Sport Finland - Slush Side Event

Kick off Slush at the sportiest side-event in the city: Sport Finland event! We bring together companies from the fields of sports, health, and wellbeing to pitch their expertise to investors interested in the industry. There are already 20+ investors registered!

The event is co-hosted by the Sport Suomi cities: Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Lahti, and Rovaniemi and partnering with Global Sport Innovation Center GSIC and EBAN Sports. You are welcome to apply to the event to present your company's expertise to potential investors. Pitching slots are primarily reserved for companies from cities mentioned above, but applications are also open to others. The final selection will be made together with representatives of the Sport Suomi cities. The event is free of charge.

Please, register here until November 10th!

WHEN AND WHERE?

Event date: 18th November 2025

Venue: Kulttuuritehdas Korjaamo, Helsinki

Startups pitching at the event:

BETTERFLY

We have also international "special guest" startup for introduction: e-Outdoor

Agenda

16.30 Doors open

17.00 Welcoming words

17.15 Partner Key-note: Global Sport Innovation Center GSIC / Iris Córdoba Managing Director of GSIC & Juan Fuentes / Director of GSIC Microsoft Global Testing Center:

GSIC's insight to startups

17.30 Pitches (5 pitching startups)

18.00 Key-note: Veikkausliiga - Professional Football League in Finland / President Kaarlo Kankkunen:

"We may not be the biggest, but we can be the boldest – Finnish football as a testbed for innovation"

18.10 EBAN Sports introduction / Co-Chair of EBAN Sport Audra Shallal

18.15 Pitches continue (5 pitching startups)

18.45 Closing words

Cocktails and networking including Speed dating with investors and startups

20.00 End of the event

Speaker Introduction: Iris Córdoba Mondéjar

Iris Córdoba Mondéjar is the General Manager of the Global Sports Innovation Center GSIC powered by Microsoft. She is a recognized leader in sports tech innovation and a dedicated mentor for startups worldwide.

Iris leads the GSIC powered by Microsoft, a global initiative fostering innovation in the sports industry through collaboration between public, private, and academic sectors. With a background in law, public policy, and digital economics, she has extensive experience promoting entrepreneurship and supporting SMEs across Latin America, Europe, and APAC.

She established GSIC’s Singapore office and launched programs that have supported nearly 100 entrepreneurs in Asia and the Middle East. Recognized among the “Top 100 Women in Tech Singapore” and “Top 100 Female Leaders of Spain,” Iris is a key figure in sports tech, open innovation, and female leadership worldwide.

Speaker Introduction: Juan Fuentes Fernández

Juan Fuentes Fernández is the Director of the GSIC Testing Lab in Valencia, an innovation hub powered by Microsoft and operated by the Global Sports Innovation Center. He leads the lab’s mission to test and scale technology solutions in sport, entertainment, media, and health.

With a strong background in strategic leadership and international business, Juan has worked across Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S., supporting startups and advising sports organizations. Before this, he spent nearly a decade at LALIGA, driving its international growth in the MENA region and Northern Europe.

Speaker Introduction: Kaarlo Kankkunen

Kaarlo Kankkunen is an experienced business executive and sports leader with a broad background in both corporate management and football. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Finnish Premier League (Veikkausliiga) and has held several CFO and CEO positions across industries, from family-owned companies to international corporations.

In football, his background includes a career as a player, club leader, and trusted roles within the Football Association of Finland and UEFA. Outside of work, Kaarlo enjoys sports, travelling, and reading.

Speaker Introduction: Audra Shallal

Audra Shallal, a distinguished expert in Women’s Entrepreneurship and Angel Investment across the EMEA region. With over 20 years of experience, Audra has been a driving force in empowering entrepreneurs through mentoring, investor-readiness programs, and international collaborations.

She is the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of EBAN Sports, a pioneering initiative under the European Business Angels Network (EBAN) that connects early-stage investors with innovative startups in the SportsTech sector. Through EBAN Sports, Audra plays a pivotal role in fostering cross-border investment, supporting sports innovation, and creating growth opportunities for startups across Europe—especially in emerging markets like Finland.

Beyond EBAN Sports, Audra serves as Vice President of Corenvest, is a Board Member of EBAN, and holds advisory roles in several international organizations and business angel networks. Her commitment to entrepreneurship, particularly in promoting women-led ventures and sustainable innovation, has made her a respected voice in the global startup ecosystem.

Jyväskylä as a driver for thriving business

Jyväskylä puts things in motion, focusing on the innovative and evidence-based development of the wellbeing business together with others.
Lahti as a promoter of sporty business

In the network, Lahti manages the creative development and international exports of the sports business using its solid know-how of sports events and tourism.
Kuopio as an ambassador of healthy business

Kuopio accelerates the utilisation of data that supports wellbeing within a healthy business.
Rovaniemi as the heart of Arctic Sports and Wellbeing

Rovaniemi combines world-class expertise, unique natural surroundings and a vibrant international spirit to drive sustainable success.
Aminoversum