Scholarships | Läpimurtosäätiö distributed its first grants – “Their ambition is very strong”

Last The Läpimurtosäätiö, founded in the fall, has distributed its first grants to ten athletes and six sports clubs. More than 300 individual athletes and 50 sports clubs applied for support in Läpimurtosäätiö’s spring 2023 grant application. 10 individual athletes received a grant of 7,500 euros for the promotion of elite sports, and six sports clubs received a grant of 3,000–7,500 euros for the promotion of sports for children and young people.

In addition, Mehiläinen, which has become a partner of the foundation, makes its own contracts with selected athletes and offers its services to scholarship athletes.

Among the athletes, the grant was awarded to an all-around athlete Jessica Kähäräa rhythmic gymnast Emmi Piiroinena tennis player Ella Haavistoa swordsman Akseli Heinämaaa swimmer Davin Lindholmtrack and field athlete Santtu Heikkinena diver Lauren Hallaselkätrack and field athlete Eemil Helandera figure skater Linnea Ceder and judoka Pihla Salonen.

The following sports clubs received the children’s and youth exercise grant: FC Honka Ry (soccer), Alppila Basket Ry (basketball), Santa’s United Ry (floor bandy), Oulunkylä Kiekko-Kerho Ry (ice hockey), Kuivasjärven Aura (athletics) and Veikkolan Veikot Ry (multi-sport club) ).

Foundation founder and chairman of the board Tuomas Langin According to Läpimurtosäätiö, the Läpimurtosäätiö tried to select young athletes who are on the threshold of adult sports and have decided to aim for the international top.

“We haven’t chosen minors, but one exception confirms the rule, because in that sport you reach the top early,” says Tuomas Lang.

Lang is prosperous at private equity firm Intera Partners. He and his family donated three million euros as the foundation’s initial capital. Since then, other donors have joined.

“The foundation’s support aims to hit the stage where the need for support and money is greatest, but you can’t really get that support anywhere else,” says Lang.

“In the case of young companies and young athletes, there is talk of such a valley of death. If you can’t get over that Valley of Death, then nothing will happen. When you’ve decided to get to the top, but you don’t have a brand and a name yet and don’t get public subsidies, then funding is really scarce.”

Grants the awarding was supported by advisors from different sports who helped free of charge. For example, he acted as an advisor for tennis Harri Heliövaara.

“The experts have been chosen in such a way that they are independent experts of the sport who are not biased towards athletes or associations.”

According to Lang, the foundation can support athletes for several years.

“If the athlete stays on track, the support can continue for two or three years. We closely monitor the athletes we have chosen to see how they progress in their careers.”

The athletes have signed an agreement defining the terms of cooperation. The athlete reports what the support money has been used for and approves the plan with their coach. The athlete also reports to the foundation on the development of his sports career.

What did you find out about the athletes receiving support?

“It became clear to me that their ambition is very strong. They are highly motivated, determined and planful. The management of their own sports careers was impressive.”

What was it like to decide who gets and who doesn’t get support?

“It was a little frustrating. In principle, out of more than three hundred applications, every third could have met the criteria. Among the applications were the cream of Finnish youth sports. We had to put a lot of applications aside because we didn’t have the resources or expertise to handle them. In the fall, we will take a second round, where we will deal with, for example, winter sports that could not be dealt with now.”

Lang wants to multiply the foundation’s capital so that it can support one hundred athletes a year in the future, according to his vision.

“Then this could become socially significant. Ten million should be collected by the end of the year, and we are on that path.”

According to Lang, the foundation has received a decision from the tax authority that the foundation’s income is tax-free. The foundation’s capital can grow through investments, but Lang thinks that new donors will increase the capital more.