Slush 2025: Europe’s Boldest Gathering of Startup Minds Heads to Helsinki
Date: November 20–21, 2025
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Website: slush.org
Each year, Slush feels less like a tech conference and more like a statement. In a world full of noise, this Helsinki-born phenomenon continues to set the global standard for what focused, founder-led startup gatherings can look like. And Slush 2025 is shaping up to go even deeper — cutting through the hype to focus on real problems, real builders, and real traction.
This year’s theme? While the full program is still under wraps, early whispers hint at a sharper focus on deep tech, climate resilience, AI infrastructure, and overlooked geographies — all wrapped in Slush’s signature black-on-black aesthetic. Expect a mix of high-stakes founder stories, investor roundtables, and private matchmaking sessions designed to move the needle, not just talk about it.
Why it matters for the Next Wave
Slush isn’t just for the usual suspects from Berlin, London, or Paris. It's increasingly a launchpad for voices from Europe’s edge — from Baltic biotech and Balkan fintech to under-the-radar Dutch robotics startups and Eastern Europe’s hardware rebels.
In 2024, we saw micro-VCs from Slovakia, climate funds from Portugal, and spin-outs from Finnish universities all sharing space with unicorn veterans. In 2025, we expect even more from the margins — and we’ll be watching closely.
What to expect:
🔍 Curated sessions with brutally honest founder lessons
💼 Investor-Founder Day for early and growth-stage matchmaking
🧠 Deep tech and climate-forward innovation tracks
🌍 Visibility for underrepresented ecosystems and emerging hubs
🎤 Fireside chats, hard questions, and no-fluff debates
Next Wave POV
Slush isn’t a place to chase hype. It’s where you go when you're building something that matters. If you're a founder or ecosystem builder from the Netherlands or Europe’s quieter corners, start planning your trip — and maybe even your pitch.
👉 Want to connect with others heading to Slush 2025 from the Next Wave community? Reach out — we’re curating a shared radar.
This article was created using AI tools as part of our signal curation process. Human editors reviewed and refined the content.