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“Attitude has a funny way of trumping experience. Being optimistic about problems and trying to learn tends to go a long way,” says Miki Kuusi, Wolt CEO.
Many startups make the mistake of hunting for ready-made talent, but sometimes it’s about driving growth with people who are eager to do something with you for the first time, he says.
We’re back to the main stage for a panel with food delivery company Wolt, one of the latest Finnish unicorns. Last month, the company was snapped up for $7 billion by US on-demand delivery firm DoorDash.
On greenwashing: “Many people try to cut corners, or tell an untruthful story, when it comes to sustainability,” says Jordanova.
“Sustainability is really a journey. We need to start thinking about small steps we can take today, rather than what we need to do by 2030 and beyond. Greenwashing does nothing to help with this process.”
In terms of practical advice startups can take to reduce emissions, Jordanova says companies should use any of the open source emissions calculators out there to get a general sense of their impact.
Secondly, it’s about recruiting stakeholders (employees, customers, partners etc.) to cut back on emission-intensive practices in their own lives. And finally, she says businesses should address any internal policies/ways of working that might produce unnecessary emissions (e.g. excessive travel).
“Missing data is one of the biggest challenges companies face,” says Jordanova, of the difficulties in tracking carbon emissions.
The Plan A platform is designed to make this process easier, by centralizing data pulled in from disparate ERP and other business systems.
Next up, a topic close to Finnish hearts – sustainability and the fight to reach net zero.
Lubomila Jordanova of Plan A, a company that focuses on carbon accounting, is in conversation with Mike Butcher of TechCrunch.
It’s revealed that Fadell has been working on a secret product, that he’s announcing today at Slush.
“Over the years, working with all these entrepreneurs, I realized something: the only reason I’m on this stage is because someone helped me to get there – mentored and believed in me.”
“But a lot of my mentors have died. That baton of mentorship has been passed from them to me. The only way I can give back is to give back to the community.
His new product: Build, “an unorthodox guide to making things worth making”. Available in May 2022, the book aims to help entrepreneurs take the big leaps necessary to bring about dramatic change.
Fadell takes a moment to slam the metaverse trend…
“We’re interested in companies that will make a real difference.”
Although Fadell is best known for the iPod and Nest, the smart thermostat, he’s now working on a different venture, called Future Shape.
It’s his own venture fund, investing in “deep tech” companies that are tackling difficult problems that most VCs won’t touch until it becomes more mainstream.
The fund has 200+ statups in its portfolio, including an early investment in Impossible, the company behind the popular range of meat-free burgers.
Fadell is here to talk about how to set about building iconic products:
“It’s vital to understand what people need, or will need. You’ve got to make sure you’re solving a problem that people are starting to have,” he says.
“Sometimes, we were two decades early. But that’s no good, people need to understand the problems you’re trying to solve.”
His advice is to stop trying to create something that impresses the engineers and tech geeks. “It needs to give super powers to every person.”
Next up: Tony Fadell, inventor of the iPod and Nest founder. He’s in conversation with Michael Stothard, editor of Sifted.
The President, CEO and CEO of Slush have taken to the stage for a quick introduction to the show.
“While the past two years have taught us to collab remotely, the need for human communication has not diminished,” says Miika Huttunen, CEO.
This is especially true of startups, he says, before thanking all the organizers and companies that came together to make the in-person event possible again this year.
Well, that’s unexpected. We’re treated to a quick DJ set to kick off Slush 2021.
T-minus two minutes until the opening show begins. The arena is packed out; TechRadar Pro had to wrestle for a seat near the back.
Messukeskus, the Helsinki convention center, is certainly kitted out for the occasion. If only we could see where we’re going…
In 20 minutes’ time, Slush President Mikko Mäntylä takes the stage to kick off the opening show, followed by a session on “Building iconic products” with Tony Fadell, inventor of the iPod and Nest founder.