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Entrepreneurship can seem like a path reserved for people with big ideas or startup experience. But Founder Insights pulls back the curtain, giving students an honest look at what it really takes to build a company through the stories of experienced founders.

Emma Seisto, a third-year Chemical Engineering student majoring in bioproducts at Aalto University, took the course to explore entrepreneurship from the people who know it best: founders themselves. Through candid stories of successes, setbacks, and lessons learned, the course inspired her to see entrepreneurship as a potential path for applying her own problem-solving skills.

We spoke with Emma about the founder stories that left the biggest impression, what surprised her most about entrepreneurship, and how the course changed the way she thinks about her future.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you're studying at Aalto?

My name is Emma Seisto, and I'm about to start my third year of Chemical Engineering at Aalto University, majoring in bioproducts. This summer, I'm working on my Bachelor's thesis, which focuses on mesenchymal stem cell-mediated targeted delivery of anticancer drugs.

What motivated you to take Founder Insights?

When I was looking into the Founder Minor, I found several interesting courses, and Founder Insights immediately caught my attention. I wanted to learn more about entrepreneurship by hearing directly from founders and learning about their experiences.

Was there a founder story or experience shared during the course that particularly stayed with you?

There were many inspiring stories during the course, but the one that stood out the most to me was Monika Liikamaa's presentation. Not only was her entrepreneurial journey inspiring, but I also found her storytelling engaging and easy to follow. She shared both the challenges and successes in a very honest and relatable way.

The course explores both successes and setbacks. What did you learn about the realities of entrepreneurship?

One of my biggest takeaways was that there will always be people who doubt your ideas. It's important not to let those doubts affect your confidence too much. If you believe in your idea, you should stay committed, keep improving it, and work hard to achieve your goals.

What would you say to another student who is curious about entrepreneurship but unsure where to start?

It really depends on the person. For someone who wants to learn more before taking the first step, I would recommend courses like Founder Insights that introduce different paths to entrepreneurship. If someone already has a business idea, I'd encourage them to talk to potential customers and start exploring whether there's a real need for their idea.