A successful angel network needs support from others to fly. Sister BAN of the Year is presented annually to an early-stage investor network with whom we have worked closely and whose support has been invaluable to us. Guardian Angel of the year is awarded to an ecosystem champion who with their work has helped create an environment where growth investing can better thrive.

“Over the years, we have built deep cooperation with our dear Danish Colleagues. With the award, we want to acknowledge the consistent and important Nordic cooperation between DanBAN and FiBAN ranging from our joint investor programs to collaboration to develop our operations and sharing know-how”, praises Annukka Mickelsson, Chair of FiBAN Board and the awards committee, and continues:

“To build success stories, we need great startups. FiBAN wants to recognize the important initiative that founded the Finnish Startup Community (Suomen startup-yhteisö). FiBAN salutes their mission to enhance the environment for growth companies and entrepreneurs.”

Michael Hansen, CEO of DanBAN, celebrates the recognition: We are honored to receive the Sister BAN of the year by FiBAN. We have worked closely, shared knowledge and even developed education for Business Angels (Nordic Angel Program) together. We are so happy that we can always call our friends and fellow colleagues in Finland for sparring and sharing of know-how on how to run a successful BAN. We are looking forward to the years to come with even more collaboration”, he tells.

Michael Hansen, CEO of DanBAN

Riikka Pakarinen accepted the Guardian Angel award as the CEO of Finnish Startup Community.

Startups play a crucial and a growing role in the Finnish society. Our mission is to make Finland the world’s best place to find and grow startups and growth companies. In concrete terms, we want to make Finnish startups a similar pillar for the economy as the forestry and the metal industry is. This new pillar will support the Finnish welfare state while guaranteeing its future.”, she says.

Riikka Pakarinen, CEO of Finnish Startup Community (Suomen startup-yhteisö)

Find more about FiBAN’s annual awards here.

More information:

Annukka Mickelsson
Chair of the Board, FiBAN
annukka.mickelsson@fiban.org

Aija Bärlund
Interim Managing Director, FiBAN
aija.barlund@fiban.org
+358 40 6810245