Ville Vesterinen
Co-Founder at Slush
23 Nov 2025etn. - LIVE from Slush
Slush Co-Founder: From 300 Attendees in 2008 to Europe's Biggest Startup Event
A Slush co-founder looks back at starting the event in 2008 as a newcomer to Finland, when Nokia was declining and 'startup' needed explaining — the first edition drew 300 people, with participants even stepping in to fix badges, after Risto Siilasmaa agreed to speak. He explains Slush's secret is handing the event to a new student team every couple of years under one constant mission of supporting founders and trusting young people. He closes with concern that Western democracies have lacked real growth since the 1970s — citing the New York election as the social contract unraveling — arguing tech is the main tool to rebuild growth and win Europe a place between the US and China.
Europe's Startups Must Get Political — and a 'European JD Vance'
Wrapping up the interview, the guest argues that Europe's startup community must engage seriously with politics — in Brussels and in national capitals — by lobbying, backing the right candidates, and grooming tech founders to run for office, pointing to JD Vance as the model of a tech-literate leader Europe lacks. He frames Slush as Europe's answer to Y Combinator, credits alumni like the team that went on to build Wolt, and says what he looks forward to most each year is the young student team running the show and seeing where they end up. The segment closes with thanks and a short host break before the next guest.