Marko Penna of LVI Pendex builds success one step at a time
The traveler became an entrepreneur and KEHY has been by his side from the beginning.
A new website and artificial intelligence-based customer guidance system that brings together public business services in South Karelia will be launched in August 2026.
The official launch will take place the week before Entrepreneur's Day (5 September), on Tuesday 1 September 2026. The event, held at KEHY's Momentum space in Imatra, will also present a guide to the beginnings of entrepreneurship produced in the Entrepreneurship Maternity Package project led by South Karelia Entrepreneurs.
The goal is consistent and customer-oriented business services
— The province has a lot of services produced with public money for both start-up and existing companies. However, the challenge has been fragmentation, which from the customer's perspective has brought the challenge of finding the right party for their needs and, on the other hand, the varying level of message transmission from one organization to another, describes the initial situation, project manager Tiia Puolakka.
The KasvuAI project, led by LAB University of Applied Sciences and co-implemented by Imatra Seudun Kehitysyhtiö Oy (KEHY) and the City of Lappeenranta, produced a new website that brings together regional business services and an artificial intelligence-based customer guidance system for the website. The business incubator Business Mill, which operates under LAB, and the South Karelia Employment Region have also been involved in the design. The project is co-financed by the Regional Council of South Karelia.
The new website is a clearer way to reach the right service and expert, whether it's starting a business, finding a workforce, changing ownership, seeking funding for an existing company, or even being interested in university collaboration.
During the project, personnel from different business services have become acquainted with each other and have harmonized, among other things, recording practices. The goal is to provide consistent services in every corner of the province and also, if necessary, ensure that messages flow from one organization to another, thereby improving the customer experience by eliminating so-called different service windows.
A modern approach to sparring and use of services for entrepreneurs
The new South Karelia Business Services website is intended to be the first point of contact for entrepreneurs when searching for publicly available services.
The site allows you to search for private sector experts for various needs, such as legal expertise or marketing, through a traditional directory. If you still have difficulty expressing your need for help or are unsure what kind of help you might need, you can start a conversation with an artificial intelligence-based customer advisor.
The services will be available at any time in the future, and the customer of business services will be able to prepare better before the first meeting with an expert.
— Various language models have become commonplace, and conversations with artificial intelligence are also very common when starting a business or developing a business. However, the conversation partner on this site is full of up-to-date and confirmed information about funding, expertise, and services available in the province, so it does not hallucinate or suggest, for example, funding that the questioner cannot even apply for, says Puolakka.
From South Karelians to South Karelians
Local expertise has been utilized in the implementation of the website and customer guidance system. Jari Huomo's company JH-Apps from Imatra was responsible for the technical implementation, while also bringing the perspective of a local entrepreneur to improve the accessibility of services.
Huomo will also be heard at the launch event on September 1, 2026, where he will speak about the business opportunities brought by new technologies. In the second speech at the event, the LUT-based NoCFO will share his business story and perspective on the changes brought about by artificial intelligence in the field of financial administration.
After the business speeches, the NAVI guide for starting entrepreneurs, created in the South Karelia Entrepreneurs project, and the new ekyrityspalvelut.fi website will be presented.
KasvuAI – an intelligent service path to company success project
More information:
Project manager
Tiia Puolakka
KasvuAI project, LAB University of Applied Sciences
tiia.puolakka@lab.fi
tel. 050 533 9793
Business expert
Advice for start-up and operating companies, digital advice, corporate services and changes of ownership, expert network, regional coordinator Suomen Yrityskummit (South Karelia)
Sven Langbein
sven.langbein@kehy.fi
tel. 045 269 2000
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