Finland Times

At Slush, Europe’s most significant startup and technology event held in Helsingin Messukeskus on Nov 30 to Dec 1, 2016, Oulu has demonstrated that 2014-2015 was a very successful period for it.

Fifteen new international ICT companies opened their sites in Oulu in 2014-2015 and in 2016 Oulu-based companies have already received 45 million euros in venture capital investments.

The non-profit organisation Slush has grown from a startup-like gathering of 300 people to one of the world’s main events in the field. Oulu and companies from Oulu were strongly present at their shared Stand 6 B 23 at Slush for the first time.

Presenting themselves with BusinessOulu were eight companies providing IoT services and products. The companies involved ranged a wide spectrum of industries. Spent and Taviq represent finance; Rugged Tooling, ROHM Semiconductor, and Haltian represent ICT and cybersecurity; Valtavalo represents Cleantech and energy efficiency, Koukoi Games represents Oulu’s game know-how, and Goodwiller represents health and wellness.

Oulu has thus been proven beyond any doubt that it is one of the world’s most significant startup centres. Companies in Oulu extensively represent different sectors, painting a picture of Oulu’s versatile structure of trade and industry.

Oulu’s strengths lie especially in Life Science (OuluHealth, bioindustry, health and welfare), as well as ICT and IoT know-how. The development of the future 5G networks is already well underway in Oulu, and 5G Open Innovation Platform test network is already available for companies to utilise.

Altogether 17,500 technology experts, startups, big businesses, investors and media representatives met at Slush 2016, organised by a community consisting of entrepreneurs, investors, students, and the event’s coordinators themselves. Over 2,000 volunteers were involved.