Bilbao will host the first edition of Slush in our region on February 20. This prestigious global innovation event, which focuses on attracting investment, creating startups and global collaboration, is coming to the Basque Country and Bizkaia with the confirmed presence of more than 200 investors, including VCs and business angels.

Slush, the renowned global innovation event held annually in Helsinki, Finland, has chosen the ecosystem of Bizkaia and Bilbao as the venue for its first edition in the region.

The event will take place on February 20 at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC), where more than 200 international investors, including VCs, venture debt, corporate venture capital and business angels, will meet with more than 150 startups and key players in international innovation, creating a bridge between southern Europe and the Nordic-Baltic ecosystems.

Bilbao Slush’D is an extension of the global Slush event, designed to accelerate the growth of startups and connect local innovation ecosystems with the international community.

A leading innovation hub in southern Europe, supported by entrepreneurship, companies and startups.

Among the most notable activities is the pitch competition, in which startups will be able to stand out and gain visibility through the EmprendeXXI Awards, awarded in collaboration with CaixaBank DayOne, ENISA and SPRI, as well as the innovative reverse pitch, where investors will share the investment theses of their funds with the participating startups.

Bilbao Slush’D will feature speakers such as the founder of the event and creator of Angry Birds, Peter Vesterbacka; the CEO of Softonic, Fiona Garvey; the co-founder and investor of Penneo and Sepior, Nicolaj Højer Nielsen; the ambassador of Finland in Spain, Sari Rautio; and, as headliners, Agur Jõgi, CTO of Pipedrive, one of the 10 Estonian unicorns; Wouter Draijer, founder of SolarMente and Laura Kankaala, Director of Threat Intelligence at F-Secure Corporation, one of the world’s leading experts in cybersecurity.

At national and international level, Slush’D will have funding from the likes of JME Ventures, Notion Capital, Tenity, Plug and Play, Kfund, Adara Ventures, Cometa VC, Lumo Labs, Cardumen Capital, Enzo Ventures, Perseo Ventures (Iberdrola), G+D Ventures, Acurio Ventures, Actyus and Encomenda Capital Partners, which will be part of this edition under the North-to-North strategy.

Its aim is to highlight the potential of Basque and Estonian startups, fostering cross-border synergies that promote sustainability and inclusion.