01 Oct HOT Sep/Oct Nordic/Baltic Tech News, Events and Opportunities

Hello all and Welcome to our latest newsletter…

September has been an exciting month for us and one of the highlights of the year, or even two years – you could say, as our team finally met (some, for the first time) as we hosted our first “in-person” event, since February 2020.

Nothing beats sitting down together and planning, bouncing ideas around, brainstorming, and putting things in to action – all in one afternoon.

The Tech Nordic Advocates community has grown and thrived over the last two years, but is founded on the principles of meeting and helping one another face to face, through networking, expert talks, coaching sessions and mentorship. We are delighted to be back doing what we do best – bringing people together, making introductions, connecting businesses, and making sure sh*t happens!

With that in mind, we have a lot of news to share on plans for Q4, so let’s get straight to the updates, and tell you more about our highlights and plans…

“WOMEN IN TECH” COMMUNITY. LATEST NEWS… 

International Women-in-Tech Growth Programme Celebration Event, City of Copenhagen Town Hall, hosted by the Mayor of Copenhagen

On September 22nd, in the Banqueting Suite of the City of Copenhagen Town Hall, we gathered over 200 national and international guests – tech startups, scaleups, serial entrepreneurs, mentors, growth partners, investors, ambassadors and other prominent guests to celebrate the success to date, and launch the next stages of our International Women-in-Tech Startup & Scaleup Growth Programme, hosted by Cecilia Lonning-SkovgaardMayor of Employment and Integration, supported by our partners Industriens FondKPMG DenmarkMagnussonNetcompanyLondon Stock Exchange, and the Embassies of the US, Canada, UK, Estonia and Pakistan.


The Banqueting Suite boiled over with excitement, motivation, inspiration, stimulating discussions and networking.  Thank you to the Mayor for hosting us, and to our moderators Sahra-Josephine Hjorth of CanopyLAB and Lisbeth Nedergaard of Kreab Copenhagen for steering us through super interesting panels AND last but not least, the incredible tech founders on this programme. You can view the full event programme here. Special thanks to our wonderful event photographer, Katrine Hellerwho captured the event so well, and has given us some amazing images, and memories, that we can continue to share.

Whilst on the Women-in-Tech theme, we are delighted to announce that our CEO and Founder, Jeanette Carlsson has been voted a finalist in the Nordic Women in Tech Awards in the category of “Women in Tech – Advocate of the year“.

 

 

Congratulations also to Ida Bjerga – Managing Director & Co-founder of Noise Studio, and mentee on Cohort 3 of our Women in Tech, International Mentoring Programme, for being a finalist in the category of Entrepreneur of the Year.

We’re really looking forward to the ‘Awards’ ceremony at KPMG Denmark on 11th November.

Stay tuned to our Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook pages for details on how you can vote for them in the
upcoming people’s vote – starting next week, on October 4th.

 

 


A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

We’re delighted to welcome London Stock Exchange (LSEg) to the Tech Nordic Advocates partner community and look forward to working with LSEg  led by Tamara Gehring, Head of Western Europe and Nordics, Primary and Capital Markets:

London Stock Exchange is proud to continue our support for the dynamic group of individuals and entrepreneurs in Denmark and the Nordics via our collaboration with Tech Nordic Advocates.

As the most international exchange in the world, we look forward to working with the Danish and Nordic tech entrepreneurs and supporting the ecosystem’s ability to access competitive international finance in London to support growth and innovation.”

We would also like to thank Tamara and LSEg for their excellent contribution to our Women-in-Tech Programme to date. As we have been saying, LSEg and access to international finance is now only an SMS away.

You can follow London Stock Exchange and Tamara Gehring via LinkedIn or Twitter.

Also joining us as a new business member and partner is Netcompany – the leading IT/Business consultancy partner with a clear vision to be Northern European leader in how digital transformation can create strong, sustainable societies, successful companies and improve the quality of life for all.

At Netcompany, we believe in improving people’s lives through digitisation. Today’s IT talents play a very important part in this. Entrepreneurs make a tremendous impact on society, and we want to help pave the way for all talents in the industry. We have joined TNA to support this important agenda by offering mentorship to entrepreneurs who have the courage and believe in their business idea. We are excited to be on board.”, says André Rogaczewski, CEO and co-founder, Netcompany

A very warm welcome to London Stock Exchange and Netcompany – more TNA partners to partner with to support mutual growth!


NEWS FROM…SWEDEN 

Our Board Member and COO for Sweden, Barry O’Brien, recently visited Malmö, to meet the community and discover some of the latest developments happening in the city, including new hubs and big plans for launching incubators and programmes for Women in Tech. Thanks to Zeynep Erdal from Malmö Stad, for showing Barry around and introducing him to lots of amazing ecosystem stars.

To meet Barry in Stockholm, discuss investment scouting, membership or strategic partnerships, reach out to him via email, here.

 

 

Starting October 22, 2021
Let’s Hack for Earth!

JOIN US AS A MENTOR

As part of our partnership with the Hack for Earth Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations and the Swedish pavilion at Expo2020, we shall be mentoring teams during the 2 week global online hackathon – Hack for Earthhelping them to tackle the issues faced in SDG #5 – Gender Equality.

The goal is to bring people and organisations from all over the world together to find real solutions to the 17 global goals. All 190+ participating countries at the upcoming world exhibition Expo2020, and their citizens, are invited to join the Hack for Earth.

If you are interested in being a mentor during October, to support the teams with a few hours over the 2 weeks, please email Barry O’Brien for more information.


NEWS FROM…FINLAND 

Our friends at Nordic Startup School have one final space on their Autumn programme for our community. The program for startups is a 3-month program where founders touch on value prop refinement, customer experimentation, and branding, along with meeting over 50+ mentors from all backgrounds. Nordic Startup School is a community of entrepreneurs, mentors, experts, and investors. They build international startups together with ambitious founders.
Apply here before October 1st.

OUR NEW HOME IN HELSINKI:
We are delighted to partner with Epicenter Helsinki – our new home in Helsinki and base in Finland.

Epicenter’s are known across the Nordics for their high energy, vibrant communities and for connecting the right people at the right time – a true reflection of our ethos. We’re really excited to be working with Epicenter, Helsinki to bring our local and international members, partners and events there in the coming months.


NEWS FROM…DENMARK 


We are always pleased to support Danish innovators, and were recently invited to be interviewed by the fantastic podcast host and mentor, Hannah Becher.

With the podcast and mentorship program, BrainFruits is encouraging women to harness tech, problem-solving & emotional skills to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.

The conversation dived deep into the purpose and mission of TNA and how women role models, networking, collaboration, innovation and the right skill- and mindset can boost growth opportunities for Nordic/Baltic startups, scaleups and the sector as a whole, to grow the Nordics/Baltics into a leading global tech hub. You can listen and also watch the chat, here

Tech BBQ was a great success in Copenhagen this month, meeting so many new people from the Nordic ecosystem including investors and cool startups.

Special mention goes to the ladies from Crowberry Capital who we met and discussed investment opportunities and collaboration plans across the Nordic region.

It was exciting to hear about their new fund and diversity focus, and we fully plan to send lots of great female founders their way.


NEWS FROM…NORWAY  

This month our Norwegian Board Member, Susanne Hannestad, featured on a panel at Oslo Innovation Week to share her fintech expertise, discussing “Will the Nordics become the FinTech and open banking innovation capital of the world?”
More about the discussion can be found here

 


NEWS FROM THE BALTICS 

This month we discovered a great article that highlights a lot of what we already know, and tell our global network:
“Why the Baltics are becoming the hottest startup region in Europe…”
“..the Baltics attracted five times more funding per capita than other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
And investors show no signs of slowing down –Latvia’s Printify just closed an eye-watering $45M Series A, while Lithuanian Interactio closed its own $30M Series A earlier this year.

Read the full article from Silicon Canelshere


STARTUP OF THE MONTH! 

This month we are highlighting the great work of Swedish LegalTech company Legitify, founded by the amazing entrepreneur and mentor, Aida Lutaj

About Legitify: Authenticating and validating documents in person is still done via an outdated in person process, which lacks digitalization and modern technology in many countries around the world.

Legitify bring digitalization to legal services in Europe and beyond, starting with Legitify’s remote online notarization (RON) solution.

The solution improves efficiency, streamlines processes and saves valuable time for our customers during each transaction, while adding real-time convenience to their notarization needs.

Make sure to reach out and connect with Aida here


UPCOMING EVENTS

Navigating the Finnish Tax Jungle, October 4th
Navigating the Finnish Tax Jungle: Secure your business for the future.
Paying taxes in Finland is like a walk in the park…or not really. To be honest, it can be quite the jungle to navigate the Finnish tax system as a business.

Join this Master Class and learn everything you need to know related to the Finnish legal systems and taxation FAQs. Experts from the Finnish tax office, Attorneys-at-law Magnusson Ltd and PwC Finland will answer all your questions. The Speakers:

  • Kate Kondrunina, EMEA Startup Network Senior Associate, PwC Finland;
  • Miika Wires, Senior Advisor, Finnish Tax Office;
  • Pekka Keloneva, Specialist Counsel, Attorney-At-Law, Magnusson LTD.;
  • The number of seats is limited. So grab yours as quickly as possible!

(Event is opened for internal and external members). Get your ticket here
Gothenburg Tech Week, October 26, Gothenburg
We are partnering with Gothenburg Tech Week to run this in-depth panel discussion, featuring our CEO and Founder, Jeanette Carlsson:
WHAT MAKES A GREAT TECH ECOSYSTEM?
October 26, 10.30 – 11.30 CET
Join us for a discussion about tech eco systems, locally and globally. What cities are in the top levels? Are there any success factors? What are essential ingredients to build and develop a  nurturing environment for the unicorns of tomorrow to grow from?
Register for the event here

 

 

 

Access to (International) Growth Finance,  25th Nov, 12.00-15.00, EpiCenter, Stockholm
Are you a growth stage tech co? Raising growth capital to finance your scaleup/international expansion? DO NOT miss this unique chance to pitch to Swedish, Nordic/Baltic and International investors at thid LIVE event in partnership with Connect Sverige and the Microsoft Reactor at our Stockholm home: EpiCenter, Stockholm Thursday 25 November 12.00 to 15.00. 
Pre-registration here. Follow our social media for more updates.

Singapore FinTech Festival, 8-12 Nov, Singapore
Singapore FinTech Festival returns on 8-12 Nov with a week-long celebration of FinTech. Attended by 60,000 participants from 160 countries in 2020, this year’s event will foster an open dialogue between the public and private sector to advance FinTech in the digital economy. SFF 2021 will take place with a hybrid format, bringing together a digital platform with a flagship event in Singapore, as well as a distributed network of World FinTech Festival events in key FinTech hubs. Join us at the world’s largest FinTech Festival and forge business partnerships, network with peers and hear from industry leaders!
Tech Nordic Advocates (TNA) members enjoy 20% off digital tickets (applicable to existing ticket rates). Register now: https://bit.ly/3BlI2hD

Slush, 1-2 December, Helsinki, Finland
We are looking forward to SLUSH again this year, as they bring the world’s tech community back to Helsinki on December 1st and 2nd to convene the world’s leading founders, investors, executives, and media for a curated gathering of 8,000 attendees at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre.  This year, we are teaming up with Helsinki Business Hub and other partners:


And hear more about our international startup/scaleup growth programmes with focus on:

  • Women in tech growth programme
  • Startup /international investor matching
  • Access to global growth mentors and partners and lots more

Please pre-register here: connect@technordicadvocates.org


IMPORTANT INFO FROM OUR PARTNERS TO SUPPORT YOUR GROWTH 

In Magnusson‘s latest article from their Swedish office, Magnusson’s head of IP Helena Rönqvist shares her contribution to the Swedish chapter for “The Legal 500: Intellectual Property, Country Comparative Guide”.This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Intellectual Property laws and regulations applicable in Sweden.

You can see the full article via their blog here and learn how Magnusson can support you here ??

Interested to understand more about Crypto and Blockchain?

TNA member 4ire Labs have many articles about crypto and blockchain development PLUS expert guides that cover a lot on this new and fascinating topic.

Read their latest article on the subject of How to Audit Smart Contracts and Why It’s Important and learn more about how they can help you, by getting in touch 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 investors from 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.


TNA TALKS THIS MONTH…
Stay tuned for two new episodes this month on the topic of Sustainability, featuring Zesta and evolvTWe shall be discussing many things including – How do brands and leaders/boards prepare AND execute their ESG Strategy?

Don’t forget to watch previous episodes over on our YouTube Channel, featuring insights on starting and growing a tech company, securing investment, IPO’s and international expansion.


GLOBAL TECH ADVOCATES (GTA) NEWS

Russ Shaw CBE, founder of Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates wrote a great review article after partnering with London Tech Week: Global Tech Advocates (GTA) hosted tech leaders from five continents to discuss tech innovation’s role in tackling climate change with examples from their local ecosystems, and practically demonstrating a benefit of having the UK at the centre of the world’s time zones.

The presentations covered the extraction of CO2 from the atmosphere in Mexico using algae, investment in the UK’s net zero businesses from India and the net zero pioneering businesses led by female founders in the Nordics.” Read the full article here

 

 

 This month we welcomed the latest member to the Global Tech Advocates family – the Tech Australia Advocates.

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

Remember: Tech Nordic Advocates is the Nordic/Baltic arm of Global Tech Advocates (GTA) – the world’s only global tech/startup ecosystem spanning 21 global tech hubs.

Did you know we have our own global tech magazine? Check out GTA Connects 
Check out also our Tech for Net Zero ‘Resource Hub’ via the link

Launching soon:

  • Tech UAE Advocates will launch on 19th October
  • Tech Korea Advocates will launch week of 22nd November
  • Tech Nanjing Advocate – launching 2022
  • ​Tech South West England Advocates will launch in early 2022

IN THE PRESS
We’re delighted with the significant volume of Press our Women-in-Tech Growth Programme is attracting, here from Danish Press / Media (in Danish). International Press Coverage to follow – stay tuned!

For all the latest media articles about us and our partners, make sure to visit our blog