StartUp and Tech Conference SLUSH in Helsinki

WTSH Online Editorial Team: What is the SLUSH conference and what makes it so special?

Bennet Eulenberger: What makes the Slush so special is that it is still largely organised by volunteers and the founders are the focus of the conference. The most important thing is the meetings with investors, which are very easy to organise using the matchmaking tool. We regularly receive feedback from start-ups that, in contrast to some other events, investors are actually present at Slush and very approachable. The presentations at Slush specialise in advice and tips for start-ups. The speakers are often successful founders themselves from all over the world. They cover a wide range of topics and are suitable for start-ups at all stages. These talks are given by international heavyweights from the tech sector, the investor scene and politics. In the past, for example, the founders of top companies such as Spotify and Duolingo were joined on stage at Slush by former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

WTSH online editorial team: Can every start-up benefit from this breadth of information?

Bennet Eulenberger: Definitely! What's more, Slush follows the motto "relevance over scale", i.e. prioritising relevant guests over pure participant numbers. This approach means that almost every visitor to Slush is a potential cooperation partner for another participant. This is also reflected in the figures. Although there are trade fairs that have more visitors overall, Slush can boast an extremely high number of start-ups and investors every year in direct comparison to other conferences. Last year, the conference counted 13,000 visitors, including around 5,000 start-ups and 3,000 investors. In total, the investors who will be at Slush this year have an asset value of over 3 trillion US dollars. Slush is therefore teeming with interesting investment partners and is the ideal opportunity to forge international business relationships.

Last but not least, Slush also offers side events, such as the "Slush 100" start-up competition. The winner of the competition receives an investment of one million euros. Last year, by the way, a German start-up took home the victory.

WTSH online editorial team: In addition to the speeches and presentations by high-calibre speakers, the start-ups get plenty of fresh impetus. Is there even more added value that SLUSH offers start-ups?

Bennet Eulenberger: Above all, I see the quality of the guests and the associated networking opportunities that are so interesting for participants. Of course, the most interesting thing for start-ups is the opportunity to connect with investors and possibly even secure funding for their own start-up. To make this easier, Slush provides a "matchmaking tool" that can be used to arrange talks and meetings at Slush weeks before the actual event. This allows each participant to create their own agenda for the two Slush days and optimise networking.

WTSH online editorial team: How can the start-ups present themselves?

Bennet Eulenberger: The Slush can also give StartUps visibility, as you can introduce yourself to a global audience. This is also where our Chamber of Commerce comes into play, as we run the "German Pitching Stage" with our partners, including de:hub and WTSH, the largest partner stand at Slush and give German start-ups the chance to present themselves to the global tech and start-up scene on our stage. The pitch on our stage is used to attract investors and other business partners, but also offers the opportunity to localise the potential of your own business idea and get feedback for your own start-up. I also wouldn't underestimate the opportunity to network with other start-ups internationally: Many a German participant has found co-operation partners or solutions to current product problems at Slush. Although Slush is an international conference, the trip to Helsinki also offers great opportunities to network at home, as many business representatives from all over Germany are also present on our stage.