Slush 2026 in Helsinki: the event guide.

Slush 2026 takes place in Helsinki on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November 2026, at Messukeskus, the city’s Expo and Convention Centre. The event describes itself as “the planet’s most founder‑focused event and largest venture capital gathering” Source [1]. Valentin PETITCLERC, founder and president of Hello Justice, will be there from 17 to 20 November.

Slush 2026 in figures.

Slush announces, for its 2026 edition Source [1] Source [2]:

According to the organisers, 76% of attendees are startups or investors Source [1].

Dates and venues.

Tuesday 17 November is “Day 0”: Investor Day, included in the Investor ticket, is held at Finlandia Hall (Mannerheimintie 13 e), and Day 0 for Founders, followed by the Founders Party, at Tanssin Talo (Kaapeliaukio 3), with separate registration Source [3] Source [4]. The two main days, 18 and 19 November, take place at Messukeskus, Messuaukio 1, 00520 Helsinki Source [3].

Slush reaches well beyond those two days. Originally a two‑day happening, it has grown into an entire week of events around the Helsinki metropolitan area Source [4]. Helsinki runs on Eastern European Time, one hour ahead of Paris: 10:00 in Helsinki is 09:00 in Paris.

What Slush is.

Slush is a not‑for‑profit organisation on a mission to help and create founders to change the world Source [5]. The first Slush, in 2008, was a 250-person gathering Source [5]. The event is owned by the Startup Foundation, a Finnish not‑for‑profit, and is run by students and recent graduates, with more than 1,600 volunteers Source [5] Source [4].

The event is built so that founders and investors meet: more than 25,000 meetings are scheduled Source [1].

The programme: four stages.

The programme published in the Slush app on 12 November 2026 runs across four stages: the Founder Stage, the Impact Stage, the Builder Stage and the Startup Stage Source [6]. Some highlights, Helsinki time:

• Wednesday 18 November, 10:00: opening show on the Founder Stage, followed by a fireside chat with Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland.
• Wednesday 18 November, 10:30: Slush 100 semifinals on the Startup Stage.
• Wednesday 18 November, 11:30: “State of European Tech”, on the Founder Stage.
• Thursday 19 November, 13:11: “VC Meets EC”, two views on keeping Europe’s best founders in Europe.
• Thursday 19 November, 14:05: panel with Henna Virkkunen (European Commission) and Jan Goetz (IQM).
• Thursday 19 November, 16:55: Slush 100 final on the Founder Stage.

Between talks, Q&A sessions with speakers take place separately, with registration. Times can still change: the Slush app is the reference.

The Slush 100.

The Slush 100 is the event’s pitch competition. Out of more than 1,400 applicants, 100 startups were selected Source [7]. Twenty semifinalists pitch on Wednesday morning on the Startup Stage, then three finalists compete for the prize on Thursday: €500,000, equity‑free Source [7] Source [6]. Wave Ventures reviews the applications, and the startups pitch in front of General Catalyst, NEA, Cherry and ICONIQ Source [7]. Applications closed on 7 September Source [7].

Side events.

Slush counts more than 600 side events Source [1], across the city and at Messukeskus, where Slush partners have a wing set aside for their events Source [4]. Some are open to anyone with registration, others require a Slush ticket, and some are already full: registration happens in the app Source [6].

For the French ecosystem, Bpifrance hosts a French‑Nordic investors cocktail at the French Embassy in Helsinki, on Tuesday 17 November from 18:00 to 21:00, with registration Source [6].

Tickets and meetings.

On 12 November 2026, the Startup (€395 incl. VAT), Investor (€1,195 incl. VAT), Ecosystem (€1,195 incl. VAT) and Thursday tickets were shown as sold out on the Slush homepage, 13.5% VAT included Source [1]. The Startup ticket gives access to the meeting tool and to investor office hours and mentoring, the Investor ticket to Investor Day and investor‑only side events Source [1]. Accredited journalists get in free of charge Source [4].

The meeting tool on the Slush platform books 25-minute meetings in the dedicated meeting area, with a chat to prepare them. It does not offer remote meetings Source [4]. The Slush app is available on iOS and Android Source [1].

Preparing your visit.

Meetings are booked in the Slush tool before the event: a precise request, saying why the meeting makes sense, gives the other side a reason to accept it. Side events are best chosen early, as some are already full. The programme can be browsed and pinned in the app, stage by stage. And the week starts on Tuesday, with Day 0.

Slush and legal tech.

The law has its place on the programme. Ross McNairn, co‑founder of Wordsmith, answers attendees’ questions on Wednesday 18 November, and Paolo Fois, co‑founder of Lexroom, on Thursday 19 November Source [6]. On Thursday at 08:00, Venture Point Legal hosts a breakfast for founders and investors, as a side event Source [6].

Litigation funding is still little known among tech investors. It funds lawsuits and is paid from what the client recovers, only if the case succeeds, and its return depends on the outcome of a lawsuit. Our glossary and the page on uncorrelated assets explain the principles.

Hello Justice at Slush 2026.

Hello Justice is the first French company dedicated to litigation funding for the mid‑market: disputes worth €100,000 to €1 million. It funds the case without interfering in the strategy of the lawyer who runs the proceedings, and is paid from what its client recovers, only if the case succeeds. More than 600 cases are in progress today, taken on since 2024. Founded in Lyon and a winner of the Lyon Bar’s 2024 Innovation Competition, which incubated it, it is backed by Bpifrance under the France 2030 plan and features in France Digitale’s 2026 mapping. Its algorithm, Vigie™, detects serial litigation in published court decisions.

Valentin PETITCLERC is coming to Slush to meet investors, funds and partners interested in litigation finance, and founders building in legal tech and fintech. Book a meeting with him in the Slush app (Valentin PETITCLERC, Hello Justice), or message him on LinkedIn (new tab). You can also write to us from our contact page, and the investor access process is described on the investors page.

Frequently asked questions

When is Slush 2026?

On Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November 2026, in Helsinki. Tuesday 17 November is “Day 0”, with Investor Day and Day 0 for Founders, and side events run all week.

Where does Slush 2026 take place?

At Messukeskus, the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre, Messuaukio 1, 00520 Helsinki. Investor Day is held at Finlandia Hall, Day 0 for Founders at Tanssin Talo.

How many people attend Slush 2026?

Slush announces more than 12,000 attendees, including 5,800 startups and 3,300 investors, more than 25,000 meetings and more than 600 side events.

What is the Slush 100?

Slush’s pitch competition: 100 startups selected out of more than 1,400 applicants, twenty semifinalists on Wednesday, three finalists on Thursday, and a €500,000 prize for the winning startup, equity‑free.

Are Slush 2026 tickets still available?

On 12 November 2026, the Slush homepage showed the Startup, Investor, Ecosystem and Thursday tickets as sold out. Accredited journalists get in free of charge, and some side events are open without a ticket, with registration.

How can I meet Hello Justice at Slush?

Valentin PETITCLERC, founder and president of Hello Justice, is in Helsinki from 17 to 20 November. Book a meeting with him in the Slush app, or message him on LinkedIn.