Intro - Welcome to Leap

Originally from Italy, Federico moved to Finland to pursue his master's degree at Aalto University. He heard about Startuplifers while studying at Aalto and decided to apply. He first landed a job with a startup called Seeds in San Francisco and later joined Webflow as a software engineer. After his visa expired in the US, he shifted to a digital nomad lifestyle working and travelling around the world. Tune in now to hear Federico's interesting journey to San Francisco, living the startup life and later travelling through Asia, Africa and South America while working remotely as a software engineer.  Are you interested in working for a startup? Check out the open positions and apply today: https://startuplifers.org/positions/ Stay updated with the latest open positions, tips for startup job hunting and inspirational career stories on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuplifershq/

Antonio had always dreamt of landing a job in Silicon Valley. In late 2019 while looking for an internship for his master’s thesis, Antonio happened to hear about Startuplifers at Slush, a startup event held in Helsinki. Despite knowing that landing a job as a thesis worker in the US could be challenging, he decided to apply. Startuplifers helped Antonio to connect with Elevate Labs, a startup developing a brain training tool designed to build communication and analytical skills. After impressing during his interviews, the company offered him an internship as an iOS software engineering intern and he accepted the offer. Soon after being hired and moving to San Francisco, the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the US forcing companies, including Elevate Labs, to shift to remote work. Tune in now to hear Antonio's whole story from working at Elevate Labs, onboarding remotely, moving back to Europe, practicalities of working for a US based company, and more! Are you interested in working for a startup? Check out the open positions and apply today: https://startuplifers.org/positions/ Stay updated with the latest open positions, tips for startup job hunting and inspirational career stories on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuplifershq/

Emmi Linkola first heard about Startuplifers while she was studying Information Systems at Aalto University. She had been eager to work as a digital nomad and enjoy the freedom of remote work. So when an opportunity opened at SafetyWing, a fully remote company building the first global social safety net for digital nomads, she decided to apply. Fast forward six months and she landed a job as a Frontend Developer with the company. Even though she has not been able to live the digital nomad lifestyle to the fullest due to the pandemic, she enjoys the flexibility of working remotely and has a bucket list of exciting remote work locations to explore once the world opens up again. Tune in to hear what it's like to work for a fully remote company? How to get social with co-workers while working remotely? What are the practicalities of working for a US based company remotely?  Are you interested in working for a startup? Check out open positions: https://startuplifers.org/positions/ Stay updated with the latest open positions, tips for startup job hunting and inspirational career stories on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuplifershq/

In the first episode of LEAP’s second season, we get to hear an exciting story from current Startuplifer, Joakim Isoaho. Joakim works as a Customer Success Lead at the Finnish company Matchmade in Los Angeles, which he joined in January 2020. After a couple of weeks in, the company shifted completely to remote work as the pandemic took over the world. Tune in to hear how he adapted to the new normal of remote work with a global team and his everyday life in California. 

Kate was studying at Aalto University, when she first heard about Startuplifers. She decided to apply and soon after she was on her way to San Francisco to start her new job as a software developer at Crowdmade. Later she joined a company called Mashgin in Palo Alto, bought a car and lived an active life in Sunnyvale. Tune in to listen to her inspiring story with Startuplifers, living in San Francisco and what brought her back to Finland after working at two different companies in the US.

In 2013, Lauri Hynynen was convinced to send an application to Startuplifers. His startup had recently ran out of funding and he was about to start writing his bachelor thesis while working at Slush. When an opportunity at Backlift opened in San Francisco, he thought: why not? That was a turning point and a start for his inspirational journey to Silicon Valley. Being the first hire for a YC-startup Backlift, he got to wear many hats ranging from engineering and design to product strategy and marketing, and even steered the company together with the CEO through pivots.

In the second episode of Leap Podcast, we hear an inspiring alumni story from Ilari Niitamo. Ilari worked as a software developer at social discovery platform startup called Findery in San Francisco 2013-2014. Being a Startuplifers alumnus has opened many doors for him and later he co-founded Pintxo Creative, a company specialized in making kids’ games. In 2018, Ilari won an Apple Design Award for Bandimal, Yatatoy's music composer app for kids.

In our very first episode of Leap Podcast, we hear an inspiring Startuplifers' alumni story from Satu Peltola. Find out how she landed a job as a product designer at Coinbase, what motivated her to make the move to San Francisco and how her everyday life in the city looked like.

Leap is a cozy life and career podcast from Startuplifers with host Pauliina Alanen. We bring you inspiring stories shared by Startuplifers alumni, on their life changing experiences from working at some of the most exciting startups. Find out how they got there, how the experience changed their life and where they are today.