- August 8, 2023
- Posted by: EBAN Team
- Category: News
Rev up your engines and fasten your seatbelts because last week, in the heart of Jyväskylä, Finland, the Jyväskylä Business Rally – Investor Day, organised by Business Jyväskylä that has been the member of EBAN since 2018, took off like a high-speed race to innovation! Entrepreneurs, angel investors, and all kinds of early-stage trailblazers gathered for an event that was hotter than a scorching rally track, exploring the potential of AI, health, early stage funding and featuring promising startups.
The opening keynote speaker, Charles Sidman, an SBA member and seasoned investor with a rich background in computer science and biomedical research, shared his valuable insights on “Potentials and Ethical Choices for Investing in AI and Health”. Sidman analysed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) associated with this technology. His wealth of experience in the field, dating back to its early days, brought a unique perspective to the discourse. He highlighted the strengths of AI, such as automation, tireless performance, and its ability to process vast amounts of data at unprecedented speeds. Yet, he candidly addressed the inherent weaknesses of AI, including the challenge of incomplete data and the need to discern correlation from causation. He encouraged entrepreneurs and investors to look beyond average values and embrace the potential of exploring the innovative ends of the distribution curve. In the context of health, Charles revealed a pit stop – while AI may be the flashy racer, humans are the pit crew keeping the machine in check, emphasising that human intervention and decision-making remain essential, particularly in critical healthcare scenarios.
The Investor Day stars were the startup pitches! Each entrepreneur had the opportunity to present their innovative ideas to a discerning jury composed by Annukka Mickelsson, Jean-Claude Goldenstein, Charles Sidman, Audra Shallal, and Jussi Heinila. The jury members provided feedback and guidance to the companies.
The startups that pitched and claimed the opportunity to join EBAN at the European Angel Investment Summit were:
- Sparky
- Precision Phage
- Neuwo
- ImpactOS by AskKauko
- ACT Head Impact Tracker by NSII
- ONIT Sport
- EAS Project
- Evogenom
You will have to keep reading who the winner was though!
And while the jury left for some much needed deliberation, Jonas Lundberg, the CEO of Liquido VC, took the stage and delivered an enlightening keynote on “Funding Is Good, but Architecture Is Key”. Lundberg was the ultimate rally guide, drawing parallels between business and rally driving. CEOs were the rally stars, but just like a rally driver’s trusty co-driver, they had their COOs by their side, navigating the hairpin turns of the business world. Lundberg’s pit crew lesson: you need the right equipment for the race! Rally cars have gears and gadgets, and businesses need the resources and tools to conquer the business track. And what’s a race without sponsors? Just like rally drivers need those sponsors, businesses need that financial fuel to rev up their engines. Time for a pit stop hack – be as resourceful as a co-driver fixing the engine mid-race by sitting on the car hood! That’s the kind of creativity that makes business engines roar. And if you hit a speed bump, don’t panic – a minor crash won’t stop the race. Lundberg reminded us that setbacks are just part of the racecourse, and successful businesses are the ones that pick up speed again.
As the engines roared and the tires squealed, Neuwo was named the pitch competition winner that will be joining EBAN for #EAIS23! Amongst the insightful (and sometimes a little provocative) keynotes, the pitches, the many networking opportunities, but also a visit to the rally site, and a behind the scenes tour of the rally broadcast, the Jyväskylä Business Rally – Investor Day lived up to its reputation as a fusion of innovation and high-speed thrills.
See you next year Jyväskylä!