28 Feb February 2022 Nordic/Baltic Tech News, Events & Opportunities

Hi there and welcome to our February newsletter

“Stronger together” may sound like some clichéd political slogan but it’s impossible to deny the effectiveness of networking and community building. A principal aim behind what we do is to lift the sector and its niches for the greater common good, and in our case the best way of doing so is through getting together. This month’s mammoth newsletter is bursting at the seams with news about new partnerships, collaborations and opportunities for us all to spread our wings.

So, read on, and learn how to join us as an Advocate, startup, mentor or partner, to take advantage of the opportunities we offer across the Nordics and Baltics and globally.

“WOMEN IN TECH” COMMUNITY. LATEST NEWS…

  Let’s start this month in Finland, where 20 founders have been selected for Cohort 1 of the Helsinki Female Tech Founder Frontrunners mentoring programme. The programme kicks off with a launch event in Helsinki 10th of March. Welcome onboard then to the following; Laura Avonius, Founder & CEO, Audicin, Windi Muziasari, CEO, Resistomap, Kirsi Korhonen, Founder, International Fox Agency, Tanja Malo, Founder, International Fox Agency, Jenny Law, CEO, Little Heroes / Lightning Hero, Piia Kuosmanen, Co-founder & CEO, Velbi, Eija KivirantaCEO, Work Pilots, Viktoria Holzmann, CEO, Ateria Enterprises, Shweta Singh, Chief Business Officer, iLu Space, Sonja-Maria Ignatius, Co-Founder & CEO, Kausal, Anna Fatima Sambou, Founder & CEO, Heemlig, Alejandra Cobos, Founder, MindMatters, Krista Paloheimo, Founder & CEO, Handpicked Cherries, Dona Khurana, CEO, Si6nal, Veera Virintie, CEO, Silta Education, Gabrielle Mantell, Founder & CEO, Live By, Jenny Jalasto, CEO and Founder, In & In, Kaisa Savola, CEO, Talbit, Inkeri Borgman, Founder & CEO, Gigle and Feiya Long.

Register to join us 10 March at the Cohort 1 launch here

 On a similar note, welcome too, to San Francisco Agency, who have joined up as a PR Partner for the Helsinki Female Tech Founder Frontrunners programme. Senior Comms & PR Manager Reetta Ilo from the Helsinki based agency will run a session on PR for the programme. Our organisations are very closely aligned, with San Francisco targeting growth-companies and corporate venturing units, building their brands and marketing their products and services.

 We’re also delighted to announce that Kaius Meskanen, CEO of Choicely is joining the programme as a mentor. Choicely’s no-code app development platform offers a simple, fast and affordable platform to build & maintain high quality mobile apps. Native apps have become the primary platform for engaging customers and growing sales and Choicely, which has already worked with clients like ITV Studios / Love Island TV Show apps, Banijay, International Judo Federation, and IMG / Miss Universe app offers a no-code SaaS solution that can be launched at a fraction of the price and time. Welcome aboard Kaius!

 Continuing the “working together” theme, we’re delighted to welcome Vækstfonden (the Danish Growth fund) as partner of Cohort 2 of @TechNordicAdv‘ international Accelerator for high-growth potential tech companies, led by women #Denmark. A strong partnership, which will help us achieve the #International Accelerator goals – Accelerate the scaleup of the participating companies. We look forward to the partnership. And thank you to @Annevind for her leadership.

 Loads going on in Denmark as well this month. Huge congrats are in order for the following who have been selected from Denmark Cohort 1 Bootcamp to the Accelerator!

Hococo –  Katrine Anna Larsen
Workee – Vera Reshetina
Uqualio – Hatla Færch Johnsen
Webrick –  Louise Vinodini Gertz
Dreamplan – Stine Kalmer Jørgensen
MinPlan –  Jette Louise Larsen
Attendwise – Jeannette Eis
VR-Nature – Thuri Kledal
Vain Dane Athletic – Tina Søgaard-Pedersen
The Bubbly Company – Fridda Flensted-Jensen
Rysta – Julia Gebert
Focalx –  Isabella Merrild Agdestein

  This is what TNA partner Netcompany had to say about taking part in this month’s Cohort 1 Bootcamp, selecting the participants for the Cohort1 Accelerator for high-growth potential tech companies led by women event.

Bringing diversity into the IT-workforce is top of mind at Netcompany, so we are happy to partner with Tech Nordic Advocates to support their programme for female-led tech companies with high growth potential. We are happy to support these talented female entrepreneurs on their exciting business development journeys within digitalisation. Thanks to TNA and all supporting partners for making a great effort in lifting this important agenda.” Kind words indeed. We certainly had a blast and it’s nice to hear those involved seem to have done so too!

 Still in Denmark, as if to underline the continuing need for what we do, be sure to check out an interview in Politiken, Denmark’s largest broadsheet, with Catharina Christiansen, Founder of ideal.shop, mentee on our international mentoring programme and Bootcamp 2 Accelerator participant.

In the article, Catharina talks about the need to attract more female entrepreneurs in Denmark in particular, the personal and professional toll the lifestyle can have on female entrepreneurs and how what can often feel like a lonely battle has changed her as a person. She also stresses the value of networks like TNA and the benefits of having contact with people in similar situations to her own.

It’s a good read and a story that many of our members will recognise. See the whole article here (in Danish).


 NEWS FROM .. SWEDEN

Diversity is at the heart of what we do at TNA and our global partners, so we were delighted to hear of the latest successful round of funding for HRTech company Alva Labs who announced an €11.7m injection in February. Founded in 2017, Malcolm Burenstam Linder and Björn Ström, Alva Labs use data and science-driven candidate assessments to help fight regular bias in terms of age, gender and race that can occur in job applications. The new cash injection will go towards their international expansion.

Congratulations too, to Swedish Fintech operator Pej, that develops a mobile-based self-payment solution. The apps, designed to smooth the personal shopping process and reduce queue times have helped Pej successfully complete a $7M capital funding round, raised by existing shareholders Schibsted.

 

 Speaking of Fintech and Sweden, times are (as ever) busy.  STHLM Fintech Week, which was moved to the week of April 19-22, will feature 10 events. Sustainability, cybersecurity Pay tech, Reg Tech and decentralised finance are just a few of the subjects set to be discussed.


 NEWS FROM… DENMARK    
Another upcoming event worth looking out for, especially if you’re in (or looking to get into) Proptech, is the Nordic PropTech Award Final celebrating the most innovative and promising proptech startups in the Nordics. The winners will be unveiled on March 4th from 9.30-10.30am, in an online live-streamed event, with special guest speaker Antony Slumbers from the Real Innovation Academy who will offer pointers on how to make it as a real estate player in 2022.

 NEWS FROM… FINLAND

To mark International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, the U.S Embassy in Finland will present a webinar aimed at helping women advance in the tech sector. We are proud to be one of the partners for the event, along with the likes of Amcham Finland and SelectUSA. Taking place on March 8th at 15.00-16.00 EEST, the event, welcomes female professionals from students to founders, entrepreneurs, executives, and their advocates to network, increase their knowledge on existing organisations for women, find collaboration opportunities, and discuss investments to the USA. Among several speakers will be our founder & CEO, Jeanette Carlsson, and TNA Comms & Media Lead, Eeva Haaramo.

 

 Finland has the most companies using AI in the Nordic region, according to a comprehensive market review carried out by Silo AI, one of the largest private AI laboratories in Europe. The “Nordic State of AI” report also reveals that up to 70% of Nordic companies that use AI plan to recruit more experts in the coming six months. Read more here

 


 NEWS FROM… NORWAY
Recognise that feeling, when you’re in a funding round that somehow the rules or the game have changed? Investment is certainly available (According to CB Insights, global venture funding reached a record of $621 billion in 2021, and more than 100 tech startup ecosystems around the world produced two unicorns or more), but at the same time, there’s no denying the fallout from the pandemic looking ahead. Fredrik Winther, CEO at Norwegian based Katapult Group passes on some interesting insights and opinions on the strategies of venture investors in his latest blog. It’s well worth a read. Find it here


NEWS FROM…THE BALTICS    

Congrats to Estonian CybExer Technologies who have raised €5million in funding led by Karma Ventures, for their ongoing mission to tackle the cyber security skills gap. With cyber attacks becoming ever more frequent and sophisticated, the need to have well trained people to fight them has never been more acute. With a customer base that already covers 30 countries, the latest injection will help CybExer expand its NATO-awarded platform further and continue its growth.

 

NEWS FROM…ICELAND 
Icelandic fintech start-up SalesCloud has received a $4M injection led by SaltPay and a group of Icelandic investors to help with its international expansion plans and further product development. The company’s specialist software, which has handled over 4 million transactions, helps clients increase their sales in-store and online.


STARTUP OF THE MONTH ?

With threats posed by climate change, the search for new forms of food become ever more pressing. And not just for us humans. Insects, we know, offer a high protein alternative to meat and are likely to constitute a valuable food source in the future, not least for our pets. So thumbs up to Swedish food tech company Petgood who have raised $2.1 million for their insect-based dog food. Founded by Pernilla Westergren in 2020, the company’s mission is to reduce the environmental footprint of pet food and the new cash injection will go towards its international expansion, especially in Australia.

 


UPCOMING EVENTS

We’re excited to be partnering with R-22 for the largest robotics, automation and drone fair in the Nordics from March 23-25, Odense Congress Center.

Register here to join us.

We’re running two in-conference events – International Startup Growth Opportunities and Promoting and supporting Female Tech Founders/ Leaders. Check out the Programme here

Our Founder/CEO Jeanette Carlsson is moderating the startup pitches in Hall C- Startup Stage, the Startup Arena 24 March 9.30 – 12.30.

AND come visit us at our stand 4334. Want to demo your Robotics, Automation or Drones solution at our stand, drop us a line here

TECH FOR D&IVERSITY. LONDON 31/3 

Don’t miss the TECH FOR D&IVERSITY 2022 event on March 31, arranged by Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates. The event will be held online, but we’re hoping to also feature a limited in-person audience at Here East, the innovation and technology campus at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Hackney. The programme will feature a raft of high calibre speakers including a senior UK Government Minister, who will attend to deliver a keynote, which is great news. Our own CEO Jeanette Carlsson, and Russ Shaw CBE, Founder of Tech London Advocates & Global Tech Advocates, will also be speaking, along with many others.

Register here

And welcome back London Tech Week! Back from June 13-17 the Festival will showcase the vital role of technology in society and the latest tech breakthroughs, as well as spark new connections with our engaged community of bold and bright entrepreneurs

Register here

 

 


IMPORTANT INFO FROM OUR PARTNERS TO SUPPORT YOUR GROWTH 

Our partner, the Shortcut have launched a new programme aimed at fighting gender imbalance in the startup ecosystem. Starting in March, The Shortcut Spark Academy is a free, eight-month programme for women and non-binary people interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. Participants will learn the necessary skills to open doors to two paths – entrepreneurship and employment in the startup ecosystem. More info at: https://new.theshortcut.org/spark-academy

Looking for legal advice from the best in the business? Our legal partner Magnusson, has been recognized amongst “the crème de la crème of the European legal market.”

Learn more about Magnusson and how they can support you here ??

 

Another valued partner of ours, Netcompany who provide business-critical IT solutions and advice have released the Netcompany ESG Report 2021. 

“The report accounts for our targets, results and initiatives in 2021, covering three important sustainability areas: Environment, social and governance.

We are proud to report on a wide array of initiatives, partnerships and projects that have all contributed to building strong, sustainable societies. Among others, the report holds a case about our valuable partnership with Tech Nordic Advocates”. Read more here: ESG | Reports | Netcompany

In London meanwhile, our friends at the London Stock Exchange have published an informative article on the “New Rules for the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market to enhance the markets’ attractiveness.”
Read more here: Issuer Services | London Stock Exchange

 

Interested to understand more about Crypto and Blockchain?

TNA member 4ire Labs are our go-to experts. They recently launched their latest tech service – NFT Marketplace Developmentand also offer many clear articles about crypto, NFTs and blockchain development, PLUS expert guides that extensively cover these new and fascinating technologies.

 

 


IN THE PRESS /MEDIA

It’s always good to hear the word spreading about our great community so the more our organisation crops up in the international media, the more validation we get for the work we do.

With this in mind, in the cold months of winter our hearts were warmed to read Computer Weekly’s coverage of both our International Mentoring Programme in Denmark, and, in Finland, the Helsinki Tech Founder Frontrunner Programme. The lengthy piece features contributions from our Founder & CEO Jeanette Carlsson and TNA Board member Tommo Koivusalo.
Read the full article here

 


FROM US…. RAISING CAPITAL TO SUPPORT YOUR GROWTH?

? Did you know we offer a Startup/Investor Scouting Programme, connecting fundraising startups/scaleups with suitable investorsfrom our network? If you’re a startup/scaleup raising funds, get in touch here.

If you’re an investor looking for deal flow, please email us for an introduction.

OR COULD YOU DO WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM A FRIEND? ? Could a Mentor help you?Did you know that we offer a global mentoring programme matching our Advocates with mentors across the globe from our Global Tech Advocates network, spanning over 20 tech hubs globally? Join today (Solo membership or Business Membership) and get access to top quality mentors across all continents, who can help accelerate your growth.


GLOBAL TECH ADVOCATES (GTA) NEWS

At the current rate of our global networks’ growth it will be easier to list the countries and regions that don’t have a GTA branch!

Tech India Advocates is now fully up and running, we did a soft launch of Tech Southwest England Advocates last month, and this month Tech Korea Advocates has followed suit. Elsewhere, you can expect to hear more about our UAE launch in the spring, Tech Berlin Advocates on May 12th, and agreements have been signed for Florida (making it the second group in the U.S) as well as Ghana and Nigeria in Africa….there’s no stopping us!

Keep your eyes and ears open for more exciting news in the months ahead.

On the events front, TLA Black Women in Tech have organised an event together with Deutsche Bank in London on March 10th. Navigating your way out of middle management, “Influencing your industry & Rising above the Stereotype” is aimed at helping those in the industry shoot down the clichés and give them the necessary tools to escape the trap of middle management and increase their influence.

It’s been a busy start to 2022 for Tech Netherlands Advocates, who have launched their Diverse Founders Programme. The three-month Accelerator helps early-stage tech start-ups focused on female founders and founders of colour in the Netherlands, raise funding. The part-time programme, held in Rotterdam, runs over three weekends, from May until July.

Also, we’re pleased to announce that Future Energy Ventures has become a GTA partner and sponsor, and will play an active role in supporting the Tech for Net Zero campaign and Resource Hub: https://fev.vc

 

Russ Shaw, Founder of Global Tech Advocates was widely quoted about the findings of the latest State of European Tech Report report, prepared by venture capital firm Atomico. The report found that Europe accounted for 33% of total capital invested worldwide in early-stage startups this year – putting it on par with the U.S for the first time and underlined the high hopes for 2022 on the back of 100 new unicorns and startups totalling more than $1 billion in 2021. Despite the encouraging signs however, it came with a note of caution too, in terms of women and minority-led companies – research found that mixed and diverse teams accounted for just 9% of the total capital raised by tech firms in Europe in 2021.

“We cannot allow record investment figures to paper over a reasonable lack of progress in rectifying the lack of diversity in the industry. Diversity in technology is unforgivably bad,” said Shaw.

Remember: Tech Nordic Advocates is the Nordic/Baltic arm of Global Tech Advocates (GTA) – the world’s only global tech/startup ecosystem spanning 22 global tech hubs.

Did you know we have our own global tech news hub? Check out GTA Connects

If you are interested to expand from the Nordics and Baltics, into the UK, or any other 20+ places globally in our Tech London Advocates & Global Tech Advocates network, reach out to us at Tech Nordic Advocates for an intro.


LiKE WHAT YOU READ BUT NOT A MEMBER YET?


Here’s what you’re missing:

Access to Northern Europe’s largest and only pan-Nordic/Baltic tech/startup ecosystem network spanning the 5 Nordic & 3 Baltic countries

  • FREE attendance at our Events/webinars (non-members pay a standard event pass fee)
  • Discounted ticket prices for Partner events exclusively for TNA’rs
  • Access to our startup/investor scouting programme
  • Access to our global mentoring programme – senior experts who have been there, done it and got the t-shirt!
  • Access to Tech Nordic Advocates partners who can help you grow and scale your business
  • Access to Global Tech Advocates: the world’s only GLOBAL tech/startup network
  • Personal Branding: Unique opportunity to promote yourself to Nordic/Baltic tech leaders
  • New tech sector career opportunities: Looking for your next job? Where else to look than in our network?
  • Looking for tech talent? Unique access to top digital/tech talent in the Nordic/Baltic/international tech sector

Join the community today: Solo (Advocate) membership or Business Membership
Stay Tuned and Stay Safe!

And finally, before we go, an apology. In last month’s newsletter we ran a story about the exciting 90 Day Finn Programme. Unfortunately, there was a small typo in the URL supplied by us, which we are happy to correct here. Both the following links are live – good luck to those who take part!

https://www.helsinkipartners.com/90-day-finn/
http://90dayfinn.fi/