Erasmus+ project: Students' mobility in Malmö, Sweden

Wednesday 20.11

Over 2 months, we have been preparing for this second day in Malmö; the business idea competition in front of about hundred people. For this competition, students defined a problem to solve, a solution to it, and how to monetize their idea. Despite the limited resources and time, our students have been excelling in thinking logically as well as creatively while working on how to better present their idea to “the dragons”; four well grounded entrepreneurs who run their own business and will be judging in this competition. The venue was filled with anxious and nervous air, which is very understandable considering that they were about to present their idea in front of this big audience and had to face the dragons with their critical questions. Our “Fisut” was the third team to stand on the stage in the entire schedule, pitching their idea on an app that smartly guides an user how to dispose of a given item. Our students took their stage and engaged their audience with a dynamic presentation of their business idea. They seemed very confident and put together even with this pressure of presenting to the audience in English, after which they did not have to be shy about their English anymore since they did such a great job and they should have this core memory of a success. 

Our second group, “Foreva”, was to be on the stage after a fika coffee break. The problem they focused on was something that anyone can relate to; a filthy water and odor that come with the bio waste. They came up with a simple yet effective solution to this everyday problem by combining the waste bag with a pad that absorbs the filthy water and improves the smell. They worked out how to make a profit with their product and how to convince the judges that their idea is worthy of the investment. Their effort certainly paid off; the venue was filled with the cheers and applause after their presentation and it seemed to have impressed the judges as well. After the presentations by 20 teams which lasted nearly 4 hours, it was time for the announcement of the winners in this competition. As soon as the judges started describing the idea that made it to the third place on the podium, we immediately knew which team they were implying; our Foreva! Approaching the stage to receive the trophy and receive compliments from the judges, our students’ body language showed many emotions, but happiness and proudness were clearly there to be found. Knowing what they are capable of and that there are people who would acknowledge that will certainly give them confidence and motivation in their school life even after this competition. Although Fisut did not receive any official prize, that is really not what matters here. They clearly put efforts practicing their pitch and overcame their fear and anxiety of speaking English in front of the big audience. We do not need a trophy to remind ourselves of that point, and I hope students will remember this experience in the future as well. 

Thursday 21.11

The last full day of our short but fulfilling schedule in Malmö started with visiting a high school in the north part of the city. Navigating ourselves through the city of Malmö with a bus under the clear sky, we were about to conclude our time with the students from other schools. The school building was constructed recently and its functional and clear design were consistent throughout the building. The task given to students was to discuss and find our interesting differences and similarities among different schools. Surrounding the table, they had fruitful conversations about how their schools function in different manners. After presenting their findings, our students enjoyed the Swedish school meal, which seemed to have more options than what we have in Finland. Saying the final goodbyes to new friends, we embarked on our little trip to Copenhagen; the capital of Denmark. Connected to Malmö with a bridge, you can get there just by taking a train as if you were in the same country. It really surprised us how big of a difference there is between countries that are separated by a small strait. The distinct style of architecture and use of colors were contributing to Copenhagen's special atmosphere.