Startup Events in Helsinki

Join us for a relaxed ~5 km jog and meet new people while you're at it! 👟 Maybe you're new to running? Or a run club pro looking to connect with new faces? At a comfortable 7:00/km pace, it doesn't matter whether you run every week or you're dusting off your shoes for the first time in years. Everybody's welcome and no-one gets left behind! Put on your sneakers, and come solo or bring a friend. The first 20 people to sign up get a free Kili energy drink after the run, so sign up quick!⚡️ Bag drop before the start is possible inside Think Corner space. Please note that bags are left at your own responsibility. When: Monday 14.9. at 17:00. We'll begin with a warm-up together, so please arrive on time! Where: Yliopistonkatu 4 (start and finish in front of Think Corner) Distance: ~5K at ~7:00/km pace.

Welcome all international students to our themed evening, The Future of Recruitment! 💫💼 What does finding a job look like in the age of AI? How will AI automation change the future of hiring? Join us on 15 September to hear insights from two recruitment experts, and find out what to look out for during your job hunts! In addition to the speaker presentations, you’ll be able to ask questions, chat with other students and make new connections. 🎙️ Speakers: Saleem Qureshi, Serial Entrepreneur & AI Strategist, Co-founder, Staffin Kerttu Kaikkonen, International House Helsinki 🎟️ Programme: 16:00 start of the event 16:05 Helsinki Think Company presentation 16:15 Kerttu Kaikkonen, International House Helsinki presentation 16:25 Saleem Qureshi, What does the future of recruitment look like in the age of AI? 16:45 Questions and discussion 17:00 Networking at Think Company space 18:00 End of event Organised by Helsinki Think Company and Staffin.fi. More details to follow!

Join us for an evening of AI automation, real-world stories, and networking with the Helsinki n8n community. Whether you’re new to n8n or already building workflows, you’ll learn from Ambassadors, Marketplace creator, Official Partner, and fellow builders. Agenda 17:30 Doors open, refreshments & networking 18:00 Welcome to n8n ecosystem Getting started with n8n, learning resources, and the community by Sahar Pakseresht, n8n Ambassador 18:30 Building for the n8n Marketplace How to become a Verified Creator by Mychel Garzon, n8n Verified Creator (45+ published templates) 19:00 Real-World AI Automation Case Study KajoAI, an official n8n partner, shares how they built an AI chatbot for a customer. 19:30 Community Showcase Built something with n8n? We’d love to feature your workflow, AI agent, or automation. 20:00 Networking Meet local builders and join our Helsinki n8n WhatsApp Community to stay connected, hear about future meetups, and continue the conversation. A big thank you to Aiven for hosting us and supporting the Helsinki n8n community!

An introduction event dedicated to Finland’s defence tech ecosystem — keynotes, panels, and structured networking bringing together defence innovators, early-stage founders, military, and investors. Who it’s for: Aspiring founders and idea-stage builders in defence tech Early-stage (pre-seed) defence startups Active members of Finland’s defence tech ecosystem Attendance: By application only. Due to the nature of the event, access is restricted by nationality (NATO + Ukraine). Program TBA Hosted by LUTES & Aalto Defence

About the Meetup Join us for a casual side event exploring China’s rapidly evolving technology ecosystem from AI and robotics to hardware, startups, and emerging technologies. With firsthand perspectives from Shenzhen and experience working with companies and partners connected to China, we’ll explore what is happening on the ground, how China’s technology ecosystem is evolving, and what developments are worth paying attention to. Who’s Behind This Meetup? This meetup is brought to you by Ashley Xu, Max Gnipping, Wang Xin and Zhenni Liang, who bring different perspectives and levels of experience engaging with China’s technology ecosystem. Their experience ranges from spending time on the ground in Shenzhen and exploring China’s technology landscape, to working with Swedish companies operating in China and building relationships across the Chinese and Nordic market. A special thanks to Hanken Business Lab for supporting the venue and helping make this meet-up possible. Who’s This For? The meet-up brings together founders, investors, researchers, operators, and others who are building, investing, working with, or exploring China and its technology ecosystem. Whether you are building, investing, researching, operating in China, working with Chinese companies, or simply looking to better understand the ecosystem, this meet-up is for you. Agenda ☕ 8:30–9:00 — Arrival, networking & opening 🎤 9:00–9:15 — Fireside Chat Bridging East & West with Wang Xin 🎤 9:15–9:30 — Robotics Trends in Shenzhen by Max Gnipping 🎤 9:30–10:00 — Panel Discussion 💡 10:00–10:30 — Ending and Coffee networking Location The event will be hosted at -2nd floor at Hanken Business Lab – Lilla Hangö, Hanken School of Economics, Arkadiankatu 22, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.

i4KIDS Paediatric Innovation Day – Helsinki 2025 18 September · Helsinki Hosted by HUS Helsinki University Hospital and the New Children’s Hospital Foundation , the i4KIDS Paediatric Innovation Day brings together Europe’s leading voices in paediatric and maternal–fetal health innovation. This year, as part of our commitment to expanding international collaboration and strengthening synergies across the innovation ecosystem, we travel to Helsinki to celebrate the 2026 edition of our flagship event. Co‑funded by the European Union, this Paediatric Innovation Day will showcase breakthrough solutions, emerging technologies, and ambitious projects designed to improve health outcomes for children, mothers, and families worldwide. The programme includes keynote sessions, expert panels, clinical challenge presentations, and project pitches from innovators across Europe. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, patient organisations, and innovation managers working to address unmet clinical needs and accelerate the development of impactful paediatric solutions. Join us in Helsinki to help shape the future of paediatric and maternal–foetal healthcare. Stay tuned for the complete agenda soon!

Startup Clinic — Creatives Edition, hosted with Business Helsinki A gathering for creative founders who are building. FiBAN Startup Clinics bring together founders and FiBAN investors for a session of open sparring, problem-sharing, and honest conversation. No presentations, no pitch competition — just a room where you can talk about what's actually hard right now and get real input from people who've seen it before. Around one third of the room are FiBAN member investors and experienced operators. The other two thirds are founders from creative industries at companies with early traction or active development. Business Helsinki will share a brief perspective from their work to open the evening. This is for you if: You're building a company in a creative field — design, media, fashion, gaming, culture, content, or beyond — and navigating real decisions around growth, funding, or team. You want direct, unfiltered input — not a lecture. You're ready to both share and help others in the room. There is no official program; just casual sparring around a cup of coffee between founders, FiBAN members, and other ecosystem partners. Start your journey to pitch at Pitch Finland here. Learn more: https://fiban.org/apply/ Spots are limited and registrations are reviewed.

Kevytyrittäjyys on helppo askel kohti omaa bisnestä. 🪶 Sopisiko se juuri sinulle? 🫵🏻 Oletko kiinnostunut yrittäjyydestä, mutta sinulla ei ole juuri aikaa yrityksen perustamiselle tai et halua ottaa suurta riskiä? Kevytyrittäjänä voit johtaa työskentelyäsi joustavasti sekä riskittömästi, ja se antaa samalla hyvät eväät täyspäiväistä yrittäjyyttä varten! 💡 Tervetuloa kuulemaan OP Kevytyrittäjän esittely ja Helsinki Think Companyn tiimin parhaat tärpit koskien kevytyrittäjyyttä. Tapahtuman järjestää Helsingin yliopiston yrittäjyysyhteisö Helsinki Think Company, joka auttaa opiskelijoita, tutkijoita ja asiantuntijoita viemään akateemisen osaamisensa käytäntöön. Tapahtuman kumppanina toimii OP Kevytyrittäjä. Tapahtuman kieli on englanti. *** Light entrepreneurship is an easy first step toward starting your own business. 🪶 Could it be right for you? 🫵🏻 Are you interested in entrepreneurship, but don’t have much time to start a business or don’t want to take on a big risk? As a light entrepreneur, you can manage your work flexibly and without risk, while also gaining valuable experience for full-time entrepreneurship! 💡 Join us to hear a presentation on OP’s Light Entrepreneur program and get the Helsinki Think Company team’s top tips on light entrepreneurship. The event is organised by Helsinki Think Company, the University of Helsinki’s entrepreneurship community, which helps students, researchers, and experts put their academic expertise into practice. OP Light Entrepreneur is a partner of the event. The event is organised in English.

Watch the next generation of AI startups take the stage with Anthropic! For Maria 01 NEXT, Maria 01 and Anthropic are bringing together ten ambitious startups building bold, novel solutions with AI for a live pitching competition in Helsinki. These startups will take the Maria 01 NEXT stage to pitch their companies in front of Anthropic and Felix Capital. And there’s more at stake: the winning startups will have the opportunity to join Anthropic on stage at an exclusive Slush side event in November, alongside Claude credits and Anthropic startup benefits. 10 startups. 3 minutes. One stage. Each selected startup will have: 3-minute live pitch A sharp introduction to their company, product and vision. 3-minute Q&A Direct questions and feedback from the jury. The pitches will be evaluated by a jury featuring three representatives from Anthropic and one representative from Felix Capital. Come see what these startups are building, hear their pitches, and discover the companies shaping what’s next in AI. About Anthropic Anthropic is an AI research company focused on building reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. Its Claude family of AI models is designed to be helpful, honest and harmless. About Felix Capital Felix Capital is a venture capital firm for the Creative Class, managing over $1.2B of venture and growth capital. Based in London, Felix operates at the intersection of technology and creativity, with an investment focus in Europe and North America. Illustrative investments for Felix Capital include: Farfetch, Moonbug, Perk, Mirakl, and Voy. About Maria 01 NEXT Maria 01 NEXT is Maria 01’s flagship startup festival, bringing together founders, investors, operators and ecosystem leaders for two days of talks, networking, workshops and curated side events in Helsinki. The Maria 01 × Anthropic Pitching Competition is one of the headline events of Day 1. If you find this event interesting, we invite you to explore the Pitch of Finland: Turning the Investor

The third and final evening of the Tech Founder Crash Course. We get into the hard questions around growth and funding. The evening 17:30 – Doors open 18:00 — Intro 18:05 — Demos: some participants show what they've built 18:30 — What to Do After Your First Users (hands-on) / Johan Jern, Realm & Anna Almeida, Advisor/Founder 19:45 — Break 19:55 — Find Funding / Samuli Pehkonen, Startup Foundation 20:30 — What I Wish I'd Known Earlier (fireside chat) / Monika Liikamaa, Builder & Investor 21:00 — Mingling 21:30 — Exit Snacks and beverages provided. Who is this for Developers and people with a technical background who want to build something of their own. You might have a concrete idea or just a strong feeling that it's time to build something yourself. Juniors welcomed. Leave with A realistic next-step plan and a network. Organised by Hive Helsinki, Slush, Aalto Founder School, and Startup Foundation. Getting there Type "Hive Helsinki" in your maps application to find the exact entrance. The campus is at Haapaniemenkatu 5A, Sörnäinen, Helsinki. Register Spots are limited and selected based on participant motivation and experience (remember, juniors welcomed). Selected participants will be informed in advance.

This Builders' Breakfast session is part of the Maria 01 NEXT Startup Festival. Explore the full 2-day program here. Sami Marttinen co-founded a company that most founders only talk about reaching: a centaur, meaning a private company generating over $100 million in annual revenue. Swappie crossed that threshold in 2023 and has held it since, closing 2025 with €234 million in revenue and, for the first time, a full year of EBITDA profitability. Getting there wasn't a straight line. Before Swappie, Sami and his co-founder ran through thirteen different business ideas under one company, pivoting quickly, taking no salary, and funding the process themselves through student loans and savings. The idea that eventually became Swappie came from a personal experience, being scammed while buying a used phone online, and a consumer survey the next day that suggested the market for used electronics could eventually rival the market for used cars. Sami is now building a new company, currently in stealth. This time, the environment is different. Swappie was built in a pre-AI era, with none of the tools founders now take for granted. His new venture is being built with AI shaping the process from the outset. At this Builders' Breakfast, Sami will share the story on what it took to grow Swappie into a centaur, and how building pre-AI compares to building now. If you find this session interesting, we invite you to explore the full Maria 01 NEXT Startup Festival Program.

The Pitch of Finland collides two iconic formats: the sharp scrutiny of Lion's Den and the crowd-powered drama of The Voice. The result is a night that's genuinely entertaining and educational, built for people who want to understand how real angel investing decisions get made, not just watch a pitch competition. 📅 September 24th 📍 Maria 01, Helsinki 🎥 Livestreamed 🔒 Private event — 100 seats in the room 8 of Finland's most promising startups pitch live in front of a jury of seasoned investors and operators. Hosting the night: Claes-Mikko Nilsen Co-founder of FiBAN (Finnish Business Angels Network) and Principal at NordicNinja VC, one of the most recognizable voices in Nordic angel investing, and famous for his sharp, entertaining style as a pitch moderator. On the jury: Elias Aalto (Co-founder of Wolt, Angel Investor, Host of Bängeri) Kim Väisänen (Serial Entrepreneur and Investor) Noora Keskievari (Consumer Entreprenuer & Investor) Pekka Samuelsson (FIBAN most active angel of the Year 2024) Who this is for: Business and tech leaders who are actively angel investing, thinking about starting, or simply curious how it's done. This is a curated crowd. Expect Finland's sharpest operators, investors, and future angels in one place. After the pitches: Networking - a chance to meet others in the room who share your curiosity about angel investing, from first-timers to seasoned investors.

🧩 Want to turn an idea into a clear, structured business model? In this workshop, we'll present the tools to help you to do that! You’ll work with t he Business Model Canvas to: 🪨 Understand the key building blocks of a business model 📅 Apply them to your own idea or project 🤺 Get feedback and peer support in a collaborative setting. This event is free and open to everyone. The workshop is designed to complement Entrepreneurship and Innovation Studies (EIS) online courses, available to take on MOOC platform: https://courses.mooc.fi/org/uh-eisp/courses/eisp1-introduction-to-innovation-and-entrepreneurship

Communal Reading meetup These regular meetups are low-threshold opportunities to check-in with our lovely community and for newcomers to familiarize themselves with our book club. So feel very welcome too if this is your first time joining the Asian Book Club Helsinki! What do we do 📖 We read together in silence for about an hour. You can read the book we picked for our upcoming Book Discussion or any other (Asian) book you’re reading at the moment. 💬 Before and after our reading hour there is time to connect & chat with each other. The program for this meetup: 16:30-17:00: Arrivals, ordering drinks & treats 17:00-18:00: Communal Reading (in silence) 18:00-18:30: Connect with fellow Asian Book Clubbies About the Asian Book Club Helsinki We are an open, diverse community of (aspiring) readers & lovers of Asian literature. In our book club we read and discuss: books by authors from an Asian background – including diaspora authors from all 5 Asian regions – East, Southeast, South, West, Central contemporary literary fiction (novels, short stories, novellas, biographical fiction) and memoirs Please follow the Asian Book Club Helsinki on Instagram! Support Asian entrepreneurs All Asian Book Club Helsinki meetups are free of charge. But we ask you to support our lovely (Asian) entrepreneurs of the venue by ordering drinks & treats/food from their cafe menu. NOTE: If you can't make it to our meetup, don't forget to cancel your registration to free up space for people on the waitlist! A fee will apply for: late cancellations (on the day of the meetup): €5 no-shows €10

EPICENTER VERGE | Deep Tech: Beyond the Screen. Into the Bedrock. - The Physics of Intelligence Digital intelligence is moving into physical systems. That changes the stakes. AI agents are beginning to operate real workflows. Quantum teams are working toward practical industrial advantage. Spatial technologies are changing how people understand and control complex environments. At the same time, advances in computing and cryptography are forcing leaders to rethink sovereignty, security, and technological independence. VERGE Deep Tech brings together the builders, researchers, and industry leaders working through these questions now. Over a focused half-day at Epicenter Helsinki, we will examine where the technology is ready, where the difficult questions remain, and what it takes to move from a promising experiment to something organizations can actually use. The program moves across five connected conversations: The race to build sovereign AI infrastructure Quantum computing’s path from research to industrial value What changes when AI moves from assistant to operator Preparing critical systems for the post-quantum security era How AI, quantum, and spatial computing are reshaping the R&D process This is not a conversation about what might happen in ten years. It is a chance to hear directly from people building, testing, and deploying these technologies today. Confirmed speakers AI sovereignty Pekka Manninen, Director, LUMI. CSC – IT Center for Science Quantum computing and industrial R&D Jouni Flyktman, Vice President, Defense and Security, IQM Quantum Computers Himadri Majumdar, CEO, SemiQon Teemu Uotila, Chief Operating Officer, Quanscient From Assistants to Operators Antti Nevalainen, Head of AI, Kaksio Labs Tapio Haaja, Chief Commercial Officer, Intentface Post-quantum security Suvi Lampila, SSH Fellow, SSH Communications Security Erik Hieta-aho, Research Team Leader, Advanced Cybersecurity and Cryptography, VTT Sini Ruohomaa, Cryptographic Signing and PKI

Welcome to the 21st International Conference on Information Technology and Applications (Hybrid)! Get ready to dive into the latest trends and innovations in IT — all in one place. This year's conference is an in-person event, packed with exciting talks, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities. Whether you're a tech pro or just curious, there’s something here for everyone. Don’t miss out on connecting with industry leaders and fellow enthusiasts in a vibrant, face-to-face setting. See you there! For Registration Information, visit conference website visit www.icita.world Call For Papers Big Data Analytics Software Engineering Business Process Engineering Blockchain Cloud computing Computer Graphics and Games Programming Computer Networks Computer Vision and Image Processing Cybersecurity Data Science Digital Health Evolutionary Computing VR/VA and Games Applications in Industry Human Computer Interaction Information and Knowledge Management Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems Machine learning Mobile Computing Digital Education

W Love Games is a hybrid conference from Finland, designed by developers for developers, that focuses on diversity and inclusion in games industry. “W” stands for women but also for “we” as people, we who play and make games, we of all backgrounds and interests that games bring together and make all differences disappear! All our conferences since 2018 have been in a hybrid format and we aim to remain it so that we can accommodate as many participants around the world. For the third year, WLG is proudly presenting and co-organizing a week long event Finnish Games Week ! Our annual conference is completely FREE TO ATTEND , as we wish to make sure that everyone - and we mean EVERYONE - is able to attend equally with no worries of travel restrictions nor any "hidden" costs. Everyone is treated equally and has access to all the content and networking opportunities across the event program. The conference tracks are dedicated to diversity and leadership, accessibility, education, and gamedev practices. Through workshops and mentoring sessions we wish to help you in advancing in your career! NOTE: As venue has set capacity of attendees, once the in-person tickets are "sold out" we will have open form to fill in with the waiting list. In case of cancellations the spots would be filled on "first come first served" basis. For more information fee free to visit our pages wlovegames.org

Monitor Roadshow is the Nordic region’s biggest touring B2B trade fair for audio, video and lighting professionals in the broadcast and AV industry, focusing on technology, networking and sales. Distributors all share the same booth space in a silent sphere so that you, as an attendee , can get the most out of the meeting, without any distractions. No more overly crowded and over sized booths, no more aggressive sale offers, and no more deafening loud noises from every angle. Monitor Roadshow is built to facilitate the meeting between you and the exhibitor, with no distractions.

HELSEED x Lovable: Idea to Implementation 22.10. at 16.30–19.30 | at Think Nook, Think Corner, second floor Turn your idea into a working prototype in one evening. This workshop combines a Slush presentation and prep session with hands-on vibe-coding using Lovable. Every participant receives around 100 free credits to build with. You'll get to work on your own idea, showcase your prototype to the group, and hear about HELSEED funding opportunities along the way. Limited to 30 participants, sign up to secure your spot! Schedule TBA https://www.thinkcompany.fi/what-we-do/programs/helseed-workshops

Do you have an exciting business idea? Do you need concrete advice on how to develop it? Is funding the last string for you to start your entrepreneurial journey? We offer you the knowledge and support you need to take steps forward towards starting a company and being your own boss! More info TBA https://www.thinkcompany.fi/what-we-do/programs/helseed-workshops

Are you building startup communities? Are you investing in startups? Are you running startup programs? Are you on a mission to help startups grow? If the answer is yes, then this is the right event for you! Maria 01 — one of Europe’s leading startup communities — is excited to host our annual Global Startup Ecosystem Mixer on 17 November (Day 0 of Slush). We’re bringing together peers from across the startup landscape: VCs, seed funds, startup hubs, accelerators, incubators, and tech event organisers to strengthen ties, share ideas, and expand our networks of trusted ecosystem leaders. Last year, we brought together nearly 200 guests from 35 countries, representing over 150 key ecosystem organisations. What to expect: It’s the perfect opportunity to learn, share, and spark new ecosystem partnerships. Whether you’re expanding an existing network or building one from scratch, this is your moment to start creating meaningful connections with like-minded peers. This event is all about high-quality networking in an intimate setting. Every guest has been carefully selected, and we’re excited to connect you with peers from Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Denmark, Germany, France, Iceland, Norway, the UK, Japan, Singapore, and beyond.