A group of 10 Scottish entrepreneurs selected for the Helsinki technology trip
The cohort of 10 Scottish entrepreneurs selected to travel to Helsinki next month for an event that includes attending the Finnish capital’s annual Slush technology conference has been announced.
The selected cohort of 10 is: Christian Arno of Pawprint; Cally Russell of We Are Unfolded; Ross Toomer of Care Reality; Alex Lu of PortF.io; Dagmara Aldridge of Zumo; Janani Prabhakaran, Unbagged; SENSEcity’s Pooja Katara; Duncan Di Biase, Brillband; Euan Cameron of Willo and; Victoria Fullarton from Toto Sleep.
Helsinki trip 12.-20.11. supported by the Scottish Government and the business organization Scottish Development International (SDI). The Scottish cohort, joined earlier this year by tech incubator CodeBase, which received a Tech Scaler contract, aims to connect with the international startup community, peer-to-peer learning, investor engagement and learning ecosystem best practices. -building according to the Finnish model.
Appreciated as “the world’s best startup event”, Slush will take place on the 17th-18th. November, more than 4,000 startups and more than 2,000 investors. Slush 2022 Foras was designed by Startup Grind Scotland directors Dec McLaughlin, Nick Murray and Carolina Melendez.
The Helsinki trip follows the success of a similar trip to Silicon Valley in April, with both visits stemming from Mark Logan’s Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review in 2020, with Logan recently saying of the Helsinki initiative: “To build world-class companies, Startup founders should always be outward-looking and learn from best practices and frames around the world.
The cohort will also visit Nokia, Maria01, Startup Sauna and Aalto University for presentations, supported by local agent and Startup Grind Helsinki director Kelvin Chikezie.
Carolina Melendez, Head of Operations at Startup Grind Scotland, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing together a very diverse cohort, not only in terms of focus and stage of business growth, but also in terms of age, ethnicity, gender and experience. Handpicked from across this amazing country, our representatives are a true example of Scotland’s diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“We know that travel brings inspiration and professional opportunities, but the ‘Foras’ model also encourages trust, openness and fostering peer relationships within the group. The cohort returns with valuable experiences, new connections and a global mindset that we hope will benefit Scotland’s tech ecosystem as a whole.”
Janani Prabhakaran, founder of travel tech startup, Unbaggaged, said: “As a young and colorful woman starting a business, it can sometimes be difficult to get on the same level as local entrepreneurs who have established networks here in Scotland. I am ready to make the most of this opportunity to connect with cohort founders, get inspired by new ideas from the new ecosystem, and build international relationships to help grow the business to its full potential.”
Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan Mckee MSP, said: “I am delighted that, on behalf of the Scottish Government, we have been able to support Start-Up Grind Scotland with this excellent initiative following the success of the Ecosystem Fund. supported the Silicon Valley program in April. It offers a diverse group of entrepreneurs a great opportunity to access new networks, share ideas and ultimately return with fresh perspectives to guide them in expanding their business.
“Encouraging the growth of our start-up ecosystem can have a truly transformative impact on the Scottish economy. By ensuring we are outward-facing and exposing founders to new experiences, we will become a true Start-up Nation where achieving scale is a reality for our entrepreneurs.