Blog — sTARTUp Day - Most Startup-Minded Business Festival

BLOG

Meet the Advisory Board of sTARTUp Day!

sTARTUp Day has welcomed several influential figures to its new advisory board, each bringing their experience to help guide the event’s continued success. Together, they aim to make sTARTUp Day even more valuable for startups, investors, and the broader community....
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Dealum is the Tartu startup of the year!

On October 11th, Tartu's entrepreneurial community gathered at the Athena Center for a gala event where the winners of the "Tartu Best...
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Jana Saastamoinen: "Tartu people know how to organize quality events"

Jana Saastamoinen is the newest Head Organizer of sTARTUp Day! She first joined the festival marketing team in 2019 as an assistant;...
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Head Organizer Noora Ustav: We keep innovating with Refresh

Refresh, the biggest product and UX design conference in Estonia, is taking place in Tartu for the second time on April 11-12,...
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Arts of Survival: How Entrepreneurs Make It in Culture and Artists Become Executives

Culture and business can seem as two juxtaposing worlds: one driven by burning artistic passion, the other by cold hard cash. Yet...
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sTARTUp Day joins forces with Tartu 2024

Tartu together with Southern Estonia is the European Capital of Culture in 2024. We’re excited to announce Tartu 2024 as one of...
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Kristen Tamm from Futuclass on innovating education with VR and building an EdTech startup

Futuclass is a Tartu-based EdTech startup on a mission to make learning more engaging with the help of virtual reality. We talked...
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What do you believe yourself to be capable of achieving?

Personal Power comes from our perception of self and is the key to unlocking our true potential, writes Rein Lemberpuu in an essay...
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HOPP design store – your trusted guide into the unknown

Nestled at the heart of Tartu, HOPP is the design store of Tartu Centre for Creative Industries, launched very much in the...
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Marek Alliksoo on the hydrogen revolution and its possibilities for Tartu and Estonia

Hydrogen is seen to play a key role in reducing global CO2 emissions and transitioning to clean, renewable energy. We discussed the...
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CDL Estonia helps to scale science- and technology-based startups

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a non-profit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. In...
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Uku Tomikas from Messente on the future of SMS, combating user authentication fraud and effective leadership principles

Uku Tomikas is the CEO of Messente Communications, the Tartu-based business messaging platform servicing companies worldwide. He is also a father, a...
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The Pursuit of Scrappiness: Merging the Baltic startup bubbles

Janis Zeps and Uldis Teraudkalns are co-hosts of The Pursuit of Scrappiness, the popular English-language startup podcast dedicated to actionable and scrappy...
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sTARTUp Day recognized at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards

sTARTUp Day was shortlisted in the category of supporting the internationalization of business at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards. Our team attended...
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Marii Ingriin Saaremäe on bringing back the good old Refresh conference in a whole new way

In January 2023, Refresh, the biggest product, UX design and front-end conference in Estonia, is returning after a 4-year hiatus. We had...
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Kristjan Lind – the Estonian Young Entrepreneur of 2022!

Kristjan Lind is the CEO and co-founder of Bikeep, the leading smart commercial scooter and bike parking and charging provider. Today, Kristjan...
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Juudit Gross: a career change to IT must start with interest and desire to work there

The career change from sea surveyor to IT developer was a logical step for Juudit (30), but at the same time a well-thought-out...
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What do teens and your future employees really want? Wise shares 3 key takeaways from the latest survey

Wise has been keeping a close eye on the youth for years now and has asked Kantar Emor to survey teens aged...
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sTARTUp Day joins forces with Fractory

The Tartu-founded cloud manufacturing company Fractory joins as one of the co-organizers of sTARTUp Day.
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Meet our podcast hosts Marleen Aasa and Otto Oliver Olgo

It’s time to get to know Marleen Aasa and Otto Oliver Olgo, consultants at Miltton New Nordics and the hosts of Season...
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Sandra Saarniit on supporting local startup community and personal growth

This week’s hero is Sandra Saarniit, Startup Community Development Manager at Startup Estonia whose mission is to foster collaboration and learning between...
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Martin Kikas: "I scare off laziness with my fears."

Ö STUDIO is a dynamic form of collaboration between audiovisual companies and artists that offers specialized art-directed multidisciplinary solutions such as video,...
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Culture is what separates a great company from an average one

Finding specialists with certain specific skills can be challenging in Estonia. But widening the search for talent from across borders gives the...
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Digital nomads: a community of modern age builders and innovators

By their very nature, digital nomads are inquisitive thinkers – they left the comfort of their hometown, the familiarity of their nine-to-five...
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E-Residency of Estonia: The digital key to the perfect base for your growing startup

Even while travel remains constrained, launching the next global startup means taking a global perspective. Digitally, we are all closer together than...
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Triin Kask: "Female founders are catching up!"

In the most recent episode of the sTARTUp Day podcast, our program manager Triin Kask talked about statistics related to female founders,...
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Time donation as an effective team building method

You know that feeling when you come back from a team event and feel really lucky because it was just so nice...
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Exciting news from .Cocoon Ventures!

We have two awesome announcements for you! For their first investment, .Cocoon Ventures joined the investment round for Jobilla with a 100,000€...
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Ede and Sten Tamkivi – fearlessly breaking stereotypes

Both women and men, entrepreneurs and employees in startups and large corporations, are trying to find and improve work-life balance. Although society...
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Wrapping up the startup year 2020

This year has been unpredictable, challenging, and demanding for all of us. You could even say that the everyday life of almost...
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Trust and shared values are fundamental for a thriving community

The statement “Think globally act locally” has never been more relevant. The restrictions on travel, meetings, and many other areas have not...
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Remato – this year’s most outstanding startup in Tartu!

Each year, the City of Tartu awards its best companies, including one noteworthy startup. This year, the title of the Most Outstanding...
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7 challenges that make startups fail (and solutions)

One of our co-organizers, .Contriber has been working with startups since 2014 when they opened offices and co-working spaces in Tartu. They...
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Mart Lättekivi: "Maybe the midlife crisis just hit me at the age of 24."

Mart Lättekivi is our amazing COO! He has been in the sTARTUp Day family for 3 years now. The first year he...
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How Business Events Have Adapted to the COVID-19 Crisis

The global COVID-19 pandemic has taken over the whole world, forcing businesses to adapt and innovate to stay afloat in this unprecedented...
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New workforce sharing platform Share Force One emerges to help businesses resolve workforce-related problems during the crisis

Developed by members of the sTARTUp Community and headed by Lauri Sokk, the first Head Organizer of sTARTUp Day, Share Force One...
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The future of startup ecosystems as impact creators for the society - Sten-Kristian Saluveer

Sten-Kristian is an Estonia/Japan based curator, audiovisual producer, and content & technology entrepreneur bridging Asia with Europe. He is the Founder of...
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sTARTUp Mindset - what does it really mean?

When we talk about sTARTUp Day, we’re always saying that we’re bringing together people with the startup mindset – not necessarily the...
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Throwback to 2019 sTARTUp City highlights

2019 is over and now it’s time to take a look back to everything that has happened in sTARTUp city! And oh...
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Tartu Wall of Fame has been opened in SPARK Demo

Since the end of November, the SPARK Demo features Tartu's own Wall of Fame, which currently shows 13 outstanding startups. Companies that...
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Sorainen: Startup fundraising – how to do it right?

Building a startup may seem like fun and games at first, but there are quite a few legal things to address when...
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TransferWise: How To Teach Technology To Youngsters?

sTARTUp Day has put together an exciting program for youngsters. Youth Area’s agenda includes idea-generating and prototyping workshops and offers young entrepreneurs...
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sTARTUp Day idea founder Andres Kuusik leaves footprints to Tartu Pioneers' Alley

This year Andres Kuusik, sTARTUp Day idea founder, was added to Tartu Pioneers' Alley. The purpose of the alley is to recognize...
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Swedbank Has Stepped Into the Co-Organizers Circle

We have some great news – Swedbank is now one of the 9 co-organizers of sTARTUp Day! 
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Meet our new Head Organizer Marili Vihmann

Marili has been with sTARTUp Day since the very beginning. She started as the volunteers’ team lead and was a member of...
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UX Tartu 2019 presents: Cleveron — helping people save time through innovation

On this Thursday, 18th of April, the event UX Tartu will take place for the third time already! UX Tartu is a...
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Hero of the Week: Rein Lemberpuu, CEO and Founder of .Contriber: “You Often Have to Work on Balancing the Opposites.”

Rein Lemberpuu – a man who needs no further introduction. Though if you do – he is one of the Tartu startup...
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The Successful sTARTUp Year 2018

Tartu is the only city in the world which is in the word ‘sTARTUp’. 2018 was a remarkably successful year for Tartu’s...
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sTARTUp Day is born from synergy of the community

sTARTUp Day, which has now grown to be the biggest business festival in the Baltics, was brought to life two years ago...
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Tickets from €159

Tickets

Find your perfect ticket type! All ticket types grant access to all three festival days on 29-31 January 2025. 

Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Visitor

179 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Startup

159 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Investor

259 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Executive

259 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.