Many people know Slush, one of the most prestigious European tech events that takes place every year in Helsinki during the second half of November. The event has gained a prominent reputation because it is organized by students from a non-profit perspective and because it is able to attract important entrepreneurs and investors and has also begun to explore expanding geographically, it began with an experiment in Japan which, however, did not evolve, but allowed to refine the formula of satellite events that took the name of Slush’D. The 2024 Slush’D events will be held in numerous cities on different continents: in Tunis (Tunisia) and Windhoek (Namibia) in Africa, in Busan (South Korea), Karachi (Pakistan), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Bangalore (India) in Asia, while in Europe the cities chosen are Enschende in the Netherlands, Newquay in Cornwall, United Kingdom, Heilbronn in Germany, Mandal in Norway, Liverpool in Great Britain and Bolzano in Italy.
The date for the Bolzano event is September 3, 2024 and will be hosted by NOI Techpark and Fiera Bolzano. Slush was founded in 2008 and has grown over the years: from the 300 participants of the first edition, the Finnish platform has managed to expand to attract, in 2022, more than 20 thousand visitors, 5 thousand startups, 3 thousand investors and 300 accredited media.
Bringing the brand to Italy for the first time is a team of professionals who, after training in Italy and abroad, have come together with the shared goal of contributing positively to the business environment and innovation, both locally and nationally. The goal is to reach 500 companies involved including innovative startups, investors, business managers, venture capital funds, accelerators, incubators and institutional representatives. The primary objective of Slush’D is to promote innovation and entrepreneurial ambition, creating a bridge between the main players in the local, national and international ecosystem, with a focus on the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). The South Tyrolean capital will thus become the nerve center where ideas, projects and visions will confront each other, fueling the growth and development of new frontiers in the field of entrepreneurial innovation. The first Italian edition focuses on four things: climate & greentech, food & agtech, digital & automation, sport & mountaintech.
“We believe in the role of our country as an innovative ecosystem,” explains Cristian Frigo, co-founder and CEO of Bolzano Slush’D, in a statement. We are equally convinced that bringing an event that is already so deeply rooted internationally to Italy for the first time can represent an important opportunity for startups, investors and companies. The decision to do so in Bolzano, a central crossroads at European level, will also allow us to put Italian realities in contact with those of the entire DACH region, thus comparing points of view that may be different, but with a minimum common denominator: the desire to innovate.”
“We at Slush HQ are thrilled to attend the first Slush’D event in Italy and to delve into the regional ecosystem of startups in Northern Italy,” comments Stella Korpikuusi, expansion lead at Slush HQ. We have full confidence that the excellent team at Bolzano Slush’D can deliver an experience to remember for the founders and other stakeholders in the ecosystem, full of important learnings and connections.”
Organizers & Program
Slush’D is organized by a group of young students and innovators who got to know Slush as volunteers, then fell in love with the project until they obtained the license to organize the first Italian edition. The team, twelve people but constantly expanding, is mainly composed of a mix of alumni from the Universities of Bolzano and Trento, a team of young professionals who, after training in Italy and abroad, have joined with the shared goal of contributing positively to the business environment and innovation, both locally and nationally. The founders are Cristian Frigo, Serena Galli and Stefano Ceravolo, three young Italian professionals who, after spending several years studying and working abroad, came together with the common purpose of bringing value back to the country that raised them. Slush’D’s communication partner is Blum, Consulting company that supports companies, research centers and organizations of the Italian innovative ecosystem through communication.
Slush’D Bolzano provides a day full of activities with an intense program, thanks also to the support of the Free University of Bolzano, which includes round tables, networking opportunities, presentations of startups and innovative companies, talent discovery and numerous activities dedicated to investors. The first part of the day will focus on NOI Techpark, a hub where work and research focus on technological innovation. The evening, on the other hand, will take place at Fiera Bolzano with a dinner dedicated to investors and an after-party, the closing party of the event.
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