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Panelists

Experience that travels beyond the Nordics.

Meet the founders, executives and market specialists joining Scaling Opportunity. The order reflects relevance to international scaling and the event programme.

Select a profile to read more.

Welcome to the Nordics

Peter Vesterbacka

Entrepreneur & Co-Initiator
Finest Bay Area Development

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Peter is an entrepreneur and brand builder known for helping take Angry Birds global and for co-creating Slush. He is also a driving force behind the FinEst Bay Area project linking Helsinki and Tallinn.

Session to be announced

Janne Waltonen

Global Marketer (ex-Supercell, ex-WPP)

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Janne is a global marketer with roughly 30 years of experience helping brands grow internationally. He has shaped high-profile, award-winning creative campaigns and is known for bringing internal teams and agency partners together around ambitious work.

Deep Tech & Health

Emil Hewage

CEO & Founder
BIOS Health

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Emil is the founder of BIOS Health, a neural-interface and AI company with Cambridge roots and international clinical work. His recognition includes Forbes 30 Under 30 and MIT Innovators Under 35.

Energy Transition

Aaron Michelin

Founder
Enersense International

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Aaron founded Nasdaq Helsinki-listed Enersense International, an energy company operating across the Nordics and Baltics. He brings experience of building industrial scale around the energy transition.

Middle East & Africa

Anita Kalergis

Founder & CEO
Ipsum Consulting MEA

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Anita helps Nordic companies understand and enter markets across the Middle East and Africa. Her work focuses on local relationships, market access and practical cross-border partnerships.

Welcome to the Nordics

Pia Pakarinen

CEO
Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce

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Pia leads the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce, representing more than 7,000 member companies. She brings institutional weight and a practical view of Finland as a trusted base for international business.

Welcome to the Nordics

Kustaa Valtonen

Founding Partner
Finest Bay Area Development

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Kustaa is an entrepreneur, angel investor and Founding Partner of Finest Bay Area Development. He leads the programme office for the Helsinki-Tallinn railway tunnel project and has invested in Finnish startups since 2009.

Gaming & Creative IP

Roald Van Buuren-Natale

Co-Founder
ELO

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Roald is a London-based gaming and esports operator with leadership experience at FACEIT and Fnatic. He brings an international operator's view to scaling creative products and communities.

Gaming & Creative IP

Tatu Petersen-Jessen

CEO
Odd Latent

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Tatu leads AI-native games company Odd Latent and previously held senior art roles at Rovio and Remedy. He joins the discussion on Finnish gaming, creative production and global audiences.

Critical Minerals

Juho Järvelä

CEO
Magna Capital

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Juho leads Magna Capital, working with early-stage opportunities in mining, minerals and the circular economy. He joins the discussion on investment, industrial scale and cross-border partnerships.

Gaming & Creative IP

Tomi Tikkala

Strategic Partnerships & Commercial Leader
Karta

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Tomi brings a commercial perspective to the gaming discussion, with a focus on strategic partnerships and the practical work of reaching new markets.

Deep Tech & Health

Sanna Koskela

CEO & Co-Founder
Nuanic

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Sanna is the CEO and co-founder of Nuanic. She brings the perspective of a Finnish health-technology founder working across research, product development and international growth.

Cracking America

Jarmo Sareva

Consul General, Ambassador
Consulate General of Finland in New York

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Jarmo is a senior Finnish diplomat with four decades of experience in international relations, the UN, innovation, cyber affairs and advancing Finnish interests in the United States.

Wake Up Finland!

Erik Åkesson

Founder
Erik Ventures

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Erik is an investor and entrepreneur with nearly 20 years of international finance experience, focused on early-stage investing and supporting founders.

From Finland to the World

Samuli Savo

Chief Ventures Officer
Reaktor

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Samuli is a digital transformation and venture leader with senior experience across technology, consulting, corporate innovation and new business creation.

From Finland to the World

Seppo Ihalainen

Founder
ecogrid.energy

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Seppo is an energy and infrastructure entrepreneur focused on sustainable energy systems, AI-ready data centres and integrated energy parks.

From Finland to the World

Kalle Saarikannas

Senior GTM Lead, AI Business Solutions
Microsoft

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Kalle is an AI and go-to-market leader specializing in bringing AI and Copilot solutions into organizations and everyday work.

Cracking Japan

Mikael Malmivaara

Co-Founder
Northlink Partners

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Mikael is an international business and ecosystem builder who connects Nordic companies and startups with opportunities, partners and investors in Japan.

Europe Is Changing

Taneli Tikka

Board Member
SpaceTime

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Taneli is a technology entrepreneur and business leader with experience in innovation, digital ventures and company building.

Can a Finnish Brand Become a Global Brand?

Aino Kauranen

Strategic Business Partner
Meta

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Aino is a strategic business professional with experience connecting business strategy, partnerships and technology.

Can a Finnish Brand Become a Global Brand?

Erica Terranova

Head of Growth
Moomin Characters

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Erica is a growth and marketing leader with more than 10 years of experience in brand growth, storytelling, internationalization and mentoring startups and talent.

Beyond Technology

Kati Uusi-Rauva

Director
EIT Culture & Creativity North

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Kati is a creative-industries leader with extensive experience in internationalization, business development, funding, entrepreneurship and building creative-sector ecosystems.

From Finland to the World

Hannaliisa Johnson

Primus Motor of Team Finland
Economic Development Centre of Uusimaa

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Hannaliisa is an international growth and export expert helping Finnish startups and companies scale globally through the Team Finland ecosystem.