Nordic Startup News | Helsinki | 15 September 2026
Nordic companies need a clearer route from strong ideas to international customers. That was a recurring message in participant reflections following Scaling Opportunity: Nordics & The World, which brought founders, investors and market specialists together at Epicenter Helsinki on 15 September.
Co-hosted by Lähde and Epicenter Helsinki, the gathering explored how businesses can enter new markets and build the relationships needed to grow. Its programme ranged from the United States and Asia to energy, health, global brands and creative industries.
The Wake Up Finland! keynote, with Erik Åkesson, ERIK Ventures
Erik Åkesson’s “Wake Up Finland!” keynote (video) set a challenging tone (do check the 11 min video), where he remarked, he did a great comparison into the Finnish people into other Nordics and elaborated the chance to go global.
In her subsequent LinkedIn reflection, speaker Aino Kauranen described his message as a call to overcome risk aversion and recognise that even excellent products need active selling. She also highlighted the discussion with Pia Pakarinen, Peter Vesterbacka and Kustaa Valtonen for moving towards concrete commitments.
For companies preparing to expand, the discussion extended beyond ambition to execution. Kauranen, who joined Janne Waltonen for the global-brand panel, emphasised cultural localisation, customer retention and evidence that marketing generates additional growth. “Growth you can’t attribute is a story, not a result,” she wrote afterwards. Her message was that efficient customer acquisition alone does not establish a durable business.
Holy Marketing co-founder Asya Kruglova reached a complementary conclusion. Reflecting on the event, she urged companies to choose a specific target market, understand how trust is built locally and invest in reaching customers. Local partners can help companies navigate unfamiliar business cultures and avoid relying entirely on decisions made at headquarters.
The programme also examined the organisations that help businesses expand. A session featuring Samuli Savo, Seppo Ihalainen and Kalle Saarikannas, moderated by Rudi Frickenschmidt, focused on support for international growth. The closing culture-and-sport discussion broadened the conversation to Nordic opportunities beyond technology.
Organiser Aku Nenonen and the wider Lähde team placed personal connections at the centre of the format. Ecosystem contributor and moderator Angeliki Papagiannopoulou also received public thanks from participants for bringing people together. Those connections offer a practical starting point for the work that follows an event: testing demand, finding partners and winning customers abroad.
Source links
Aino Kauranen’s public reflection
Asya Kruglova’s event reflections
Participant comments shared through Aku Nenonen’s public activity