Platform6 Startup House

Call for startups - from Finland and around the world! This is your unique chance to get DIRECT access to city decision-makers from the USA, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, Turkey and Finland and see your solutions implemented there. Apply now! Startups solving real-world urban challenges in mobility, safety, citizen engagement, and sustainability now have a rare opportunity to present their solutions directly to city decision-makers, investors, and industry leaders. Imagine the Citiverse 2025, taking place on May 27-28, 2025, in Tampere, Finland, is where startups can secure pilot projects, investment, and long-term partnerships. The event is organized by the city of Tampere together with the content partners such as BABLE Smart Cities, Business Tampere, Platform6 Startup House and Startup.Tampere. Why startups should apply: 1) Get access to city decision-makers you wouldn’t normally reach. This is a rare chance to present solutions to city officials responsible for real-world implementation. 2) Gain visibility by presenting your solution in front of urban leaders. Investors, corporate partners, and decision-makers will be in attendance. 3) Validate the value of your product. Receive direct feedback from cities and understand how your solution fits into urban challenges. 4) See how your solution compares to others. Compete with top startups and position your company at the forefront of smart city innovation. 5) Secure investment and pilot projects. Cities are actively looking for scalable solutions they can deploy now. Nine global cities have outlined urgent urban challenges and are actively looking for startups to help solve them. Nine winning startups (one for each challenge) will receive the following prizes: - Stage time at the IMAGINE Awards. - Opportunity for long-term collaboration with cities. - Feedback from the Jury (Mayors, CTOs, CIOs, Executive Directors)  - Investor introductions and funding opportunities. - Guaranteed mentorship with city leaders and urban innovation experts. - A confirmed speaking slot at IMAGINE 2026. Application deadline: March 31, 2025 Apply for the pitch competition here: https://lnkd.in/dHNyw4xf This year, Platform6 Startup House, under Startup.Tampere, is working even closer with the City of Tampere to integrate startups directly into the main event venue. Instead of a separate side event, startups will have greater visibility and engagement within IMAGINE 2025 itself. !!! Reserve your free Innovation Lounge and Startup Showcase slots at Founders stage here:  https://lnkd.in/dBuMkpmS Additionally, the Urban Imaginarium Afterwork will still take place at Platform6, offering an exclusive networking space with city leaders, investors, and ecosystem players. Read the full press-release in the 1st comment below -->

Is this the last Stream Connect? Maybe. So let’s make it count. On Wednesday, April 16, we’re gathering for Stream Connect 23, and this one hits different. Tampere’s startup ecosystem is about to go through changes. What exactly? We’ll tell you later. But if you’ve ever been to Stream Connect before, met like-minded people over The Good Guys Kombucha, or landed a deal because of a handshake during facilitated networking, you know this is the heartbeat of the Tampere scene. So we’re inviting everyone - first-time founders, serial builders, investors, supporters, startup-curious - to show up, absorb the fantastic stage talks and discussions and raise that glass of the local kombucha to what we’ve built together. This time we’re diving into the startup journey of first-time vs. repeat founders: - Does experience really win the cheque? - Is hustle enough when you don’t have a track record? - What happens when success isn’t the outcome? Programme: 14:45 Doors open. 15:00 - 15:05 Welcome words by Margarita Khartanovich, Head of Startup Services at Platform6 / Startup.Tampere. 15:05 - 15:20 "Painfully awkward lessons from a 3x repeat founder", Joel Ojala serial entrepreneur and Co-Founder at SparkReceipt 15:20 - 15:35 "The other side of startups: What happens when things don’t go as planned", keynote by Sreejesh Nair, Senior R&D Manager at Kempower, former co-founder and CEO of Exsensio ltd. 15:35 - 16:00 "Investor bias or proven success? The debate over serial founders", panel discussion with Piia Maaranen (Partner at Innovestor), Erica de Wit (Co-Founder of Ferrivia.fi and GreenFi), more TBA. 16:05 - 17:15 Networking with food & drinks facilitated by the Platform6 team 17:15 Event ends. 🎟️ Free, open to all — just register via LinkedIn or Eventbrite link below. This might be the last Stream Connect. Let’s give it the sendoff it deserves. See you there!

What does it take to attract international VC to the Nordics? Despite the global funding slowdown, the “New Nordics” are thriving. In 2024, impact startups in the region raised a record-breaking €650M - a 25% jump from the year before. In a new guest article on Binary District Journal New Nordics edition, Daniel Uusitalo (Investor at 4impact capital) shares what it really takes for Nordic startups to go global - and secure the kind of international backing that brings not just capital, but game-changing networks and credibility. Key takeaways for founders: 📌 How to position your startup for global scale 📌 The role of strategic traction (LOIs, pilots, revenue, etc.) 📌 Why storytelling and an international mindset matter 📌 Lessons from ICEYE, ReOrbit & Satelligence If you're building from the Nordics and thinking beyond borders - this one's for you. Read the full article "Attracting International Capital in the New Nordics" here: https://lnkd.in/d2FBeZDu #Startups #VentureCapital #NewNordics #ClimateTech #GlobalScale #ImpactInvesting #DeepTech #4impactcapital #FounderTips

🚀 Last call for Office Hours – grab the final slots! Want to have a 1-on-1 chat with investors and experts before Stream Connect kicks off? While Failup Ventures, 4impact capital and Business Finland are fully booked, a few final slots are still available: 🔹 13:20 - 13:40 (1 slot) – Mirva Laatunen (VC at OpenOcean) 🔹 11:15 - 11:45 (1 slot) – Marko Moilanen (Lexia Attorneys) 🔹 09:45 - 12:00 (3 slots) – Sauli Jalonen (EMU Growth Partners) First come, first served! 🏃♂️ (Sign-up link in the first comment) Please remember to also register for the main event - Stream Connect 22 "Getting the timing right". This is where you meet investors, angels, and founders - face to face. And it works. Startups have literally closed funding rounds just by showing up and talking to the right people at the right time. And here’s the best part: the investor lineup doesn’t stop at the stage. More investors are joining off the record, so you never know who you might meet in the crowd. Programme: 14:45 Doors open. 15:00 - 15:05 Welcome words by Margarita Khartanovich, Head of Startup Services at Platform6 / Startup.Tampere. 15:05 - 15:20 "AI & Space tech are reshaping the world - where founders should bet big”, keynote by Markus Räikkönen, investor and board director at ReOrbit and Starstuff. 15:20 - 15:35 “When is the right time to get EU funding?”, keynote by Otto Vainio, Senior Advisor at Business Finland 15:35 - 16:00 “Right everything, wrong time? Cracking the code on startup timing” - panel discussion with Daniel Uusitalo (investor at 4impact capital), Markus Räikkönen (investor and board director), Mirva Laatunen (VC at OpenOcean), Oscar Andersin (General Partner and Co-Founder at Failup Ventures). 16:05 - 17:15 Networking with food & drinks facilitated by the Platform6 team 17:15 Event ends. 📍 Platform6, Tampere – 19.3. 📝 RSVP for Office Hours & the event (link in first comment). Hope to see you tomorrow!

Meet investors from OpenOcean, Failup Ventures, 4impact capital and more at our flagship startup-investor event in Tampere - Stream Connect on 19.3.! It is not only about insightful, practical, short talks and panel discussions. That's where you meet VCs, angel investors and peer startup founders in-person. Please do sign up for 1-on-1 Office Hours with VCs and approach other investors at the event (link to the event landing page is in 1st comment - you can sign up for all Office Hours from there). 💎 Oscar Andersin (GP & Co-Founder at Failup Ventures) 💎 Mirva Laatunen (VC at OpenOcean) 💎 Daniel Uusitalo (Investor at 4impact capital) Serendipity works, and we had several cases of startups closing their funding rounds just by coming to our startup events and meeting the right people at the right time. After all, timing is everything... You can also sign up for Office Hours with experts: 📌 Lexia Attorneys (all things legal) - Marko Moilanen 📌 Business Finland (public funding, new markets) - Marko Kotonen 📌 EMU Growth Partners (all things finance) - Sauli Jalonen All this is before the event even starts. And here is the programme to look forward to: 15:00 - 15:05 Welcome words by Margarita Khartanovich, Head of Startup Services at Platform6 / Startup.Tampere. 15:05 - 15:20 "AI & Space tech are reshaping the world - where founders should bet big”, keynote by Markus Räikkönen, investor and board director at ReOrbit and Starstuff. 15:20 - 15:35 “When is the right time to get EU funding?”, keynote by Otto Vainio, Senior Advisor at Business Finland 15:35 - 16:00 “Right everything, wrong time? Cracking the code on startup timing” - panel discussion with Daniel Uusitalo, Markus Räikkönen, Mirva Laatunen, Oscar Andersin.  16:05 - 17:15 Networking facilitated by the Platform6 team Hope to see you all at Platform6 next Wednesday! The time is now!

Yep, it's funding news from Tampere. AGAIN! This time we celebrate, probably, the most boring tech... 😜 We’re excited to share that SparkReceipt, the best-rated pre-accounting software for micro-businesses used in almost 100 countries, has secured funding from Trind Ventures, with support from the European Union under the InvestEU Fund and Business Finland. This investment will help accelerate their international expansion and further enhance their AI-powered platform. Co-founded by Joel Ojala, previously the CEO and co-founder of ReceiptHero (a Platform6 member since April 2023), SparkReceipt is his next big leap as a serial entrepreneur. “It was crazy to see the appetite toward SparkReceipt from VCs. So many reached out, begging to invest,” Ojala shares. “There is momentum in AI accounting for micro-businesses, or maybe it was the rockstar team.” 🎸 “With my own background in the most boring industries like accounting, legal, and tax, I am always excited to see BoringTech startups transforming these industries", comments Reima Linnanvirta, Partner at Trind Ventures. 🚨 Hiring alert 🚨 SparkReceipt is growing its team and hiring a Founding Engineer (Full Stack) in Tampere! If you’re a mid-to-senior-level developer looking for a David vs. Goliath challenge, this might be your dream adventure. The role offers: ✅ €5K-7K per month ✅ Stock options ✅ Flexible work environment (remote-friendly, with in-person meetings in Tampere or Helsinki) Their tech stack includes Ruby on Rails, React, Flutter, PostgreSQL, and Redis, but above all, they value a hands-on, problem-solving mindset. 🎉 Congratulations to Joel Ojala, Antti Laitinen and the entire SparkReceipt team on this milestone! If you’re looking to join a fast-growing AI-driven startup, now’s the time. Check the links in the 1st comment: 1) the full press-release, 2) Founding Engineer job description and how to apply! Go, Startup.Tampere!

Well, let's face it - timing is everything for startups. You might seem to have it all - great team, great product, ambition, stellar fundraising approach... but then it's just the time that is wrong! Think about it: ✅ Wolt nailed timing by launching its food delivery platform just as smartphone adoption and on-demand services exploded in Finland. By the time the pandemic hit, they were perfectly positioned to scale globally, leading to a $8B acquisition by DoorDash. ✅ Supercell timed its entry into mobile gaming perfectly, riding the wave of smartphone gaming growth. Hits like Clash of Clans and Hay Day made them a global powerhouse, but imagine if they’d launched just a few years earlier — would the market have been ready? ✅ IQM Quantum Computers bet big on quantum computing early, aligning with EU funding initiatives and global interest in next-gen tech. Their timing secured them €128M in funding and a leadership position in the quantum race. On the flip side: ❌ Jolla, the creators of Sailfish OS, struggled with timing. While their alternative mobile OS was innovative, they entered a market dominated by iOS and Android, making it hard to gain traction despite their tech brilliance. Thus, timing can make or break your startup. That’s why our next Stream Connect on March 19th is a must-attend for anyone looking to: 🔹 Raise funding at the right moment. 🔹 Leverage EU funding to scale faster. 🔹 Bet on the next big tech trend before it’s oversaturated. 🔹 Land corporate partnerships when the market is ripe. Plus, remember that all startups in Tampere are invited to benefit from Office Hours with business experts prior to the event (09:00 - 15:00 at Platform6) 🔹 Business Finland (public funding & new markets) with Marko Kotonen 🔹 Lexia Attorneys (all things legal) with Marko Moilanen 🔹 EMU Growth Partners (all things finance) with Sauli Jalonen And the official Stream Connect programme will start at 15:00 with - welcome words from Margarita Khartanovich, Head of startup services at Platform6 Startup House / Startup.Tampere, - keynote by Markus Räikkönen (Investor & Board Director at ReOrbit and Starstuff) on AI & Space tech trends - where to bet big, - insights from Otto Vainio (Business Finland) on when to go after EU funding. - panel discussion with Daniel Uusitalo (ex-Helen Ventures) and more experts on cracking the code of startup timing, - networking facilitated by the Platform6 team. Please sign up either by LinkedIn Event below or via Eventbrite link. Hope to see you in a couple of weeks at Platform6 --> Learn how to spot the right moments, move fast, and avoid costly mistakes. Let’s make timing your superpower. 🚀

We are thrilled to celebrate the success of Videobot, a Platform6 alumnus (joined in August 2023), as they secure €2.8 million in funding! 🎉 Led by Volta Ventures, with participation from Expon Capital and Superhero Capital, this latest investment brings Videobot’s total funding to €5.5M and will drive the expansion of their interactive Video Experience (VX) platform. With their no-code VX technology, Videobot is revolutionizing online engagement - allowing brands to create dynamic, interactive video experiences that drive higher conversions and customer engagement. 💡 “Companies using Videobot see up to 5x higher conversion rates. By adding interactivity to video, we’re changing the way brands connect with their audiences.” – Matias Mäenpää, Co-founder of Videobot Since its founding in 2022, Videobot has rapidly expanded to 20+ countries and continues to push boundaries in video-driven customer engagement. The company also won Luxembourg’s Startup World Cup 2024 Regional Final, securing a place in the global finals in San Francisco! 🌍🏆 💬 Join us in congratulating Matias, Anssi, and the entire Videobot team (Elia, Oscar 🫶) on this fantastic achievement. Hope to see you at Platform6 Startup House again soon! Read more in the press-release below (link in the 1st comment)-->

🔥 Never stop the madness AND funding news from Tampere! We are extremely happy to announce that our current resident member TheStorage has secured an additional €1.15M in funding from Business Finland, bringing its total funding to €2.15M. Congratulations to the founders - Timo Siukkola, Esko Kulju, Olli Hannula, Heikki Hannula and the team - Niina Ojala, Hannu-Pekka Hyppänen, Kari Koivisto! 🚀 TheStorage develops thermal energy storage solutions to decarbonize industrial heat. By providing cost-effective and scalable energy storage technologies, the company supports industries in transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This funding will further advance the company’s Research and Development efforts to decarbonize industrial heat and finalize its Proof-of-Concept (PoC) project. The Business Finland funding follows TheStorage’s previous €1M investment round completed with 2C Ventures and Superhero Capital. The combined funding will enable the company to validate its innovative thermal energy storage technology and begin real-world testing with clients in 2025. TheStorage has been an active member of Platform6 community since October 2023 and regularly took part in our monthly Office Hours with experts, including Marko Kotonen (thank you for the continuous support of our startups!). These sessions have helped strengthen collaboration with Business Finland by fostering trust and providing strategic insights. Read the full press-release below (link in the 1st comment) --> And definitely keep on an eye on TheStorage and follow their journey - at least by following them here on LinkedIn 🏃 🫶 Startup.Tampere 🦾

🚨 LAST CALL: Final spots for Office Hours + Hangout! Join 60+ startup founders, business experts and investors tomorrow (Wednesday, February 19th) in Tampere at Platform6 Startup House! Why? Well, this is your chance to tackle EVERY startup challenge in one day and one place. You will also meet new experts and peers and ask them any burning questions in an environment of your choice (either formal 1-1 meetings or informal social gathering over pizza and drinks). Here is a breakdown of all the activities and available free 1-on-1 consultation slots (still bookable!). 🔹 Office Hours (09:00 - 15:00) - Teemu Lahti (Myynninmaailma) – Growth marketing, CRM, branding, content, automation, lead validation (Backed by HubSpot For Startups) - only 2 slots left ✅ - Marko Moilanen (Lexia Attorneys) – NDAs, shareholder agreements, IPR, GDPR, due diligence, legal compliance - fully booked ❌ - Sauli Jalonen (EMU Growth Partners) – Financial forecasting, tax, profitability, funding readiness, interim CFO services - 4 slots left ✅ - Marko Kotonen (Business Finland) – Internationalisation, VC funding, Business Finland grants - fully booked ❌ 🔹 Hangout with startups and experts (15:00 - 17:00) powered by HubSpot, pizza & drinks are on the house. 🎤 Jana Avdeeva (ReOrbit) – Marketing insights from a startup with an European Space Agency - ESA partnership & $7.4M funding round(Inventure, 10x Founders, Icebreaker.vc, Expansion Venture Capital, Yes VC). 🎤 Teemu Lahti (Myynninmaailma) – How to generate content fast and identify ready-to-buy website visitors. + facilitated networking & fun activities by Lahti Entrepreneurship Society (LahtiES) Hope to see you tomorrow! Sign up link is in the 1st comment ⏬ Startup.Tampere