Bridge Summit 2026
26 May
Discover. Build. Grow.
Where science and technology meet markets and investments.
Bridge Summit is a premier event dedicated to turning Finnish research-driven discoveries into real-world businesses with a global scale.
Bridge Summit facilitates collaboration. It brings together key ecosystem players: corporations and SMEs, startups, investors, and researchers to strengthen the path from innovation to market.
Date: 26 May 2026, 8:15–18:00
Venue: Original Sokos Hotel Presidentti, Eteläinen Rautatiekatu 4, 00100 Helsinki
About the event
The Bridge Summit is designed to move beyond inspiration towards action.
With a focus on practical takeaways, collaboration and concrete next steps for research commercialisation and economic growth in Finland, it ensures that discoveries translate into value for society, the economy and the global innovation landscape, rather than stopping at insight.
Helsinki Innovation Services Ltd is the organiser of Bridge Summit (www.his.fi).
Join the Bridge Summit and begin a powerful journey
Discover cutting-edge research, emerging technologies, and new opportunities that are shaping the future of Finnish innovation.
Build meaningful connections across the RDI ecosystem by linking ideas, people, and capital through dialogue, real-world case examples and hands-on discussions.
Grow novel ideas into sustainable businesses that will have a global impact.
Tickets
Secure your ticket to Bridge Summit now! Two ticket types are available, depending on the organisation you represent: the regular Bridge Pass, and a Bridge Stakeholder Special ticket.
Bridge Pass
The regular ticket, 300 euros (excluding VAT).
Available for everyone.
Bridge Stakeholder Special
The discounted ticket for 150 euros (excluding VAT) for:
- researchers
- research organisations
- universities
- universities of applied sciences
- technology transfer offices
- start-ups and
- spinouts
Agenda
Event moderator and lead-facilitator: Peter Nyman
8:15–9:00
Doors open: Registration & Morning Coffee
09:00–09:15
Opening Words
09:15–09:35
Keynote: An Alternative Future for Finnish Growth
Heli Paatela (CEO, Growth Collective)
09:35–10:15
Panel: The Finnish Innovation Ecosystem — What corporates need from research and what research must deliver to enable funding, partnerships and acquisitions
Introduction to the topic by Helena Mustikainen (Project Team Lead, Innovations for Sustainable Growth, Sitra)
Other panelists: Mikko Huuskonen (Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment), Petro Poutanen (CEO, The Finnish Research Impact Foundation) & Pekka Rantala (Head of 6G Bridge Program, Business Finland)
10:30–11:30
Case Presentations – Science-Based Business Examples
Nanoform Oyj
Edward Hæggström (Co-founder and CEO, Nanoform Oyj)
VTT Licensing Case: Canary Medical
Nordic high-tech technologies to North America – how Finnish technologies and technology development can be relevant in the North American market, a case example from medical domain.
Tauno Vähä-Heikkilä (Director, Strategic Partnerships, VTT)
General-purpose quality control in 3D-printing for novel product development
Jan Akmal (Assistant Professor, Aalto University), and Olli Nyrhilä (Industrial scientist)
Brain-controlled therapy for next-generation neurological treatment
Pantelis Lioumis (Adjunct Professor, Aalto University)
Could sweat-biomarker-reading smartwatch even assess suitability of medication?
Jian-An Huang (Assistant Professor, University of Oulu)
A tool to study & predict the efficiency of personalized cancer treatments
Heidi Haikala (Assistant Professor, University of Helsinki)
Ultrasensitive characterisation of pharmaceutical surfaces for better performance and patient safety
Clare Strachan (Professor, University of Helsinki), and Bert van Veen (VP, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Orion R&D, Orion Pharma)
11:30–13:00
Lunch & Networking
13:00–13:30
Keynote: Innovation in the Turbulent World
Ville Voipio (Chair of the Board; Technology Industries of Finland, Vaisala Oyj)
13:30–14:15
Parallel Sessions
Panel: Dual-Use as a Growth Engine in Finland – Connecting research, resilience markets and international growth opportunities.
Introduction to the topic by Jouni Eho (Mayor, City of Riihimäki)
Other panelists: Johanna Kohl (Programme Director, LUKE - Natural Resources Institute Finland), Sami Niska (COO, Basemark), Matti Saarikko (CTO, Patria)
Panel: Beyond the Model – Turning academic AI into products customers actually pay for.
Panelists: Mikko Alasaarela (Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Agion, Agentic Foundation FIN); Tuukka Koskinen (Partner and Co-Founder, Supervoima Solutions Oy), Arturs Polis (CTO, Verda) and Tommi Vilkamo (Director / Data&AI lead, RELEX Labs)
14:15–15:00
Parallel Sessions
Panel: Pharma, MedTech, BioTech: Beyond Internal R&D – The strategic value of university spinouts
Panelists: Arto Pakkalin (Digital Innovation Lead, Bayer Pharmaceuticals R&D), Kaisa Helminen (COO, Aiforia Technologies), Noora Hujala (CEO and Co-founder, Solid IO (UH Spinout) and Harri Kallioinen (Senior Vice President R&D, Valio Oy)
Panel: Deep Tech: From Breakthrough to Business – What makes deep tech investable before it’s obvious
Facilitated by Samppa Sirviö (Investment Manager, Venture Capital, TESI)
Other panelists: Jarkko Antila (Chief Executive Officer, Kuva Space Oy), Laura Juvonen (Senior Vice President, Strategy, VTT), Hannu Kauppinen (CEO and Co-founder, Qmill Oy)
15:00–15:30
Coffee & Networking
15:30–16.15
Panel: Execution — Investments, Corporations & Policy
How capital, industry and public policy turn innovation into growth.
Panelists: Tiina Laisi-Puheloinen (CEO, FiBAN), Henri Hakamo (Chief Strategy and Research Officer, TESI), Pontus Stråhlman (Partner, Voima Ventures) Erkki Ahola (Director, Technologies, Data and Innovations, Technology Industries of Finland) & Sonja London (CEO, Fearless IP Oy)
16:15–17:00
Closing Keynote: Generating societal impact: is our research and innovation system meeting expectations?
Atte Jääskeläinen, President (Sitra)
17:00–18:00
Cocktail Hour
Join us for a complimentary drink together
Speakers and Presenters
Atte Jääskeläinen
President, Sitra
Atte Jääskeläinen has served as President of Sitra since August 2023, where he focuses on addressing Finland’s most complex societal challenges. He holds a Doctor of Science (DSc) in Strategic Management as well as a Master of Laws, and brings over 20 years of experience in leading major news organizations.
Heli Paatela
CEO, Growth Collective
Heli Paatela is the CEO of Growth Collective (Kasvuryhmä), a community of 200 CEOs and owners of companies with revenues ranging from €10M to €1B. Her mission is to replace the Finnish tendency toward risk aversion with a culture of curiosity and bold, visionary leadership.
Peter Nyman
Event host and facilitator
Peter Nyman is an experienced host, moderator, and facilitator known for his clear communication, confident presence, and engaging style. With a strong background as a journalist, TV presenter, and communications professional, he brings credibility and energy to the stage.
Ville Voipio
Chair of the Board; Technology Industries of Finland, Vaisala Oyj
Ville Voipio is the Chair of the Boards of Vaisala, Technology Industries of Finland, and the Tampere University Foundation, as well as a Professor of Practice in Sustainable Global Business at Turku School of Economics. He operates at the intersection of science, technology, and business, focusing on how research-driven innovations can be transformed into scalable companies.
Case Presenters
Jan Akmal
Assistant Professor, Aalto University
Jan Akmal is a tenure track professor of product development at the Aalto University’s School of Engineering. His research explores how artificial intelligence can co-pilot product development to enable next-generation products, processes, and materials.
Edward Hæggstrom
Co-founder and CEO, Nanoform Oyj
Dr. Edward Hæggström is a professor at the University of Helsinki and Head of the Electronics Research Laboratory within the Department of Physics. He has previously served as a professor at Harvard University, an assistant professor at Stanford University, and a project leader at CERN, leading over 50 scientific projects funded by various academic and technical agencies.
Pantelis Lioumis
Adjunct Professor, Aalto University
Dr. Pantelis Lioumis is a Senior Scientist in the Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering Department at Aalto University. He serves as the Director of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Lab and Research.
Olli Nyrhilä
Industrial Scientist
Olli Nyrhilä is an industrial scientist, high technology leader, and has held the Senior Vice President and the General Manager positions at Electro Optical Systems Finland Oy. He is one of the key inventors of the Direct Metal Laser Sintering 3D printing process.
Tauno Vähä-Heikkilä
Director, Strategic Partnerships, VTT
Tauno Vähä-Heikkilä is currently a Director of Strategic Partnerships at VTT’s Digital Technologies, where licensing and partnerships with growth companies play an important role.
Jian-An Huang
Assistant Professor, University of Oulu
Dr. Jian-An Huang, Assistant Professor of Biosensors and Academy Research Fellow at the University of Oulu, holds a PhD in Physics and Materials Science from the City University of Hong Kong.
Heidi Haikala
Assistant Professor, University of Helsinki
Heidi Haikala is an Assistant Professor in Institute of Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki and a Vice Director of Center for Cancer Eradication Research in Tampere University.
Prateek Singh
Founder and CEO, Finnadvance
Prateek Singh, serial deeptech entrepreneur, founded Finnadvance and built Akita, patented microfluidic platform used across 17 countries for drug discovery and personalized medicine research in oncology, inflammation, and neurology. Currently focused on ultra-sensitive cancer diagnostics and backing scientific founders. Backed by top VCs and EU.
Clare Strachan
Professor, University of Helsinki
Clare Strachan is Professor of Pharmaceutical Analysis at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki. With a PhD from the University of Otago in New Zealand, she has dedicated her research career in Finland to developing innovative spectroscopy and imaging solutions to expose otherwise hidden phenomena that critically affect pharmaceutical performance and patient safety.
Bert Van Veen
VP, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Orion R&D, Orion Pharma
Bert van Veen is a pharmaceutical scientist and current holds the position of Vice President, Head of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Orion Pharma R&D in Espoo, specializing in the development of high-quality products for Orion Pharma’s proprietary drug molecules.
Panelists
Erkki Ahola
Director, Technologies, Data and Innovations, Technology Industries of Finland
Erkki Ahola is the Director of Technologies, Data, and Innovations at the Technology Industries of Finland, bringing over 35 years of experience in the manufacturing sector and innovation on both national and global scales.
Mikko Alasaarela
Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Agion, Agentic Foundation FIN
Mikko Alasaarela is the founder and chairman of the board of Agion Oy, as well as the founder of the Agentics Finland community. He is an AI hacker and an internationally renowned and experienced serial entrepreneur.
Jarkko Antila
Chief Executive Officer, Kuva Space Oy
Kuva Space is a Finnish New Space company developing hyperspectral Earth observation solutions for commercial and government use. Jarkko Antila is a seasoned deep-tech founder and operator, previously serving as CEO and co-founder of, e.g., Spectral Engines.
Jouni Eho
Mayor, City of Riihimäki
Jouni Eho is the mayor of Riihimäki, Finland's newest NATO city. Previously, Eho has served as the mayor of Pyhtää and as the CEO of the Nordic consulting firm Oxford Research Ltd.
Henri Hakamo
Chief Strategy and Research Officer, TESI
Henri Hakamo works with various stakeholders and the academic community to increase the number of deep tech companies and scale them up through investments. He has a background in strategy consulting, artificial intelligence, advanced market research and venture capital.
Kaisa Helminen
COO, Aiforia Technologies
Kaisa Helminen serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Aiforia Technologies, a company specializing in medical AI software that revolutionizes image-based diagnostics in pathology. She has over 25 years of international experience in the life sciences and medtech sectors.
Noora Hujala
CEO and Co-founder, Solid IO
Noora Hujala has worked across the full spectrum of the healthcare ecosystem since the age of 15, driven by a mission to build solutions that truly improve how patients are treated at scale. She co-founded Solid IO with her scientific co-founders to expand global patient access to immunotherapy treatments.
Mikko Huuskonen
Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
Mikko Huuskonen is Senior Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (TEM) within the Innovation and Enterprise Financing Department. Since 2008, he has been responsible for the national IPR strategy, legislation related to the incorporation projects in the administrative sector and has served as the head of the innovation group.
Laura Juvonen
Senior Vice President, Strategy; VTT
Dr. Laura Juvonen is Senior Vice President at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, leading VTT's strategy, international affairs and startup incubation.
Harri Kallioinen
Senior Vice President, R&D; Valio Oy
Harri Kallioinen is responsible for Valio’s R&D as well as the Valio Food 2.0 programme, which focuses on developing a sustainable food system. He has nearly three decades of experience in food research and product development, having held various roles within Valio R&D.
Hannu Kauppinen
CEO and Co-founder, Qmill Oy
QMill is a Finnish quantum-computing company founded in 2024, dedicated to developing quantum algorithms that provide near-term practical benefits for industrial applications. Hannu Kauppinen has extensive experience in the development and scaling of new technologies. In 2019-2024 he was the Chief Technology Officer in Nokia Technologies.
Johanna Kohl
Programme Director, Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE
Johanna Kohl is Research Programme Director of Crisis-Resilient Biosociety. She works at the Natural Resource Institute of Finland. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences.
Tuukka Koskinen
Partner and Co-Founder, Supervoima Solutions Oy
Tuukka Koskinen is Partner and Co-Founder of Supervoima Solutions Oy responsible for Partners & Technology. He is a serial entrepreneur helping businesses to integrate artificial intelligence in their core business.
Tiina Laisi-Puheloinen
CEO, FiBAN
Tiina Laisi-Puheloinen works as the CEO of FiBAN (Finnish Business Angels Network), supporting the growth of the Finnish startup and investor ecosystem.
Sonja London
CEO, Fearless IP Oy
Sonja London is a globally recognised intellectual property (IP) strategist and licensing expert, specialising in technology commercialisation, patent licensing, and standards-essential patents (SEPs). She is the founder of boutique IP advisory firm Fearless IP Oy, and has previously held senior roles at Nokia and TactoTek.
Helena Mustikainen
Project Team Lead, Sitra
Helena Mustikainen leads Sitra’s Innovations for Sustainable Growth project.
Sami Niska
COO, Basemark
Sami Niska is the COO at Basemark, where he leads the company’s product development, services business, and global operations in automotive and defence augmented reality software technologies.
Arto Pakkalin
Digital Innovation Lead, Bayer Pharmaceuticals R&D
Arto Pakkalin holds multidisciplinary experience in global R&D and Business, including product development, clinical operations, strategy & portfolio management and innovation leadership.
Arturs Polis
CTO, Verda
Arturs Polis is a machine learning researcher and CTO at Verda, with over 10 years of experience building and leading teams of technical experts. He has developed and trained a wide range of AI models, giving him deep insight into the needs of users of the AI-first hyperscaler that Verda is building.
Petro Poutanen
CEO, The Finnish Research Impact Foundation
Petro Poutanen has a background as an academic researcher and entrepreneur. Before joining the foundation, Petro spent over a decade working in data-driven entrepreneurship, analytics, and strategic consulting.
Pekka Rantala
Head of 6G Bridge Program, Business Finland
Pekka Rantala is the Head of Business Finland's four-year 130 MEUR national 6G Bridge Program which focuses on the 6th generation of mobile (cellular) communication technology.
Matti Saarikko
CTO, Patria
Matti Saarikko is the CTO of Patria, a Finnish provider of defence, aviation, and security solutions, with over 20 years of experience in military systems R&D and collaboration with multiple EU and NATO member states and industrial partners.
Samppa Sirviö
Investment Manager, Venture Capital; TESI
Samppa Sirviö is an Investment Manager on TESI’s Venture Capital team, focused on deep tech. He has led investments across deep tech sectors, including photonics, semiconductors, and small modular reactors.
Pontus Stråhlman
Partner, Voima Ventures
Pontus Stråhlman is a Partner at Voima Ventures, where he leads the firm's investments in the clean transition, focusing on technologies that drive sustainability and industrial transformation.
Tommi Vilkamo
Director/Data & AI lead, RELEX Labs
Tommi Vilkamo is the Director of AI department at RELEX Solutions, building agentic AI systems and driving AI transformation.
Practical Information
Arrival at the Venue
Enter the event space in Original Sokos Hotel Presidentti, Eteläinen Rautatiekatu 4, 00100 Helsinki, through the hotel’s main entrance.
Walk past the reception to the right. You will find the event registration desk ahead. There is also signage in the hotel lobby guiding you to the event space.
When you arrive, please open your QR ticket for checking in. The link to your ticket was sent to you upon registration and will be sent to you again before the event.
Parking
We recommend arriving at the hotel in central Helsinki by public transport.
If you arrive by car, you can find the hotel’s parking instructions on the hotel's web page.
Meals
Your ticket includes a nutritious breakfast, a full buffet lunch, and afternoon coffee/tea service.
Suitable meals are provided for guests such as lacto‑ovo vegetarians and those who are lactose‑intolerant. For more specific restrictions, please contact tapahtumat@sisters.fi.
Storage of Personal Belongings
A supervised cloakroom will be available for event guests at no charge. You may leave items such as luggage there if needed.
Accessibility
If you have any specific accessibility needs, please contact Hotel Presidentti by email at presidentti.helsinki@sokoshotels.fi or by phone at +358 20 1234 608.
More Information
Our event team is committed to ensuring a pleasant and rewarding experience for all participants.
If you have any questions regarding the event, feel free to reach out by email at tapahtumat@sisters.fi.
