“1,000 meetings per hour” – Inside Slush in Helsinki

As is tradition, Slush opens its stage program with a techno spectacle, followed by a brief welcome message. This year, Slush President Linda Björkenheim, CEO Eerika Savolainen, and Aino Bergius (COO and CFO) welcomed around 13,000 guests in Helsinki’s convention hall. They also set the agenda that the two-day event follows. While last year’s event focused on current crises and potential technological solutions, this year is all about creating a better future through impact and sustainability. The main stage program can also be followed in a livestream on YouTube – including rewind functionality. (Photo: Dustin Preick)

Among Slush’s 13,000 visitors this year are around 5,000 startups and 3,000 investors – and thus even more founders and funders than in 2022. In total, organizers say over 20,000 meetings between both parties were booked through the Slush platform, which translates to approximately 1,000 conversations per hour. The investors on-site represent over 3 trillion dollars in assets, making the event the largest concentration of venture capital on the planet. (Photo: Munich Startup)

On the Founder Stage – Slush’s main stage – the program alternates between the big questions that arise during the startup journey on one hand, and inspiration on the other. For instance, Monzo, Accel, and Business Insider discuss how startups can successfully overcome hurdles on the path to scaling up. Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg, on the other hand, draws parallels between his career as an athlete and being a founder. Two points stand out for him: focus on the goal and attention to detail. He shares how, for example, removing color from his helmet reduced the overall weight of his car – something that translates into valuable fractions of a second in Formula 1. In his role as an investor, Rosberg is pleased not only to leverage the C-level connections from his career to advance startups, but also to support founders with mental health coaching. (Photo: Petri Anttila)

What would a startup fair be without pitches? In the Startup Studio, founders from around the world present their companies. Throughout the two-day fair, numerous topic clusters alternate, from fintech to computing & AI to energy – catering to diverse interests. Additionally, the semifinal of the Slush 100 takes place on the stage. In this pitch competition, 100 early-stage startups from Europe and North America compete, with the best 20 presenting in the semifinal. In the final, held at the end of the second day on the Founder Stage, it will be decided which startup receives the 1 million euros offered by investors Accel, General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partners, NEA, and Northzone. (Photo: Julius Konttinen)

In the exhibition, alongside some corporate companies – including AWS, Google, and Astra Zeneca with their own booths – various startup ecosystems are primarily represented. From Belgium to Cyprus, startups can learn about local conditions and possible support programs for relocating. At the same time, local ecosystems and selected startups are also presented. This includes the Germany stand, which features the German Pitching Stage, giving founders an opportunity to present themselves and their ideas. The startup champions – Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne – are also part of the stand. With Exomatter, Flow Eye, and Deepeye Medical, three Munich startups are also represented here. (Photo: Munich Startup)

Two additional stages offer Slush visitors further programming: The Horizon Stage highlights important topics that are just emerging. Here, discussions include how psychedelic substances could revolutionize psychiatry or how generative AI could fundamentally change video games. The Builder Stage, in turn, offers concrete tips for founders. Whether it’s validating a problem, developing an MVP, or closing a seed round – here, startups, agencies, and investors provide tips for success. (Photo: Petri Anttila)