Slush

Over the last few months, we’ve tried to figure out a way to let the world know the answer to the age-old question: why does Slush exist? We put together this video in pursuit of this question. Perhaps it’s just in the basics: the investments, the meetings, the community. Perhaps it’s more than that. This is Why Slush Exists.

It's time to wrap up 2024 at the Slush HQ. This year we... 🌨 hosted 3170 startups, $4T worth of VC, and 20,5k accepted meetings at Slush 2024 💚 built a community of 1,612 Slush volunteers 💻 introduced founders to investors 1,002 times and hosted 39 online sessions through Slush Online 🌍 supported 15 unique Slush'D events across the globe Thank you to every single one of you for being part of yet another year with us, whether in Helsinki, another city, or online. On to the next. Talk soon 👋

Hiring your first employees is a huge milestone for any startup founder. Turns out, though, there might be some red flags along the way 🚩 We asked Mikko Mäntylä from Realm, Sam Sihvonen from Solu, Mona Ismail from Arca, and Anna Sillanpää from Robes Rental what red flags they've seen when hiring as founders. Here's what we learned.

This year, we wanted to bring exceptional art to Slush to showcase that tech, the natural world, and the arts all coexist in this ecosystem of ours. We leaned into our theme, Metamorphosis, by bringing in pieces that transform as you experience them. 🍄🟫 'Incubator' by Caracara Collective was an installation made of living, breathing fungi that transformed as the Slush days went on. Aided by our attendees' interaction when tweaking the container's humidity and oxygen levels, the fungi grew and took new shapes throughout the event. 🌌 'Ripples' by TELEPORT is a digital piece that transforms based on its perceiver's movement. Our attendees became part of the installation as its particles moved and created different patterns depending on the person and the movement in front of it—a metaphor for the potential influence of an individual. Did you experience these at #slush2024? Check out the artists: caracaracollective.com weteleport.com

Should I become a founder if I want flexibility? We asked Anna Sillanpää from Robes Rental, Niilo P. from Inven, and Antti Hämmäinen from Synergi if the oh-so-popular reason for becoming an entrepreneur holds true within the startup world. This is what we found out.

If you're feeling nostalgic about your time in Helsinki, it's probably your intuition trying to tell you something. We've collected 6 + 6 reasons why founders bring their R&D to Helsinki and funds are looking under the northern lights for their next big thing (we promise it's not always grey skies and wet snow up here). Building something? 👉 https://lnkd.in/drbDXjiY Looking for your next unicorn? 👉 https://lnkd.in/dEfCTjYk

"How many hours do you work at your startup each week?" We asked three founders, Antti Hämmäinen from Synergi, Mona Ismail from Arca, and Verneri Jaamuru from Veri (acquired by ŌURA), what their week looks like. Each of these founders is at a different stage of their journey, so we thought it would be good to get insight on: If it's always fast-paced? If there's a stage when your work starts to slow down? This is what they told us.

"The weather at your final destination appears to be Slushy." 🛬 Now that the dust has settled a month after #slush2024, we have time to reminisce on everything that went down, and together with Helsinki Partners, we prepared a pretty flashy welcome for everyone who flew in. Did you get to see these?

There might still be snow on the ground from when we last met, but the countdown to Slush 2025 has already begun. Pre-register to get access to tickets before the public. 338 days to go 🌨️ slush.org/pre-register

The European tech ecosystem has experienced a remarkable evolution over the past decade, growing into a global powerhouse. Despite recent challenges, the foundation is stronger than ever. Here's a quick dive into the biggest discoveries and milestones: 1️⃣ Unicorn surge: From just a handful in the early 2000s to 300+ unicorns today. Countries like the UK, Germany, and France lead the charge, attracting $250B+ in funding over the decade. 2️⃣ Talent boom: Europe's tech workforce has scaled 7x to 3.5M employees, with 3M new jobs created in the last decade, even amid market uncertainties. 3️⃣ Capital explosion: Investment in European tech has grown 10x, reaching $426B from 2015-2024, with $45B expected in 2024 alone. 4️⃣ Iconic success stories: Companies like Spotify, Revolut, and Wise symbolize Europe's potential. Founders increasingly aim not just for billion-dollar valuations but for global, transformative impacts. 5️⃣ Exit growth: Europe achieved $925B in M&A and IPOs since 2015, with standout events like ARM's $65B IPO in 2023 and Spotify’s historic public listing. Niklas Zennström (Skype, Atomico): "In the last ten years, things have accelerated. Europe’s flywheel is spinning, and we have all the ingredients for trillion-dollar companies." Bold action is needed to unlock Europe's full potential, including regulatory reforms, expanded funding, and fostering global talent. Read more about the State of European Tech for 2024 here: https://lnkd.in/ea97mAgX