Partners
We are excited to introduce a vital part of our community: FiBAN Partners. Together with them, we support Finnish early-stage startup investing in many ways. Read more about the services that our partners provide.
Category 1
Contact
Teppo Havo, Head of Growth & Impact Finland
teppo.havo(at)danskebank.fi
Danske Bank is a Nordic bank with strong local roots and bridges to the rest of the world. For more than 145 years, we have helped people and businesses in the Nordics realize their ambitions.
www.danskebank.fi
Contact
Jussi Paski, Head of Startup Services
jussi.paski(at)kpmg.fi
+358 20 760 3920
KPMG actively supports dynamic startups and their founders as well as the investors empowering them. The KPMG Startup Services address the whole life cycle of startups from the founding stage to a successful exit.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- KPMG Startup Services advise you on taxation, legal and IPR matters, employment issues and incentive programs
- Dedicated specialists know everything there is to know about audit, accounting and cyber security
- Receive support with fundraising, valuation, due diligences, appropriate legal structure on market entries or supporting growth strategy
- Finally, when it is time to move to the next level, KPMG will support you with exit options and strategies or guide you through the IPO process
Contact
Mika Hämäläinen, Customer Program Manager mikaha@microsoft.com
+358 50 463 5266
Microsoft enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We provide the most trusted and comprehensive cloud to leverage in your business.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
Microsoft for Startups provides you with the resources that you need to build and grow your startup. You can build your business by accessing technology and tools to quickly build and run your business including Azure, GitHub, and Microsoft Teams:
- Azure credits (up to 150K$ for 4 years)
- Access to free Visual Studio and GitHub Enterprise
- M365 licenses, including Microsoft Teams to run your business
- Free Dynamics365 and Power Platform licenses
- 24×7 technical support
- Access to our rich mentor community
For FiBAN members, they provide local guidance on the Microsoft Founders Hub and other relevant programs to help build business leveraging the Azure platform.
Contact
Vesa Riihimäki, Head of Startup & Growth
vesa.riihimaki(at)nordea.fi
+358 40 826 2009
Nordea Startup & Growth provides startup & growth loans, has broad venture & trade sale network for you and focuses on business mentoring. We are 22 persons in Finland with 2500 startup customers.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Startup loans to leverage portfolio IRR
- Startup & Growth Private Banker services
- Network & deal flow
- Nordea offers conditional pre-approved credit decisions to startups who have gone through the FiBAN deal flow process and are selected to pitch at PitchFinland. The credit approval depends on whether the equity round raises the required minimum amount of funds. The loan terms and conditions are determined in advance, case by case
Contact
Tiina Starck, Director
tiina.starck@op.fi
OP Financial Group is Finland’s largest financial services group whose mission is to create sustainable prosperity, security and well-being for its owner-customers and in its operating region by means of its strong capital base and efficiency.
www.op.fi
Contact
Chris Gay-Crosier, Head International Investments chris.gay-crosier@verve.vc
Verve Ventures is a next-generation venture capital firm with an exclusive network of institutional experienced business angels. We identify the most promising startups across Europe and grant our network access to around 30 new investment opportunities per year. Starting from EUR 10’000, experienced business angels can build a diversified portfolio across industries and geographies, from the seed stage onward. With 50 team members and 150 science and technology-driven portfolio startups, Verve has become one of the most active cross-border investors in Europe.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Deal flow sharing: if you have built a startup portfolio as business angel or syndicate lead, we would gladly exchange about follow-on investment opportunities, especially for companies in international expansion phase.Educational content and webinars: free access for all FIBAN members
- Likewise, you may diversify your existing portfolio by joining our syndicates. Invest in startups across Europe from Seed stage onwards with a 100% digital investment process and a minimum ticket size of EUR 10’000. We present around 20 new startups every year, with full information on our digital platform.
Category 2
Contact
Petri Serenius, Investment Director
petri.serenius@businessfinland.vc
+358 50 599 3683
Business Finland Venture Capital (BFVC) invests in early-stage venture capital funds and co-invests with business angels through a fund structure. With equity capital provided by our target funds, start-up companies can execute their growth plans.
Key services to the FiBAN community:
- Information sharing about the Finnish venture capital market and investing in early-stage companies
- Support in the establishment of an early-stage venture capital fund and its management company
- Knowledge sharing in venture capital fund management
- Co-investments with business angels through a fund structure
Contact
Riikka Samaletdin
Director, Fund Investor Relations
riikka.samaletdin@capman.com
+358 50 462 3473
CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset management and investment company. They have built value in unlisted businesses, real estate, and infrastructure for over 30 years. They serve investors in the unlisted market on a broad scale. Their roots are Nordic but their handprint and networks are global.
Key services to the FiBAN community:
- Private equity and credit investments: Our dedicated investment teams and experienced advisor networks develop and implement growth strategies, build international organizations, execute acquisitions and arrange financing for a broad range of Nordic companies.
- Access to infrastructure and real estate funds: We offer access to funds applying value-add, income, and core/core+ strategies across Nordic countries.
- Wealth services: We offer holistic and independent wealth services to investors that want to access the best private and public market solutions.
- Procurement services: We offer procurement for growth companies that want to leverage our networks in procurement, selecting one supplier to serve all in order to achieve significant savings.
Contact
Tuomas Honkinen
tuomas.honkinen(at)castren.fi
Castrén & Snellman was founded in the late spring of 1888. Decades of supporting our clients’ success have enabled us to grow into a firm of over 240 people. We are based in Helsinki, and in other parts of the world we work with an extensive international network of law firms. We are a trusted advisor in mergers and acquisitions, disputes and other specialised fields of business law. Our mission is to help our clients build sustainable success stories.
Read more: Avoid the hassle and get a startup CEO agreement done right at once
Contact
Maria Ihalainen, Sales Manager
maria.ihalainen(at)elo.fi
Anne Tamminen, Account Manager
anne.tamminen(at)elo.fi
Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Company is a customer-owned employment pension company that manages the statutory employment pension insurance of one third of all Finnish companies and 40% of self-employed persons in Finland.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Statutory pension insurance for self-employed persons (YEL, Self-employed Persons’ Pensions Act)
- Statutory pension insurance for employees (TyEL, Employees Pensions Act)
- Well-being at work services
- Financing solutions for customer companies
- A wide selection of office spaces
Contact
Kim Ekqvist, Senior Legal Counsel
kim.ekqvist(at)fondia.com
Fondia is a full-service business law firm operating in the Nordics and Estonia. Our work is swift and flexible; it meets the demands of modern business. We are a forerunner in law and exploiting new technologies. Our mission with our LDaaS is to renew legal industry to meet the customers’ needs.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Legal support when investing: Legal support for business angels in all phases of the investment process relating to e.g. legal due diligence, investment and shareholders’ agreements as well as syndication of investments
- Legal support for start-ups: Business savvy, pragmatic and to the point legal advice for start-ups. Scalable and affordable to suit all development phases of start-ups and growth companies
- Template documents and trainings: Fondia’s regular co-operation with FiBAN includes providing template documents and organizing training events for business angels
Contact
Jan Johanson, Partner
jan.johanson@krogerus.com
+358 44 352 2063
Krogerus is a premium law firm offering a broad range of legal services across the corporate spectrum. Their experienced lawyers will help you navigate even the most complex issues and situations. They have a particularly strong focus on transactional and financial assignments.
They provide Finnish and international investors with a full range of services in private equity and venture capital.
• Legal advice in relation to structuring and negotiating investment and shareholders’ agreements, particularly in subsequent rounds where expertise in preferred instruments, incentives and leaver considerations is essential
• Legal due diligence tailored to the specific needs of the investor, often with particular focus on IP matters
• Tax advice in relation to the investment, including in alternative exit scenarios, as well as in relation to management incentives and alike arrangements
• Advice in relation to ancillary documentation such as corporate resolutions, manager agreements, incentive programmes, decision-making policies, etc.
Category 3
Contact
Suvi Vänskä, Partner, Tax & Legal Services, suvi.vanska(at)aldersound.fi
Johanna Kannisto, Head of Tax & Legal, Tax & Legal Services,
johanna.kannisto(at)aldersound.fi
Petteri Rapo, Partner, Transfer Pricing Services, petteri.rapo(at)aldersound.fi
Alder & Sound
Read more: Alder & Sound and FiBAN go partners boosting startups international growth
Contact
Michael Freudenthal, Startup Ecosystem Development Manager, Finland & Baltics
mfreud@amazon.com
Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers reliable, scalable, and inexpensive cloud computing services. They have provided cloud infrastructure to the world’s hottest and most successful startups such as Airbnb, Lyft, and Slack – to name a few.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- AWS provides the FiBAN community with low-cost, easy to use cloud infrastructure that startups need to scale and grow.
- AWS Activate program gives startups access to the resources they need to quickly get started on AWS – simply and smoothly.
- FiBAN investor members can utilize AWS Activate Portfolio package to ensures startups a quick and easy start, including credits, training, and support. FiBAN investor members can use the benefit for each startup in their investment portfolio.
Read more: Amazon Web Services and FiBAN partner up
Contact
Kaisu Korolainen, Sales Director
+358 50 303 1979
kaisu.korolainen@atalent.fi
aTalent is a modern recruiting company focused on finding the best people for business, technical and technology positions. Since their founding 15 years ago, they have helped companies ranging from founders before first employees or growing a small team to hyper-scaling startups and big corporations.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Recruiting with startup friendly pricing and satisfaction guarantee
- Search & hire
- Headhunting
- Leased employees / temporary workforce
- Access to talent pool from universities and universities of applied sciences around Finland
- Employer Branding services
- Trainee-programs
- People operations services
- Tips and tricks on how to succeed in recruiting
- Information about the recruiting market (supply and demand of candidates, salaries etc.)
Contact
Kimmo Reina
kimmo.reina(at)twobirds.com
Bird & Bird is an international law firm with a focus on helping organizations being changed by technology and the digital world. With over 1,300 lawyers in 30 offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and North America, we’re ready to help you wherever you are in the world.
Contact
Timo Helenius, Manager, Growth Services timo.helenius(at)hel.fi
+358 40 660 2070
Business Helsinki is part of the Department of Economic Development of the City of Helsinki. NewCo’s Growth Services matches start-ups and scale-ups with other actors in the ecosystem and provide business advisory to startups.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- We screen numerous startups annually and create deal flow to those looking for investment opportunities or want to act as advisors or mentors to startups
- We offer business advisory to startups which e.g. are not yet attractive to investors
- We provide grants for Helsinki-based startups. In 2018 travel grant up to 5.000€
Contact
Kari Pulkkinen, Business Coach
kari.pulkkinen(at)businessjoensuu.fi
+358 50 406 8716
Business Joensuu helps its customers in investments and investing in the Joensuu region. Their ambition is to start new companies, help them grow, and internationalize their business. They also have business environment development services that create the best conditions for companies to operate.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Business Accelerator for start-up companies
- Investor meetings
- Private equity events
- Business idea competition
Contact
Nina Rautiainen, Project Manager, Hippos – Growth and Innovation, Business Jyväskylä
FiBAN Regional Angel in Central Finland Area
nina.rautiainen@jyvaskyla.fi
Jyväskylä is a vibrant and growing city in Central Finland. There are 8000 companies located in the city, but also 42 000 students with lots of talent to offer for growing companies! 600 new businesses are being established in Jyväskylä each year and the city has been ranked as 2nd best place to live in Finland.
Business Jyväskylä is the business services unit of the City of Jyväskylä. Their mission is to reinforce the networks of Jyväskylä’s trade and commerce sector and to help companies to grow. For your business, they’re a reliable partner focused on solutions with impact.
They offer the FiBAN community:
- Valuable contacts of growth companies and start-ups in the Jyväskylä Region
- The ecosystem of smart wellbeing and performance – check www.HHub.fi
- Interesting networking events and contact platforms, e.g. Jyväskylä Business Rally
Contact
Jaakko Rytsölä, CEO,
+358502295
jaakko.rytsola@devolon.fila.fi
Devolon is a tech company of 45 people working with companies of various sizes and business sectors. Devolon’s core competencies are all services based on customer registers and payment transactions.
They offer the FiBAN community:
- Software development
- Web & Mobile application development
- Software as a Service (SAAS)
- Payment Systems
- Card issuing as a Service
- Devolon StartUp LAB: Devolon will invest up to €50k in developing the MVP of the selected startups, which is about 10,000 hours of development.
www.devolon.fi
Read more: www.devolon.fi/devolon-for-startups
Contact
Mikko Korhonen, Business Development Manager mikko.korhonen@eitrawmaterials.eu
+358 50 3656145
EIT Raw Materials focuses on supporting early idea holders & start-ups in the raw material sector by introducing new, innovative technologies and solutions to the market. Further focus areas are to increase human capital in the raw materials sector and promote entrepreneurial education at all levels.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Startup funding
- Startup acceleration
- Access to industry networks
- Events & matchmaking
Contact
Niko Visuri, Sales Director
niko@firstbrokers.fi
+358 401 204 777
Firstbrokers protects business continuity through risk management, audit, benchmark, design, and administration of non-life and employee benefit insurance services. Firstbrokers Oy, licensed by FIN-FSA, is the most international insurance broking firm in Finland, with services in 110+ countries.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Corporate risk management services to support business continuation
- Risk management solutions to protect investors, directors and key-persons
- World-wide access to risk management, insurance and employe benefit services
- Due diligence of existing solutions and services
- Risk, insurance and employee benefit audit, design, bencmarking and administration
- Optimization and cost effectiveness of services
- Independent outsourced risk manager in your service
- One-stop-shop for easy administration of non-life and employee benefit services
- Service in English, Finnish, Swedish, Estonian and Russian languages
Contact
Ragini Campion,
Business Development Manager, racampion@hubspot.com
The CRM Platform Your Whole Business Will Love
HubSpot’s CRM platform has all the tools and integrations you need for marketing, sales, content management, and customer service. Each product in the platform is powerful alone, but the real magic happens when you use them together.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Instant 90% off HubSpot’s CRM software for your startups! (Help your startups get set up correctly from Day 1 as a business by logging and running customer, client and investor interactions through a trusted CRM software. HubSpot’s program unlocks up to 90% off for all companies pre-Series B!
- Access to masterclasses and panels with Investors from around the world (Check out FiBAN’s content calendar for exclusive events for Angels and VCs curated by the HubSpot for Startups team) Love HubSpot and want a discount on the CRM for your own personal use? Email our point of contact and they’d love to support you.
For more information visit: www.hubspot.com/startups
Contact
Päivi Ihme, Director of Investor Relations paivi.ihme(at)innovestor.fi
+358 40 586 5627
Mikko Rautiainen, Investment Manager
mikko.rautiainen(at)innovestor.fi
+358 50 570 5985
Innovestor is a Finnish investment company focusing on venture capital and real estate. In addition, we offer corporate venturing services. Innovestor is one of the most active early-stage VC investors in Finland and currently manages four VC funds with total capital of 190M. Consisting of almost 100 growth companies across multiple sectors of technology and life science & health, it represents one of the largest private venture-backed portfolios in the Nordics.
For more information visit: www.innovestorgroup.com
Contact
Panu Skogstöm, Partner panu.skogstrom(at)kalliolaw.fi
+358 50 5911 093
Kalliolaw is one of the leading law firms in the Finnish start-up scene.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
Kalliolaw regularly advises their clients on matters such as:
- Financing rounds: from term sheet negotiations through due diligence review into investment documentation, we continuously advise target companies, investors and investor syndicates to successfully close investments. We have been involved with deals ranging from angel rounds to some of the biggest venture investments in Finland.
- Commercial contracts: with majority of our clients operating in technology sector, whether you are considering entering into R&D Agreement or licensing in or out, we have plenty of experience from all sorts of commercial arrangements.
- Data privacy: we provide practical advice to navigate the complex regulatory framework around personal data.
Read more: Angel investors’ 5-step checklist to evaluate start-ups’ intellectual property
Contact
Petri Liuha, Patent Agents petri.liuha(at)kolster.com
+358 45 782 01702
Kolster makes tangible results from intangible rights! They will secure the legal rights to your know-how & innovations and keep you one step ahead of the competition.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Ensuring the IP-quality and foundations of your investments
- IP Valuation
- IP Due Diligence
- Survey of IP operating environment
Contact
Pentti Meriläinen, Business Development Manager | Invest in Services
pentti.merilainen(at)ladec.fi
+358 40 589 8860
Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd develops the conditions for business growth and competitiveness in the Lahti region, in addition to marketing the region as an attractive business environment.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- The Lahti region is among the largest growth centers in Finland offering an ideal location for companies
- More than half of Finland’s population live within a two-hour radius and 10 million people live within a three-hour radius
- We make 700 businesscontacts per year so we identify funding opportunities according to business’s needs, for example for investments and development
- We can offer You one contact person
Contact
Markus Myhrberg
markus.myhrberg(at)lexia.fi
+358 40 505 5343
Lexia speaks startups! They are an independent full-service law firm offering expertise in domestic and international business law. Startup and growth companies have always been at the center of their service offering.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Legal support for business angels in all phases of the investment process
- Legal support for target companies
- Documents and trainings
Contact
Ilkka Haavisto, CEO
ilkka.haavisto@mertaoja.com
+358 40 740 3499
Mertaoja offers business angels and their portfolio companies outsourced financial management, accounting, and tailored CFO services.
Their services cover all stages of a company’s life cycle. They understand the needs and opportunities of startups as well as more established companies.
Core services:
– Accounting and financial management
– Payroll management
– All reports to the authorities
– Personalized service to management
– Fully digital processes and real-time views into financials
CFO/consultancy services:
– Calculations, forecasts, and analysis related to cash flow management, budgeting, investment plans, applications for funding, etc.
– Financial ‘sanity checks’ for startups
– Single session or a fixed monthly plan – you decide!
Their partner network: legal, auditing, HR, finance services
Contact
Anna Korkalainen, COO
anna(at)palava.global
+358 50 544 8686
Palava Global exists to make sure that all international growth endeavours are strategically sound and profitable. They wish to never see another vague internationalization plan or budgets wasted on the wrong market. Market agnostic and serving all industries, they can help you in all matters international.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Market Scanner: the most cost-effective way to validate a large set of markets for any product or service! The data-driven market selection tool compares individually designed data points from various markets to match the service offering with the best prerequisites for success. FiBAN members get 30% more data points, for free!
- International Roadmap: The hardest thing in internationalization is to know what are our options and what to do next. Working with scenarios and building on the company’s international strengths, Roadmap lays these out for you and helps with decision-making in internationalization. The most popular feature is calculating real market potential.
- Tailored consultation, advice and extra hands for the internationalization of a venture.
Read more:
Contact
Salla Wikholm, CEO salla.wikholm@rocketoffice.fi
040 861 3911
Rocket Office offers a full set of financial services ranging from statutory accounting and payroll to a fully equipped finance function with CFO-services. We are specialized in start-ups and growth companies.
Key Services for the FiBAN community:
Financial services for business angels and their portfolio companies:
- Accounting and payroll services
- Financial statements and tax reporting
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Consulting and CFO-services
Read more: rocketoffice.fi/services
Contact
Timo Huhtala, Partner, Head of Legal and Tax
timo.huhtala@roedl.com
+358 40 503 5312
Rödl & Partner (est. 1977) has been present in the Nordic-Baltic Region for almost 30 years, supporting some of the most important investment and transaction projects. In Finland, they offer legal and tax services under Rödl & Partner Asianajotoimisto and BPO services through Satakerta Rödl & Partner.
Key Services for the FiBAN community:
- Legal and tax support for business angels – advice on the (cross-border) fund and investment structure with the focus on investors base, the investment strategy and the management organisation
- Legal and tax support for startups – entity formation, liability protection, financing
- M&A transactions – domestic and foreign acquisitions, sales, tender offers, private equity transactions etc.
- IP&IT support – strategy consulting, management and defence of IPIT rights
- Data protection – categorizing and evaluating data, creating privacy policies & compliant internal processes
- Overall corporate support – investment and shareholders’ agreements, franchise, SaaS, joint venture, R&D agreements etc.
Contact
Nicolas von Schmidt-Laussitz, Business Development Manager nvsl@spotlightstockmarket.com +46 72 402 74 42
Spotlight is a stock market active in the Nordic countries. They bring growth companies and investors together in order to harness the power of public ownership. Through their market place, they help ideas, people, and companies to grow.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Listing of companies
- Networking
Contact
Teemu Polo, Head of Entrepreneurship
teemu.polo(at)teknologaiteollisuus.fi
Technology Industries of Finland is the lobbying organisation for technology industry companies. We promote competitiveness and the operational preconditions of the largest and most important export sector in Finland. Technology Industries of Finland has over 1,600 member companies.
We promote the renewal of labor market and improvement of the competitiveness. In addition, we help our member companies to recognize and solve challenges connected to growth, new business models and digitalization. Here are some examples of our projects and networks for companies.
- Digitalization: Finland’s Artificial Intelligence Accelerator, www.faia.fi
- Growth: regional growth groups for SMEs, www.kasvuverkostot.fi
- Circular Economy business models: Ideas and concrete tools for manufacturing industry, www.kasvuakiertotaloudesta.fi
Contact
Keith Bonnici, Investment Director keith.bonnici(at)tesi.fi
+358 40 179 9584
Tesi accelerates companies’ growth stories by investing in them, directly or via funds. We provide access to business expertise and international networks. We invest together with private investors on the same terms as them and with the same expectations for returns.
We do syndicated minority investments in promising Finnish companies’ A-, B- and C-rounds.
Contact
Marko Berg, Deputy Chief Investment Officer of University of Helsinki
marko.berg(at)helsinki.fi
+358 41 534 9893
University of Helsinki supports researchers turning commercially interesting ideas into spinout companies. In particular, Helsinki University Funds provide seed financing and help at the founding. Typically, these spinouts build heavily on IP created at the university.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
For business angels, Helsinki University Funds provides deal flow and co-investment opportunities in research based spinout companies.
www.helsinki.fi
Read more: Helsinki University Funds starts collaboration with FiBAN
Contact
Tony-Frank Holmström, Investments & Partnerships
frank@valkea.club
+358 45 787 45420
The main goal that unites everyone associated with Valkea Growth Club is to create a cleaner future through investing and working together with startups.
Key services for the FiBAN community:
- Be part of possible syndicates
- Can bring a wealth of knowledge and insights to DD process
- Sharing of ideas and thoughts
- Can help startups with expert consultation from Fortum’s 8200+ strong expert network
- Be part of the community through organising events together
- Offer possible pilot opportunities to startups
- Open doors worldwide through our Valo Ventures and EIP partners
- Possibility to offer a physical seat at our Maria 01 premises
- FiBAN startups have the possibility to co-operate with our other startups on a more in depth level to support each other
- We want to learn and develop ourselves and be part of innovation while having fun!