The two packed days featured matchmaking, pitching, launching, mentoring, and showcasing, where McKinsey startup practitioners met and were inspired by the impressive visionaries, groundbreaking innovations, and captivating speeches.
The so-called startup arm of McKinsey, Fuel, A McKinsey company, specializes in helping startups, scaleups and VC investors across a range of topics. Leveraging its global expertise, McKinsey can provide insights into any functional or industry-specific aspect in the most accessible way, regardless of the company's size or stage.
This year's Slush shed light on pivotal themes like the rise of generative AI and LLMs, shifts in the tech market, and considerations on human capital and diversity. Noteworthy speakers took stage; for instance, Markus Villig of Bolt, Sophia Bendz of Cherry Ventures, and Taavet Hinrikus of Plural explored the global success and unique features of Baltic companies.
Meanwhile, Renate Nyborg from Meeno spoke about the impact of AI on loneliness, and representatives from Doordash, Wolt, and Sequoia discussed the power of partnerships on growth.
During discussions with attendees, resilience and determination emerged as central themes.
Hannes Erntell, senior partner and the European lead for Fuel by McKinsey, noted: "While we have seen a funding slow-down and compression of valuations in the past year, we are excited by the continued underlying rapid technology development as well as adoption. We are optimistic about the outlook of the European tech ecosystem, building on a growing talent pool including 2nd generation founders and operators, long-term trend of increased available VC funding, and the emergence of more and more start-up clusters across Europe".
In addition to speeches and discussions, Slush showcased a wealth of energy and innovations that are shaping the future, particularly in the fields of AI, sustainability, and healthcare. Attendees witnessed the latest innovations shaping a brighter, more sustainable future. The collaborative spirit and forward-thinking mindset of participants highlighted the potential for transformative solutions on a global scale.
Beyond participating in the main event, McKinsey hosted its annual side event, attracting over 100 guests, including founders, operators, and investors from various corners of the globe. Industry leaders like Dinika Mahtani from Cherry Ventures and Ted Persson from EQT Ventures graced the occasion and shared insights into the focal points for founders in 2024.
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McKinsey has a proven track record of helping hundreds of start-ups and scale-ups through diverse growth phases.
"The recent encounters and innovations in Helsinki left us energized, and eagerly anticipating the opportunities the new year holds. If you have any questions about our work, we invite you to reach out. We're looking forward to supporting founders, operators, and investors across Europe in the coming year!" concludes Hannes.
Cover photo by Julius Konttinen, Slush 2023