ArcticStartup, the Helsinki-based news blog covering breaking startup news from the Nordics and Baltics, is proud to announce the upcoming “Arctic15: Exit Path” conference, which will pull in an estimated 800 entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate M&A advisors in Helsinki on May 27th and 28th.
More than 20 international speakers will attend the conference, including Trip Hawkins, Founder of Electronic Arts and Digital Chocolate, and Justin Waldron, Zynga co-founder.
Rather than a celebration of startup companies, Arctic15: Exit Path is focusing on providing real business value to attendees through practical talks and key networking sessions. Over the two days the conference will cover the funding, scaling, and exiting challenges that entrepreneurs and investors face.
“As tech writers we love a narrative, which is why we’re leading our attendees through every stage of a startup’s lifecycle – from forming a team, getting that first funding, scaling, and then the exit,” says Dmitri Sarle, Russian expat and CEO at ArcticStartup.
“We’re really pushing to see Russian investors and startups alike to attend Arctic15, as we feel it’s the ideal opportunity for them to meet and plug into the new game changers in the Nordic tech scene”, Sarle adds.
Arctic15: Exit Path will additionally have a small focus on acquisitions and IPOs of startup companies supported by a pre-conference workshop for business angels and entrepreneurs by Dr. Basil Peters, author of Early Exits. At the event. corporations will be up on stage “reverse pitching” to entrepreneurs in order to build ties for partnerships or acquisitions. Successful exits, like acquisitions, are the lifeblood of the startup ecosystem by giving investors return on their investment.
“In addition to the best fifteen startups pitching from the region, this year for the first time we’ll introduce Reverse Pitching, where large corporations get to pitch to startups about their strategy and business challenges they are looking to solve with the help of startups. And of course scout for potential talent and companies to acquire,” adds Jan Ameri, Event Director.
Arctic 15 is supported by Nokia, Tekes and several other key international and regional players.
For more information about this event, please click here.
