By Aino Bergius, CEO at Slush
Slush evolves as the ecosystem around us changes, new tech emerges, and founders’ needs shift. We take all of this into account when planning the event—from the big picture to the smallest detail. Here’s a rundown of what’s new this year:
1. More Facilitated Connections for Founders
At Slush 2024, we’re doubling down on our commitment to being the most founder-focused event in the world. Here’s how:
Increased Investor Office Hours: We’ve doubled the capacity of our exclusive Investor Office Hours, creating more opportunities for startups and investors to connect behind closed doors. Startups come to Slush to meet investors—and vice versa—so we’re scaling up these sessions to ensure those meetings happen. Investors like Index Ventures, 500 Global, and Playfair will host sessions, offering focused discussions on topics they care about and gathering relevant startups in the room.
Expanded Founders Day: Founders often feel isolated, so we don’t just focus on facilitating investor-startup connections—we’re also dedicated to helping founders find peers to network with. After all, fellow founders are the ones who truly understand what you’re going through. Bigger and better than ever, Founders Day is designed as a relaxed yet impactful day for you to connect with peers and learn from the mistakes of industry veterans—no BS, just value.
Mentoring Opportunities: We’re bringing speakers closer to you through mentoring sessions and roundtable discussions, ensuring conversations continue long after the stage talks end. Startup Stage speakers—featuring 60 leading early-stage founders from Europe and beyond—will host roundtables, while Founder Stage speakers will lead thematic chamber discussions on the intersection of technology and society, the challenges of young ventures, and critical trends shaping the startup ecosystem.
Partner Pods: We’re launching small, intimate sessions designed to curate highly relevant connections between startups and partners. These aren’t just meetings—they’re focused, meaningful discussions that ensure you connect with the right people at the right time. No buzz, just deeper conversations.
2. Enhanced Investor <> Investor Offerings
This year, we’ve curated our most exclusive and high-level investor program yet:
Unrivaled LP Lineup: If you’re a VC looking to raise funding, there’s no better place than Slush 2024. We’re bringing together the most relevant and concentrated group of limited partners anywhere, including esteemed RAISE committee members like Foobar, Oxford University, Top Tier Capital Partners, and LGT Capital Partners. Altogether, our LPs manage a combined total of $6 trillion in assets.
Investor Day Reimagined: Investor Day is back at the iconic Cable Factory, where it all began. The entire day is designed to facilitate the most relevant investor-to-investor discussions, featuring various formats like roundtables, 1-on-1 mentoring, networking, and LP Lounges. It’s like stepping back into Slush 2011—this time, with investors only.
3. A 7-star Event Experience From Start to Finish
We live by the mantra: “If the basics don’t work, nothing else matters.” Here’s how we’re ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish:
Reinvented Food Experience: We’re making food a highlight, not an afterthought. With a fully revamped menu (taste-tested by the Slush Team), more restaurant options with warm foods, and seamless service, we’re serving up a better experience for everyone. We also have a totally new order & pick-up functionality for Food Court and Founder Restaurant coming up. Plus, Partner Booth Food Delivery brings your meal right to you, so you can keep the conversations flowing.
Unmatched Networking: You asked—we delivered. This year, we’re excited to offer the largest meeting capacity in Slush history, with the ability to host over 25,000 1-on-1 meetings in just two days. It’s now easier than ever to connect with the most relevant people in the startup ecosystem.
Slush Magic: For Slush 2024, our team’s North Star is creating a 7-star experience. In a world accustomed to the five-star standard, a 7-star experience at Slush 2024 goes beyond the ordinary. This year, we’re pushing the boundaries of what it means to build a startup event. We aim to create not just memorable, but truly transformative moments from the first steps in to the last steps out. Want to find out what that looks like?
I’m counting down the days until Slush 2024—see you soon in Helsinki.
— Aino Bergius, CEO of Slush