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Slush Week Experience 2026

Title:  Slush Week Experience 2026

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Topic: “Entrepreneurship in 2026”, keywords: ENGAGE.EU Entrepreneurial Pathways, startup, scaleup, business, Slush, ENGAGE.EU Hot Desks initiative

Date: November 16-17 (with optional offering on November 18-20); Duration: 2-5 days.

Format: IN PERSON

Application Deadline: 4 October, 23:59 CET

Programme

You can view and the download the entire programme at this link: ENGAGE.EU Slush Week Experience Program 2026

About the Activity

This activity welcomes ENGAGE.EU-affiliated startups with traction and administrative staff working with Open Innovation Labs and entrepreneurship to come to Helsinki during Slush, experience the Slush ecosystem using our co-working spaces as your homebase, and participate in Hanken Business Lab’s side events (see attached PDF for more info on the programme and schedule).

Please note we are not providing tickets to Slush itself. This activity is a part of ENGAGE.EU’s “Entrepreneurial Pathways”. Read more about the host, Hanken Business Lab, here.

About the Challenges

This activity directly addresses the challenges of 1) European cross-border startup scaling, 2) navigating fragmented EU markets, 3) navigating major international startup and entrepreneurship events, and 4) shortage of pathways that support startups driving real societal transformation and contribute to positive change.

Expected Impact

1) Startups with traction and internationalisation readiness and/or potential

  • Direct connection to the Greater Helsinki and New Nordic Entrepreneurial Ecosystems with an aim to establish new, long-term contacts;
  • Significantly expanded global networks via active participation in Slush side events;
  • Upskilling (pitching, presentation, and more)
  • Free working space in central Helsinki for entire stay via ENGAGE.EU Hot Desk Initiative
  • Long-term connections and peer learning opportunities with other ENGAGE.EU-affiliated startups

2) Administrative staff from ENGAGE.EU institutions

  • Open Innovation Labs-related upskilling via coordinated benchmarking and peer learning opportunities;
  • Strengthened expertise exchange within the Entrepreneurial Pathways initiative (ENGAGE.EU Work Package 6, Task 6.3)
  • Significantly expanded global networks via active participation in Slush side events;
  • Free working space in central Helsinki for entire stay via ENGAGE.EU Hot Desk

Activity Overview

This year’s programme consists of events, opportunities, and expert advice that target startups with traction and administrative staff affiliated with ENGAGE.EU institutions. The participants get the following:

  • Access to exclusive ENGAGE.EU events on November 16 (“EuroPitch”, “Founder Dinner”);
  • Tickets for “Unicorn Night”, November 17 (Hanken Business Lab’s annual Slush community side event);
  • Access to Hanken Business Lab’s co-working spaces for the entire duration of their stay;
  • Networking opportunities;
  • Pre-arrival onboarding call a month before the visit (see PDF program for more details)

Administrative staff working with the Open Innovation Labs and entrepreneurship participate in the workshop to advance joint ENGAGE.EU Task 6.3 work in addition to all activities mentioned above.

This year’s Slush Week Experience exceptionally includes celebrations of Hanken Business Lab’s 10-year anniversary during the “Unicorn Night” afterparty!

Maximum number of selected startups: 10 (with a target of one or two people per startup). Startups are selected from a pool of applicants based on eligibility, quality of planning and goal setting for the visit, and overall quality of application.

Application Requirements

Your Profile:

The ENGAGE.EU “Slush Week Experience” Entrepreneurial Pathway is targeted at 1) startups with traction and internationalisation readiness and/or potential, and 2) administrative staff working with Open Innovation Labs and entrepreneurship affiliated with ENGAGE.EU universities.

Participants of any citizenship and any field of study who are enrolled in and/or affiliated with an ENGAGE.EU partner university are welcome to apply.

Application:

All participants must speak fluent English to get the most out of this activity.

Startups, please ensure your application includes the following:

  • Your startup’s website. Links to social media channels are also welcome
  • Information about your startup for us to assess eligibility. Please ensure it includes the following:
    • Product & Traction: As a rule of thumb, the participating startups should possess a functional MVP with documented user traction (e.g., active pilots, test users, or revenue) as a minimum.
    • EU University Affiliation: At least one active co-founder must be a current student, staff member, or alumnus of the sending university, having completed or currently participating in an internal incubator/accelerator program;
    • Global Outlook: The startup should demonstrate a clear case of current or future international market intent.
  • Motivation letter outlining why you are interested in joining this activity plus
    • Concrete goals for the visit;
    • Clear statement on how the Slush Week Experience is relevant and important for their current growth stage;
    • (if applicable) phone and email of your main staff contact at your local Open Innovation Lab in case we need more information from your home institution.

Administrative staff, please ensure your application includes the following:

  • A brief motivation letter with the following:
    • why would you like to join Slush Week Experience;
    • what are your wishes and expectations towards your visit;
    • is it the first time you are attending Hanken Business Lab events in Helsinki?

All documents must be submitted in English.

Selection:

Submitted applications are evaluated by the Hanken Business Lab staff in Helsinki. Candidates will be evaluated based on submitted materials and overall quality of the application.

To ensure equal participation, the selection committee will aim at choosing up to three participants per partner university. Final decisions also consider a range of criteria for cohort composition, including but not limited to institutional and demographic diversity. 

Additional Details

Applications must be submitted by 4 October, at midnight CET.

Results will be communicated by 14 October at the latest.

For further information, please contact: Sergei Marostenmäki-Lavrov, sergei.marostenmäki-lavrov@hanken.fi

Application