Press Release
FINNAIR AND SLUSH COLLABORATE TO PROMOTE FINNISH STARTUPS ABROAD
For further information and images please contact Paul Charles / Philip Allport / Emily Cramer at Perowne Charles Communications
+44 (0) 20 7792 8884
finnair@verypcc.com
Finnair is launching a collaboration with Slush, the Finland-based nexus for startups, tech talent, international investors, executives and media. As one of the main partners of Slush, Finnair is carrying participants to Helsinki for the organisation's annual flagship conference as well as helping Slush embark on a world tour to several Asian destinations.
The forthcoming two-day Slush conference on 18-19 November at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors from around 70 countries. Speakers include Rakuten founder, chairman and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani and GungHo founder and chairman Taizo Son. Finnair will be highly visible at the event and also host an exhibition stand.
The promotion of international business relationships between Europe and Asia is a common interest for both Finnair and Slush, who see an opportunity for Finland to thrive as a gateway between East and West where ideas, talent and capital can meet and innovation flourish. “Finnair has been carrying Finnish know-how and entrepreneurship to the world for many years,” says Finnair Chief Operating Officer Ville Iho. “Slush represents the same kind of positive and fresh challenger attitude that we at Finnair want to uphold.”
”This year we are organising more than 100 local Slush events at startup hotspots around the world and visiting dozens of international technology conferences. Finnair makes this possible,” says Main Organizer of Slush Miki Kuusi. “What’s more, we are also flying the most promising startups from many cities in Europe and Asia to Slush here in Helsinki.”
Slush will be at Google Campus on 24 October to host a pitching competition in London. The winner of Slush in London is invited to Slush 2014 and receives flights by FInnair, accommodation and exclusive access to the Slush pitching competition in Helsinki.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:
Notes to editors
Slush World Tour
The Nordic region is home to a series of great companies, entrepreneurs, products and technologies. Slush World Tours around the globe to talk about Nordic success stories but even more importantly to find new global groundbreakers. Slush World events include keynote program and pitching competitions where the winners get tickets to Slush. The events are put together by Slush and supported by local communities.
For more information please send an email to world@slush.org
Slush World Tour events take place around the world. Here are Asian and European event destinations and dates of events. Please consider if the local event should be added to your local press releases.
We have agreed with the Slush organization that our sales representative may take part in the local event and use the possibility to seek new corporate agreements/contacts. Also, as we are the main partner for this, the sales representatives have the chance to hand over the ticket prize for the winner of the best local pitching (we will fly him/her over to Helsinki for the main event).
Slush World Tour
26.9. Bangkok, event http://www.slush.org/world/bangkok/
6.10. Beijing, event http://www.slush.org/world/beijing/
9.10. Seoul, event http://www.slush.org/world/seoul/
13.10. Tokyo, event http://www.slush.org/world/tokyo/
13.10. Shenzhen, event http://www.slush.org/world/shenzhen/
16.10. Shanghai, event http://www.slush.org/world/shanghai/
23.10. Paris, event http://www.slush.org/world/paris/
27.10. London, event http://www.slush.org/world/london/
28.10. New York, event TO BE CONFIRMED
30.10. Montreal, http://www.slush.org/world/montreal/
Finnair is one of the most innovative, safest and longest-operating airlines in the world, established in 1923. In recent years it has become a major airline in traffic between Asia and Europe, connecting 15 destinations in Asia to over 80 destinations in Europe. Finnair’s mission is to offer the smoothest connections in the northern hemisphere via Helsinki and the fastest and best network to the world from its home market.
Helsinki Airport is the gateway between Asia and Europe. Flying via Helsinki means that you are flying the shorter and faster northern route. Designed especially for transferring between Asian and European flights, it is consistently ranked among the best in Europe – and even in the world – by international airport quality surveys. Helsinki Airport is operated by Finavia, the company responsible for Finnish airports and air navigation services.