Mikroyritys

Mikroyritys is the Finnish term for a microenterprise, a very small business with limited personnel and resources. In European Union policy and statistics, microenterprises are the smallest category of enterprises within the SME group, defined as having fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding €2 million.

Common characteristics include owner-management, often operating as a sole proprietorship or family business; a small capital base; lean organizational structures; and high flexibility. Activities are frequently in services, crafts, retail, or freelancing, including online ventures.

Microenterprises play a notable role in local economies by providing employment, testing new ideas, and fostering competition and innovation. They can serve as stepping stones for entrepreneurs toward growth, but their small scale can limit access to financing, marketing reach, and investments in technology or staff development.

Policy and support mechanisms aim to strengthen microenterprises through advisory services, simplified administrative requirements, and access to funding. At the EU level, programs such as COSME target the competitiveness of SMEs, including microenterprises, while national schemes often provide grants, loans, or tax relief and guidance on digitalization and business resilience.