City of Helsinki Seeks Experts, New Business Through Cooperation with Slush

Ugo Aliogo

The City of Helsinki and the startup event Slush continue to have a common goal. In addition to supporting the startup field, they wish to increase international industry operators’ awareness of Helsinki, which is ranked high in terms of its startup ecosystem and quality of life.

In a statement, it was noted that the creative, growing and innovative startup community is one of Helsinki’s key strengths in the tough competition between cities.

The statement said the City of Helsinki is a cooperation partner of the Slush event, which will take place at Messukeskus (Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre) from 30 November to 1 December, adding that this year, Slush, one of the largest startup events in the world, would bring roughly 13,000 participants and 3,000 investors to Helsinki. 

The Mayor of Helsinki Juhana Vartiainen said: “Slush is an important partner to the City of Helsinki in our efforts to attract new business, investments and experts to Helsinki. The event has played a major role in increasing awareness of Helsinki and the city’s vitality and attracting growth companies. Establishing new contacts and deepening existing ones is at the core of Slush cooperation, and we’re very proud of the fact that Slush has consolidated its position as a significant international event in Helsinki.”

The statement revealed that the City of Helsinki has invited several international investors and other guests to Slush’s main and side events.

The statement averred that the event would introduce investors, companies looking to expand their operations, startups and the international media to the business opportunities available in Helsinki and the range of services offered by the city.

The statement said the City of Helsinki would also host a Helsinki Lounge at the Slush main event, offering a wide range of information sessions for target groups ranging from investors to startups. 

It added that digital technology and green solutions would draw interest. 

The statement further explained that high-growth entrepreneurship is a significant factor in solving global problems, noting that green, sustainable growth and solutions are sought in fields such as circular economy, the built environment, the electrification of the transport system, and health technology, among others.

The statement posited that the growth companies that have gathered the most funding in recent years focus on digital technology in their business operations. 

The Director of Economic Development, City of Helsinki, Marja-Leena Rinkineva, said: “The City of Helsinki has the ambitious goal of becoming Europe’s leading platform for pilot projects, innovative business operations and impact investments. In order to meet this goal, we must also succeed in attracting international experts, and Slush, our partner, plays a major role in these efforts.”

According to the statement, “Helsinki and Slush engage in diverse cooperation in the field of communications, among other things. They will also conduct an attendee survey at Slush to survey growth companies’ interest in Helsinki and develop the city’s attractiveness further based on the answers.

“Helsinki also offers the event participants information on business and investment activities and tips on things such as the city’s restaurants and cultural activities during Slush. Business opportunities in Helsinki and the City’s services for growth companies in the spotlight
“The value of the startup companies operating in the Helsinki region can already be measured in the billions. The City’s actions have also contributed to this. Helsinki is a testbed (‘Testbed Helsinki’) that offers companies the opportunity to carry out pilot projects in an actual urban environment. This also yields solutions to various challenges in city life.

“Slush will showcase the FAIR (Finnish AI Region) project coordinated by the City of Helsinki, which supports the use of artificial intelligence by SMEs. Launched last year, this project was chosen to receive partial funding as part of the Digital Europe Programme of the European Commission and a network of 151 European digital innovation hubs.

The Director of Business Services, City of Helsinki’s Economic Development Department, Paula Miettinen added: “Helsinki gives early-stage startups a boost by providing them with coaching services and industry-specific incubator services in the fields of health technology, learning technology and innovative urban solutions. The City’s focus areas also include close cooperation with higher education institutions. Business incubators are meeting places for top Finnish researchers, entrepreneurs, students with entrepreneurial spirit and the entire innovation and business community of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, along with their international partners.”