Creative Angels®

Bridging angel capital and scalable creative enterprises

Our Mission
FiBAN Creative Angels® is a FiBAN-led initiative focused on bridging the gap between angel investors and high-potential creative companies.

By bringing together investors and founders from film, music, fashion, design, gaming and other IP-driven sectors, the initiative facilitates access to capital, builds investor capability in creative business models, and supports the long-term growth of scalable creative ventures through targeted events, pitch sessions and FiBAN working groups.
Future Targets
By 2030, we envision Finland’s creative economy as a mainstream destination for private, growth-oriented investment — one where IP-driven companies attract angel capital, scale internationally, and contribute to national growth and competitiveness. This vision is aligned with the Creative Economy Growth Strategy 2025–2030 and FiBAN’s broader mission to strengthen the early-stage investment ecosystem.

Our future targets include:
1. Increasing the number of creative industry portfolio companies backed by angels.
2. Reducing the time to follow-on funding for creative companies.
3. Growing the share of creative economy companies in FiBAN’s deal flow.

Investing in the Future of the Creative Economy

At FiBAN we believe that the creative industries — film, music, fashion, design, gaming and other IP‑driven sectors — hold significant, yet under‑leveraged, growth potential. Through the Creative Angels® initiative we are enabling private angel investors and growth‑oriented creative companies to meet, collaborate and scale.

FiBAN Creative Angels® is a FiBAN-led initiative focused on

Facilitating investment into creative economy enterprises with scalable business models
Lowering the threshold for creative companies seeking growth capital
Advancing investor competence in the creative economy ecosystem.

History of Creative Angels®

Creative Angels® emerged from a clear gap in Finland’s creative economy: strong talent and IP-driven businesses, but limited access to informed early-stage capital.

The initiative was born within FiBAN, led by COO Milja Mäkelä, following discussions in the Luovan talouden neuvottelukunta (Finnish Creative Economy Advisory Board), where the need for a dedicated investor platform for creative industries became evident. In dialogue with film and media professionals, and together with Anna Sofia Abrahamsson, the idea quickly moved from concept to action.

This collaboration resulted in the first Creative Angels Dinner — a curated forum bringing investors and creative founders together to exchange perspectives and explore investment opportunities. From there, Creative Angels evolved into a structured, ongoing initiative.

Milja Mäkelä and Anna Sofia Abrahamsson represented FiBAN on the Creative Economy Advisory Board under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland and the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, and are the founders of Creative Angels.
(See further information on FiBAN’s Creative Economy advisory work.)

Creative Angels® Events

We regularly host invitation‑only and open events that bring together angel investors, creative industry founders and ecosystem partners. Events include dinners, pitch evenings, sector‑deep dives (film, music, design, gaming) and networking sessions.

Creative Angels® Working Group (For FiBAN Members)

The Creative Angels® Working Group is a dedicated forum for FiBAN members and partners interested in the creative economy sectors of business.

Who is it for?
- Angel investors and syndicates seeking exposure to scalable creative economy deals.
- FiBAN members and partners wanting to deepen their competence in IP‑driven business models. Join as a member.
Objectives
- Promote investment into creative economy companies with scalable growth potential.
- Lower the threshold for creative economy companies to seek growth capital.
- Advance investor competence in creative economy investing.
Impact
- Identify investment opportunities where FiBAN can collaborate with ecosystem partners.
- Build mutual understanding between investors and creative companies.
- Focus on international growth‑oriented (not early‑ideation) companies.

Request to Join the Working Group

FiBAN's Other Creative Economy Engagements

FiBAN is actively involved in several strategic creative economy initiatives:

Founder of the Creative Angels® initiative.
Steering group member of Fusion Labs.
Member of the Finnish Creative Economy Advisory Board (Luovan talouden neuvottelukunta).

Speakers & Expert Contacts

Milja Mäkelä

FiBAN COO, Member of the Advisory Board of the Creative Economy (TEM)

milja.makela@fiban.org
+358 50 460 5918

Perttu Ilmarinen

FiBAN Board Member, Startup Investor, M.A. (Aesthetics)

perttu.ilmarinen@joyforinnovation.com
+358 50 044 3632

Olga Kauvosaari

FiBAN Comms & Marketing Specialist, Marketing & CX Researcher at Turku University

olga.kauvosaari@fiban.org

Anna Sofia Abrahamsson

FiBAN Member, Growth Leader, Vice Member representing FiBAN in the Advisory Board of the Creative Economy (TEM)

anna@abraca.fi
annasofiaabraham.com

Join Creative Angels®

Are you creative-curious investor interested in joining FIBAN and taking a part of the Creative Angels® working group? Book a time with Milja Mäkelä, who leads and coordinates the Creative Angels® initiative at FiBAN.