Slush is a global tech and business event in Helsinki “In fact, the technology industry is Finland's largest export sector and the most significant industry, said Salla Tuominen, partner at DLA Piper in Helsinki. “Both Finland and Israel provide a good environment for start-ups and share the same interest for entrepreneurial passion and creativity. The basis for this lies in the excellent educational and academic systems and the similar positive and encouraging attitudes towards higher education in both countries,” she added. Finnish start-ups raised a record-breaking amount of venture capital investments from domestic and foreign investors in the first half of 2021 – the total amount of last year's investments has already been exceeded in the early part of the year alone. The good fundraising years of Finnish venture capital funds indicates that further growth in investment activity is on the horizon – and there have been a number of key transactions. “DoorDash’s acquisition of Finland’s Wolt [Wilson Sonsini and Allen & Overy advised, while Israeli law firm EBN advised DoorDash on the Israeli aspects] is probably the latest notable transaction. Israel has been one of the best performing markets for Wolt and 83North was one the largest investors bringing good returns to them. Also Playtika, in the gaming sector, did their second acquisition from Finland, at the end of August, when they bought Finland-based mobile apps company Reworks Oy for USD 600 million,” points out Sääskeläinen. More collaborations are expected – on the back of some outstanding technology events held in Finland. For example, Slush is an international technology and growth business event held annually in Helsinki, Finland, since 2008. The event aims to connect start-ups and investors. To put Slush in global context, it gatheredover 1,700 investors globally representing close to USD 1 trillion in AUM in total. That makes Slush one of the largest gatherings of venture capital in the world in 2021 and one of the biggest VC events ever, anywhere. It’s important to remember that Slush is not only Finnish, Nordic or European event as its participants are coming all over the world. Moreover, the leading technology event in the Nordic countries, Teknologia 22, will be held in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2022. The theme of the event is Solutions for Sustainable Future. In technology, Finland shines. Finland ranks among the strongest markets in healthcare technology in the world, with digital health among its largest highFinland: Among the strongest markets in healthcare technology
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