𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 Politics shapes the future of entrepreneurship in Helsinki. From talent policies to funding opportunities and business regulations, the decisions made today will determine how well startups can thrive tomorrow. At Maria 01, we've long advocated for a more inclusive, internationally connected, and founder-friendly ecosystem. Our Impact Report highlighted a critical fact: while only 36% of our member startups have an international founder, they secured nearly 60% of all funding in 2024. These numbers prove that diversity fuels innovation—and that policy must support this growth. In the lead-up to the municipal elections, we’re bringing startup-related policies into the spotlight. That’s why we’re teaming up with Suomen startup-yhteisö / Finnish startup community to host 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 at Maria 01. This is more than just a debate—it's an opportunity for our startup community to hear directly from candidates and understand how each party plans to shape the future of entrepreneurship, talent policies, and innovation. 📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝟮𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 ⏰ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 𝟬𝟵:𝟬𝟬 - 𝟭𝟬:𝟬𝟬 📍 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝟬𝟭, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 🗣️ 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 Moderated by Maria 01’s CEO, Sarita Runeberg, this debate will challenge candidates on their views regarding: 🔹 International talent & startup-friendly immigration policies 🔹 Growth funding & investment climate 🔹 The role of Helsinki in strengthening Finland’s position as a global startup hub If you’re a founder, investor, or anyone passionate about the future of our ecosystem, this event is not to be missed. Join us and make an informed decision before you vote. 👉 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀! #Startups #Innovation #Elections2025 #Entrepreneurship #Maria01 #Helsinki #FutureOfWork #GrowthCompanies #PolicyMatters
Great to see such a startup-focused debate and very much needed. Thank you Sarita Runeberg and the team at Maria 01 for driving this discussion.