Eerika Savolainen

Eerika Savolainen is a prominent figure in the Finnish startup ecosystem, most notably known for her leadership at Slush, a major startup and tech event organization.

Professional Background

Career at Slush: Eerika's journey with Slush began as a volunteer in 2014 and 2015 while she was a first-year university student. She progressively took on more responsibilities:

• Strategic Partnerships Manager in 2019
• Head of Program and Head of Node by Slush in 2020
• Chief Operating Officer in 2021
• CEO of Slush in January 202213

Education and Expertise:

• Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration from Aalto University1
• Currently an Entrepreneur in Residence at Lifeline Ventures2

Leadership Philosophy

Eerika is passionate about entrepreneurship and believes it is a crucial mechanism for shaping the future of Finland and Europe. Her leadership at Slush has been characterized by:

• Focusing on relevance over scale
• Curating high-quality experiences for startup founders and investors
• Maintaining a startup-like mentality throughout the organization13

Vision for Slush

Her strategic approach involves:

• Concentrating on serving core audiences (startup founders and investors)
• Helping startups with challenges beyond initial connections
• Supporting the European startup ecosystem's growth
• Focusing on themes like recruitment, international expansion, and product strategy1

Eerika is particularly excited about the emerging trends in the startup world, especially in climate and health tech, and the potential of "second-generation" founders who have gained experience from successful startups like Wolt.1