10 Tips for #Slush23 Attendees

It is here again.

The mother of all the startup buzz (p?hin?), Slush is just around the corner. This is?THE event?for many startups & entrepreneurs around the world.?So one should definitely be ready & prepared for the startup havoc?that cannot be missed.?Take a look what's about to come:

Slush is not an event but a week full of positive "Can Do" -attitude & Startup mindset.

Slush has indeed become what they state in their website:

Slush has grown from a single gathering in Helsinki to a series of events organized all around the world. Our crown-jewel event is our annual Slush event, but we also host smaller get-togethers around the globe.

It all started in 2008 in Helsinki with a one-day affair made up of around 250 people. Pretty intimate, if you ask us. While the size of our event has grown by leaps and bounds, our goal has stayed the same:?we focus on how best to serve startup ecosystems across the world.

If you are working around startups, you need to be at Slush, since Slush is the focal point for startups and tech talent to meet with top-tier international investors, executives and media.

Being prepared & well presented at Slush may very well be the positive turning point to your company, be small or big.

I've been an active builder & promoter in the Finnish Startup scene since 2007, & also attended every Slush since -'09,?so I thought I'd publish my yearly tiplist how to succeed at the startup mega-event called Slush.

10 TIPS FOR #SLUSH23 ATTENDEES:

1. Slush is massive. Prepare in advance. Start now.

Over 13 000 people are?#comingtoslush.

That's a lot of startup energy. Helsinki Messukeskus is gonna be packed.?So you should take that in consideration when planning a successful Slush for you. Here are some general things to take in consideration.

Coming by car? Be prepared to be stuck in traffic if you are coming late.

Protip: Come early & use public transport instead.

Suddenly you want to go for a lunch of dinner? So is everyone else, prepare and book you lunch & dinner beforehand.

Protip: Here are great options for lunch at the venue:

Gonna get a ticket early in the morning?

That is not early.

That is late.

Protip: Get a ticket in advance:

You can do it here: Pre Batch claim

Slush Badge Claim

Ignore these at your peril.

2. What is #YourSlush like? Plan the best Slush just for you.

Slush folks have made it easy to plan 2 days that really benefit your generous presence at the venue. Do a couple of things:

First. Sign into the Official Slush Platform

Secondly. Take time & think on what you want to achieve at Slush?

Are you looking for investors? Want to #Hustle & pitch your Startup to as many as possible? Want to meet cool new people, perhaps recruit a talented person to your team? Want to make sales at and after the event? Want to get media coverage? Maybe you just enjoy and enjoy all the festive activities? Want to make a great story about some cool new service a startup is presenting?

Thirdly: Download the official Slush App:

Download the My Slush app:

From App Store

From Google Play

Remember: #Slush2023 is just as good as you make it to be.

3. "Your Network is your Net worth" - Slush is about ppl. - Make it easy for people to connect with you.

Make sure you have your contact information close. Not necessarily physical business cards, but?some "quick to giveaway" contact information, in order to actually?follow up?after the busy event is over. One possibility is to have your LinkedIn Profile QR code downloaded into your phone gallery, so it's always available if the network is a bit too crowded.

Think about why he/she should be interested,?and why should you before jumping into a long talk. Deliver something unique/interesting.?Although we all now that 10 meaningful conversations eat brief hallway discussions for breakfast, its important to understand this:

Everybody is quite busy during the event. So people do not have time for a long meaningful conversation on spot, so your job is to make a meaningful contact and continue the discussion on another less hectic time.

Also make sure you will make your profile to Slush Matchmaking tool and see who's coming to town that could be a person worth connecting & chatting.

4. Startup folks: Practice your pitch with care. Literally. Practice it.

Nobody likes a boring, grey & long feature vomit.?Make your product / service / startup / establishments?easy to be "bought". Value the recipients time.

Make your 30 seconds with an important contact count.

I've gathered some of my tips here (in Fin)

5. Aggressively positive attitude & sharing goodwill.

I actually understand when some people not present at Slush, are annoyed by the overflow of "Amazing-Epic-Coolness" at Slush that every freaking entrepreneur / student is sharing throughout the?social media.?Understandably so, but still, it is not your problem if someone is unable to ignore your excitement if it bothers.

Slush is an event like no other, the atmosphere where problems are opportunities & attitude where sky is the limit (or actually isn't) is really something else.

People who are not at the event do not understand why people are so hyped.

You have to feel it to understand.

So let it not stop you for sharing goodwill?and post interesting content/pics/posts before & after.?In my opinion we really have enough of negative bullshit blocking our screens, so this dark time of the year (and especially during these times full of Teams & Zooms), really needs some positive hustle.

And remember what?Bob Dylan?said:

"Some people feel the rain.

Others just get wet."

So keep em' posts coming with the hashtag: #Slush23

6. Get your?gear & energy right.

A lot of sitting, talking and energy draining startup action. Pack with you a couple of things along with your practised pitch & your contact information:

• Extra battery / Chargers (Mobile + Laptop)
• Poweruse Evernote* eg. notebook tool
• Paper?Notebook (if Digital Fails, Analog helps)
• Drink, Eat, Take enough brakes. Otherwise you will be a zombie.

(I know this might sound like an advice from Mom, but you'll know what I mean after 8 hours of non-stop pitching, talking, walking & drinking.)

7. Practice how to stop a conversation

13?000 people come with also not so interesting discussions.?With this I mean irrelevant discussions for you right now. Surprise super discussions are always welcome, but if the whole 2 days are filled with random discussions, that is actually not cool. So learn how to continue discussion later somewhere else.

"Sounds cool, could we continue this discussion later in some other format,?I have a pretty tight pre-planned schedule?

Let's exchange contact info and discuss more later on, ok?"

You (or your company) paid x € for ticket so hopefully you are looking to deliver some results (meetings, leads, deals etc).

Life is indeed a box of chocolates, but your task is to find the right kind of chocolates that will fit best for your very own box.

8. Next week Slush owns Helsinki.

Slush?is not happening only at Messukeskus,?the awesome people all around the Startup universe?are spread around Helsinki area:?Take a tour & enjoy the full Slush show:

And if you are coming to Helsinki from abroad, this site might also come handy:

And as they state in their website:

"Did you think we’d start on Day 1?

Oh no, Day 0 will be filled with side events curated for founders, investors, and media. Don’t be late for the game and join us in Helsinki for the Slushiest pre-parties."

Also usually the most meaningful meetings happen after the busy conference days.

I'm naturally talking about afterparties. Take a look:

9. Slush is an over week long conference, not a 2 day show

Nuff said. Many forget this and walk in like moose in the motorway.

These two days will swooooosh by like a racing car if you just wonder pointlessly.

Don't be a moose. Be a person with a goal or simply enjoy the atmosphere.

Check out the whole week packed with startup action:

10. Note that #Slush23 has actually already started.

Actually it is even hard to say when Slush starts.

Some events have already started. Slush starts earlier with these Day 0 events:

The networking and warming up has already started in the social media. So start "attending" virtually already now.

Let's connect already now,

This is your chance, so take it. Start connecting now & making an impact.

Let's lead the way & lets start the networking right now.

Follow me on Linkedin here:

See you at #Slush23

Sani Leino is one of the founders of Laurea Enterpreneurship Society, LaureaES, Partner at esports organization HAVU Gaming Oy . He's also been an active advocate of the Finnish startup scene & Slush since 2009.