Startup story: ONEJOB X Tehnopol Startup Accelerator

Each year, dozens of high-potential startups develop their product or service in Tehnopol Startup Accelerator and its special accelerator programmes. One of them is ONEJOB.

ONEJOB was created with the aim of making the day-to-day operations of service companies simpler, clearer and more human. The platform brings job information, schedules, customer data and internal team communication into one place, while the long-term goal is to turn ONEJOB into a digital everyday assistant for site managers – helping them spot problems earlier, plan resources more effectively and make better management decisions.

ONEJOB was founded by Laura Mihkla and Marje Meristo. Marje has more than 15 years of experience in managing businesses in the cleaning sector and, as a hands-on leader with a strong understanding of people, quickly notices where work processes get stuck and what could be improved. Laura, who has a medical background, brings analytical thinking, a systematic approach and the ability to see the bigger picture in complex processes. They shared more about ONEJOB’s journey.

How did you come up with the idea to create a startup?

“Our story began at a networking evening for entrepreneurial mothers held at Ideekeskus, where we quickly realised that we could work well together as business partners. We started meeting regularly and discussing different business ideas. ONEJOB was by no means the first of them, but the idea that grew out of Marje’s industry experience seemed to have the most potential.

At first, we did not set out to build a startup – we simply wanted to create a business together. But here we are.”

What has been the biggest challenge or failure so far, and the biggest win?

“The biggest challenge and lesson has been realising that building a good product does not automatically bring in customers. Creating a loyal customer base requires trust, patience and many meaningful conversations – all while we are both raising young children and juggling family life, other responsibilities and the startup.

Our biggest win has been seeing the first fully functioning version of ONEJOB emerge from an idea after two years of work. The relationships and people this journey has brought into our lives have also been incredibly valuable.”

What sets ONEJOB apart from competitors?

“ONEJOB’s strength is that it has grown out of Marje’s years of hands-on experience managing the daily operations of a service business, and it continues to develop together with companies in the sector.

Our goal is to make ONEJOB the site manager’s digital right hand – bringing together the key information, helping plan people and resources, spotting problems earlier and keeping track of the profitability of different sites. That means less time spent putting out fires and more time actually managing.”

Why Tehnopol Startup Accelerator?

“We first heard about Tehnopol Startup Accelerator through Marje’s good friend Annika, who had previously taken part in the programme with her company GuestJoy. Her experience encouraged us to apply as well, and we were very happy when ONEJOB was selected.

Tehnopol gives us the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day work, look at the company with fresh eyes, receive honest and practical feedback from experienced mentors, and learn more about sales, finance and business model development. The contacts we have made through the programme and the experiences shared by other founders have also been extremely valuable.”

Where do you see your startup in 1 year? And in 5 years?

“In one year, we want ONEJOB to have a solid base of regular customers and a clear understanding of the situations where our solution creates the most value for them.

In five years, we hope ONEJOB will have become a familiar and trusted tool for service company managers across the Baltics.”

Who is the next Estonian unicorn?

“We do not know exactly who it will be, but our prediction is that the next Estonian unicorn will be founded by women. Estonia has many female founders with the ambition, determination and ability to identify problems that can grow into global solutions. It is time for one of them to reach unicorn status as well.”

Which books, podcasts, publications and people in your field do you follow and recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

Marje actively follows local professionals in the cleaning sector, especially Helge Alt, and keeps up with Puhastuspäev, Estonia’s cleaning industry fair, as well as Interclean, one of the world’s leading organisers of professional cleaning trade shows.

Laura admitted that there is not much spare time for closely following what others are doing, but she strongly supports the other companies taking part in Tehnopol Startup Accelerator, keeps an eye on healthtech startups founded by colleagues, and also follows the journeys of Estonian unicorn founders with interest.

The next application round for the Tehnopol Startup Accelerator will open in spring 2027. Applications are currently open for the Tehnopol AI Accelerator. Read more and submit your application!