FiBAN Angel Gala 2026: Celebrating the People Behind the Impact

The Business Angel of the Year award recognises long-term commitment to FiBAN and to angel investing — not only through capital, but through time, leadership, and expertise.

Tuomas Pahlman was awarded for years of significant contribution within FiBAN through governance roles, community building, active participation, and continuous support in developing the network. Entrepreneurial at heart, active as an angel investor and board professional, Tuomas is someone who consistently steps in whenever FiBAN needs moderation, training, insight, or support.

The Exit of the Year award celebrates belief, resilience, and long-term value creation — the kind that takes years of disciplined execution.

Framery, founded in Tampere, was recognised as a standout example of design excellence and scalable global growth. What began as a smart solution to open-office noise became a globally recognised product used by leading companies around the world.

In 2025, Framery reached a major milestone by completing an IPO on the Helsinki Stock Exchange — an achievement made even more special by the fact that several FiBAN members have been involved as angel investors and co-founders.

On stage to receive the recognition were Framery co-founders and investors:
Ilkka Kaikuvuo, Kim Väisänen, Olli Pasanen, and Mikko Kuitunen.

The Partner of the Year award celebrates an organisation that has actively strengthened the FiBAN network through meaningful collaboration.

Danske Bank was selected for being highly visible and engaged across multiple levels of the FiBAN community. Our members have given outstanding feedback: Danske Bank has become a familiar presence at FiBAN events, their services are well understood and valued, and collaboration has been proactive and constructive.

Most importantly, Danske Bank is an ecosystem builder and an enabler of startup funding in Finland — helping create the foundations that allow startups and angels to scale with confidence.

The Newcomer of the Year award recognises a FiBAN member who has quickly become an active and visible contributor to the community.

Riikka Rajaviita was awarded for her generous involvement with FiBAN, co-investors, and founders — bringing energy, initiative, and community spirit from the moment she joined. She has also been especially visible in driving initiatives such as Human Runway, highlighting founder resilience and wellbeing — a powerful reminder that behind every growth story are people navigating pressure and responsibility.

Some members attend events. Some build the community. The Most Active Angel award recognises a member who consistently shows up and contributes — in presence and in action.

Jukka Hakola was selected as FiBAN’s most active event attendee in 2025, while also contributing valuable time to advising, sparring, and mentoring startups. Beyond attendance, he has supported longer-term ecosystem development and helped build a positive spirit within the community.

Innovation does not live only in capital cities. The Regional Angel of the Year award honours an angel who strengthens both regional and national startup ecosystems.

Jari Puranen received the award for his active role in the Lahti region, where he supports and spars with startups, organizes events, and builds connections between entrepreneurs, investors, and the FiBAN network. He has also supported the FiBAN team with grant proposal work and contributed to the development of new ecosystem concepts, including Startup and Industry Connect — building bridges where others might see distance.

The SisterBAN of the Year award recognises an angel network that has demonstrated exceptional partnership and collaboration with FiBAN.

Business Angels of Slovenia received this award for their highly proactive cooperation with FiBAN across multiple joint initiatives and projects — including 4ngels and Connect2Scale — built on openness, trust, and smooth communication.

Although they could not attend in person, they sent a message to the FiBAN community:

“Working together delivered strong results, meaningful exchanges, and — just as importantly — new friendships. We believe we have built a lasting bridge between Slovenia and Finland that will continue to support collaboration and shared success.”