It’s a crush: Startup Europe’s innovation policies and matchmaking for investors and startups at Slush

Startup Europe is matchmaking startups and investors at Slush, one of the world’s leading startup events in Helsinki, Finland. Startup Europe, together with Business Finland and Slush will also organise a workshop on accelerating Digital Innovation and Ecosystems.

Slush, one of the world’s leading startup events is fast approaching and will take place on November 21 and 22 in Helsinki, Finland. Slush aims to connect investors and innovators at its core and a vision of creating a world-wide startup community and brings together 4000 startups, 2000 investors and 20000 other change-makers.
​
Startup Europe is bringing its full network of startups, partners and innovators along to Slush, all who have proven experience implementing digital innovation projects with its generous grant-funding. This includes MY-GATEWAY which focuses on strengthening the capacity of start-ups and SME’s in Central and Eastern Europe, and Startup Lighthouse, which helps promising EU startups to increase their market access. Among those joining are the winners of the Innovation Radar Prize and the 11 winners of the My Gateway Slush competition.

​Take a deep dive at Slush on Startup Europe’s tools and financing

Startup Europe aims to strengthen the startup ecosystem across Europe and help the startup community easily access our tools and funding. At Slush, a deep dive into the details of our programs will be taken, including on the Digital Innovation and Scale-Up Initiative (DISC), which enhances finance for highly innovative high-risk digital startups in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. More information will be provided on the new Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Fund, which will support the financing of a portfolio of highly innovative AI/blockchain companies and support the development of a dynamic EU-wide innovation ecosystem across Europe. The first phase of the fund will support innovative AI/blockchain companies with 100 million euros in 2020.

​Startup Europe is matchmaking startups and investors: November 21

In line with its goal of connecting people, Startup Europe is organizing jointly with Business Finland and in partnership with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, a special matchmaking event that will bring together 100 startups from across Europe, together with private venture capitalists and investors from large financial institutions such as the European Investment Fund (EIF), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation. To support access to finance, a reverse-pitching session by the investors will be organised. Join the Startup Europe Matchmaking Session on November 21st from 16:00-20:00 and don’t miss out on discovering a whole range of opportunities!

​Workshop on accelerating Digital Innovation and Ecosystems: November 22

To advance startup and scaleup focused policy, in partnership with Business Finland and Slush,  Startup Europe will organise a workshop on Accelerating Digital Innovations and Ecosystems which will bring together 350 stakeholders and experts on digital innovation and startup ecosystems. The workshop will take place on 22 November from 13:00-16:00. The session will focus on both startup policy and investment initiatives and how these can best be harnessed to enable digital innovation and growth. Innovators, startup founders, venture capitalists, business angels, national promotional banks, corporate representatives, startup associations, academics, policymakers and the media will attend. Learn all about the policy workshop, and register now.

​For more information, please contact: Bjorn-Soren Gigler