Founders to Finland 2024 Slush Edition Participants

• Our 7-day program for international scale-up founders, Founders to Finland, will take place November 15th – 22nd, 2024.
• Ten founders were selected to the 2024 cohort. They’ll will arrive in Helsinki to explore and connect with the local business and innovation ecosystem.

Founders to Finland Participants 2024

The Founders to Finland Program is a fast-track for international founders to build a highly relevant professional network in the Nordics. The program takes place in Helsinki over the course of 7 days November 15th – 21st, 2024.

With support from a dedicated advisor from Helsinki Partners, the participants get a support network that helps them grow their business or investment. And why stop at Helsinki? By participating in Slush, Europe’s largest startup event with a complementary ticket, they’ll gain access to a global network of partners and investors.

Through the program, participants find contacts and communities in Helsinki and experience the Finnish culture. One of the most innovative business environments in the world, Helsinki’s focus on RDI and the sense of community make the city an ideal place to establish a presence in Europe.

Keep reading to learn more about the background and ambitions of this year’s participants.

Taranjeet Singh

Innvocon

Taranjeet Singh from India represents Innvocon and brings his background and experience in navigating international markets. His visit to Slush 2023 and its side events sparked his interest in establishing an office in Finland to serve as the hub for Innvocon’s European operations. Their product, SURGE, is an AI-powered SaaS platform designed to enhance workplace management by addressing key HR challenges such as attrition prediction and workflow optimisation. “The strong support networks and access to capital make Helsinki an ideal base for our European expansion”, Taranjeet says. Through Founders to Finland Program, Taranjeet aims to solidify his company’s presence in Europe, leveraging Finland’s thriving ecosystem to drive Innvocon’s success.

Alon and Koren Grinshpoon

echo3D

Alon Grinshpoon and Koren Grinshpoon from USA are seeking growth opportunities for their business in the European market. They see Helsinki, with its innovative 3D and gaming industries, as the ideal place to expand echo3D, their 3D digital asset management business. They are eager to participate in the Founders to Finland Program to foster global collaborations, build valuable connections, and contribute to the vibrant tech ecosystem in Finland and the rest of the EU.

Christian Facey

Audiomob

Christian Facey from the United Kingdom co-founded Audiomob in 2020 alongside Wilfrid Obeng and sits at the helm as the CEO. Under Christian and Wilfrid’s leadership, Audiomob is recognized globally in the advertising industry, with offices in the UK, New York, and Abu Dhabi. As a VC company backed by Google, LightSpeed Ventures, and Makes Fund, Audiomob closed with over $16 million in funding and is valued at over $110 million.

Wilfrid Obeng

Audiomob

Wilfrid Obeng from the United Kingdom co-founded Audiomob in 2020 alongside Christian Facey, where he oversees the company’s technological direction as the CTO. As a passionate inventor, Wilfrid has talked about technology at conferences with Google, TikTok, Linklaters, and the House of Lords, to name a few. Wilfrid is also a patron of the prestigious Amos Bursary Committee, where he consults the board on their technology and social media strategies.

Wilfrid’s many contributions to the industry and success with Audiomob have seen him being named in Forbes 30 Under 30, Futures Fellow, and Rare Rising Star. As well as winning the Start-up Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Luis Valente

iLoF

Luis Valente from the UK is joining Founders to Finland to engage with Helsinki’s dynamic health tech ecosystem. The program helps him access a local network that supports the product development and scaling of his company iLoF. Their innovation is tackling one of today’s most urgent public health challenges: Alzheimer’s disease. Already engaged with various clinical institutions in Finland, Luis aims to strengthen his collaboration with the region to find strategic business development, partners and talent. Luis finds the offering of Founders to Finland is “instrumental in accelerating our growth and impact”.

Elin Flyger

Pinpoint

Elin Flyger from Italy is the CEO of Pinpoint and committed to creating scalable, accessible climate solutions. Pinpoint tackles climate change by cutting industrial energy use up to 60% with AI and IoT, turning machinery into intelligent, autonomous assets. Through Founders to Finland, Elin is expanding Pinpoint’s presence in Finland, joining Italy, Germany, and France in their mission to cover all of Europe.

Eric Trusiewicz

Rondo Energy

Eric Trusiewicz from USA is ready to accelerate his company Rondo Energy deeper into the Nordics. He sees Finland as a perfect market for Rondo’s technology thanks to the fitness of the country’s industrial and electricity markets and business environment.

Chandralika Hazarika

Bigthinx

Chandralika Hazarika from the UK has her eyes on European expansion after rapidly scaling her company Bigthinx rapidly in the US and UK. “I believe that Finland is an evolved market that can benefit from the innovation Bigthinx is bringing to the world of digital 3D, and has the infrastructure, tech talent and right ecosystem for me to create a successful market penetration”, she says. With a background in multinational corporations and a robust global network, she’s eager to connect with the interactive entertainment industry in Helsinki.

Shivang Desai 

Bigthinx

Shivang Desai from the UK is the co-founder, CEO and CTO of the award winning deep-tech fashion and gaming startup, Bigthinx. He is an architect, coder, fiction author, and has been a successful serial tech-entrepreneur for over sixteen years. He previously founded one of the first drone manufacturers in Asia, a marketing and branding company for medical professionals in the USA, and an influencer marketing platform based on the stock markets in Asia. He earned an MBA in Finance & Strategy at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA and speaks at events globally about emerging technology.

Dhruv Singh

Samajh.ai

Dhruv Singh from India joins the Founders to Finland program with a unique perspective – following his participation as a 90 Day Finn spouse, with his wife Parthvee having taken part in the program earlier this year.

As an experienced founder, Dhruv aims to build a sustainable, globally impactful business that leverages Finland’s strengths and contributes to the local ecosystem. He is focused on deepening existing relationships and forging new collaborations. “I look forward to utilising the mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities provided by Founders to Finland to accelerate the growth of my current venture, FoxSight, and explore new avenues within the Finnish market,” Dhruv shares.

The program takes place in Helsinki over the course of 7 days, November 15th – 22nd, 2024. It is designed to support participants in building their professional network in Finland and the Nordics.

If you’re interested in participating in next year’s program you can join the waitlist to be among the first to know when applications reopen.