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The Ministry of Digitalisation of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, together with the Chambers of Industry and Commerce, is organising for the fifth time a trip for start-ups from M-V to the international Slush fair in Finland’s capital Helsinki.
The delegation trip will take place from 18 to 21 November 2025.
Five start-ups from M-V can take part
In Finland’s capital, start-ups, investors, media, multipliers, and interested parties come together to exchange ideas, be inspired, and dive into the latest developments in the start-up market through a wide variety of workshops, pitches, lectures, and matchmaking events.
This year as well, the Ministry of Digitalisation M-V is giving five start-ups the opportunity to be part of the state’s official start-up delegation trip.
“Slush is one of the world’s most important gatherings of the international start-up scene. We want to give our young companies from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern the chance to present themselves there, to make contacts, and to open up new markets,” said Minister of the Interior Christian Pegel. “Those who develop innovations and think digitally should seize this stage. We want to provide start-ups from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with this opportunity to present themselves boldly and confidently. If you run a young company with digital solutions and are ready to take the next step, apply now.”
How can you apply for participation in Slush?
You should meet the following requirements in order to take part in the competition:
- You are an already established start-up – no older than 7 years – with your headquarters in M-V.
- You have a business model in the field of digitalisation with an international orientation or with plans for internationalisation.
- Your participation has not yet been funded by the Ministry in the years 2018, 2019, 2023, or 2024.
- Applications can be submitted online at www.digitalesmv.de/slush-start-wettbewerb.
- Application deadline: 12 September 2025.
The most convincing start-ups will qualify for the final selection process. In early October, an expert jury will determine the winners of the five start-up tickets for Slush 2025!
What awaits you in Helsinki?
On 19–20 November 2025, more than 13,000 participants will gather in Helsinki, including around 6,000 start-ups, 3,500 investors, and 300 international journalists.
The start-up ticket to be won includes, among other things, the following benefits:
- Free accommodation for the travel period in the provided hotel contingent in Helsinki
- Preparatory webinar for Slush by AHK Finland
- Participation in the official start-up trip to Slush
- Free entry to Slush (19–20 November 2025)
- Approx. 3-minute pitching slot on the “German Pitching Stage” of AHK Finland
Important note: The start-up ticket is valid for one person per start-up. Apart from accommodation costs, travel expenses and any other costs related to the trip are not covered.
About Slush
Slush is one of the most important meeting points for the global start-up community. It was founded in 2008 and has since developed into Europe’s leading event of its kind.
For founders, it offers enormous inspiration, as start-ups, companies, and mentors can exchange ideas. Slush also serves as an excellent platform for finding new investors, cooperation partners, or business ideas: 70% of the participants of Slush 2025 will be start-ups or investors.
The organisers focus on “relevance over scale” – aiming for a carefully selected audience of founders, investors, and tech journalists rather than just sheer numbers.
The conference offers numerous formats – including pitching competitions, panels, one-on-one meetings, and its own matchmaking tool with hundreds of pre-scheduled encounters per hour.
Tip: Slush 100 Competition
You can still apply for the Slush 100 competition until 26 August 2025.
Slush 100 is considered the “crown jewel” of Slush – a high-profile pitch competition combined with mentoring and networking opportunities.
Eligibility: Start-ups from Europe and North America, founded in 2022 or later, with less than €2 million in equity funding.
From all applications, 100 start-ups are selected to participate. From these, the Top 50 are determined via pitch decks, and the Top 20 via online pitch videos.
The Top 20 start-ups receive workshops and mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs.
The Top 3 finalists pitch live on the big Slush Founder Stage in front of thousands, gaining maximum visibility.
The winning start-up receives an equity investment worth €1 million from leading European early-stage VCs.
Learn more about the competition and find the registration button here: https://slush.org/audience/startups/slush100
