Start-Up Center, tel. +358 40 829 2286 Sanoma News is the leading newspaper publisher in Finland, and its products in both print and digital format have a strong presence in the lives of their readers. In addition to Helsingin Sanomat, the largest daily in the Nordic region, the Division publishes Ilta-Sanomat, Finland's largest quality tabloid as well as regional newspapers. Sanoma News is also among the most significant digital actors in Finland. Sanoma News is part of the Sanoma Group, a strong European media group operating in diverse fields of media in 20 countries.”The Aalto Start-Up Center promotes the growth of information and technology-based start-ups. The Aalto Start-Up Center also has Arabus enterprise incubation activities that promote and develop entrepreneurship in creative sectors. The Aalto Start-Up Center provides premium enterprise counselling, diverse expert networks and furnished premises for selected enterprises. In addition to business planning and financial counselling, the Aalto Start-Up Center has a particular focus on clarifying the sales activities of enterprises, improving sales competence and launching practical sales in the enterprise's most profitable customer group – in Finland and abroad."