Business Espoo’s Elinkeinofoorumi

One event – all the experts – join us! Business Espoo’s Elinkeinofoorumi is one of the most important events of the year aimed at entrepreneurs and influencers in trade and industry.

Elinkeinofoorumi 2025 is worthy of the hype

Welcome to the Business Espoo´s Elinkeinofoorumi at Hybridiarena Hype.

Date: Wednesday, 9 April 2025
Time: 8:15 - 11:00 am
Place: Hybridiarena Hype, Vanha Jorvaksentie 3, 02320 Espoo
Accessibility: Accessible entrance on the first floor near the main entrance. All floors are accessible by elevator.
Language: The event will be held in Finnish, but there is simultaneous translation into English.

There will be interesting and timely talks on competitiveness and growth. The event will also feature the awarding of the Espoo Entrepreneur of the Year.

Everyone will be at Hype on 9 April – Don’t miss out!

Program

8:15 Registration, morning coffee/tea, and a sandwich
Opportunity to join a guided tour of Hybridiarena Hype (reserve your spot on the registration form).

9:00 Event program starts - The program is in Finnish, but there is simultaneous interpretation into English

Welcome
Espoo – Finland's growth engine
Mayor Kai Mykkänen, City of Espoo
Glimpses of light from Espoo – International expertise and innovation
Director of Economic Development Teemu Haapalehto, City of Espoo
Economic outlook for 2025 – Is It finally time for growth?
Director and Chief Economist Juhana Brotherus, Federation of Finnish Enterprises
Where can we find the key drivers of future growth?
President Atte Jääskeläinen, The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra
Sustained competitiveness requires neophilia, the courage to innovate, experiment, and learn
Anna-Mari Ylihurula, Senior Vice President Corporate Business, DNA
The future of angel investing: Insights for 2025
Tiina Laisi-Puheloinen, Managing Director of FiBAN
Awarding the Espoo Entrepreneur of the Year
The award will be presented by Esa Kinnunen, CEO of Espoon Yrittäjät, and Kai Mykkänen, Mayor of Espoo
Closing remarks

The program ends no later than 11:00.

The event will be moderated by Saija Äikäs, Director of Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce.

Post-Event Activities:

11:00 - 12:10 Opportunity to join a guided tour of Hybridiarena Hype (reserve your spot on the registration form).

11:00 - 12:00 Option to join a self-paid lunch (13.70€) at Hype’s restaurant, Lilla Sten. The lunch includes a salad bar, two hot meal options (one vegetarian), coffee/tea, and a small sweet treat. The lunch is limited to 60 participants, and spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve your spot on the registration form. NOTE! A separate lunch area reserved for the guests of the Elinkeinofoorumi is fully booked in advance, but if seats become available, it is possible to participate in the lunch service. Lunch can also be enjoyed in the general area of restaurant Lilla Sten.

We reserve the right to make changes to the program.

Registration

Registration to Elinkeinofoorumi is closed.
If you need to cancel your participation, please send an e-mail to info@businessespoo.fi

Arrival at Hype

Hybridiarena Hype(external link, opens in a new window) is located at Vanha Jorvaksentie 3, 02320 Espoo. The entrance is on the ground floor at street level. Visitors can use the stairs or the elevator to reach the second-floor lobby, where the coat check is located. The main event will take place on the third floor in the Elämysareena.

You can easily reach Business Espoo's Elinkeinofoorumi by metro, as Hybridiarena is approximately 500 meters from Kivenlahti Metro Station. The metro ride from Helsinki Central Railway Station to Kivenlahti takes less than 30 minutes, and from Tapiola, it takes just 10 minutes.

The building also has a parking hall, offering free parking for up to 2 hours. With an HSL mobile ticket, you can purchase 12 hours of parking for 2 euros. The parking hall is operated by europark.fi, and more details can be found here: Parking P-Kivenlahti | EuroPark(external link, opens in a new window).

If you are arriving at Elinkeinofoorumi by car, the most convenient way to reach the event space is by walking from the parking hall to the main entrance via the outdoor route.

The map shows a walking route from Kivenlahti Metro Station to Hybridiarena Hype. Turn right from the metro exit. Source: HSL Joyrney Planner.

Hybridiarena Hype photographed from the direction of Kivenlahti metro station.

Hype's main entrance.

Speakers

Elinkeinofoorumi 2025 will feature a distinguished and experienced lineup of top influencers from the business world.

Saija Äikäs, Director at the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce, is part of the Chamber's advocacy team, which works to enhance the operating conditions for businesses and strengthen their success in the metropolitan area. Saija has previously worked abroad in the service of the EU and spent five years in the Finnish Parliament. As a result, societal issues and the development of the Helsinki region into a future-proof, competitive, and international business environment are close to her heart. She is actively involved in the development of the Business Espoo network and serves as a member of its leadership team.Photo: Mikko Mäntyniemi

Kai Mykkänen has served as the Mayor of Espoo since February 2025. Prior to that, he was the Minister of the Environment and Climate for the past two years. He has also previously held the positions of Minister of the Interior and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, as well as serving as a Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2025. In his earlier career, Mykkänen worked in corporate banking and as a strategy consultant. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences and is an economist by education. Mykkänen began his political career as the Chair of the Espoo Youth Council from 1997 to 1998. He served as a member of the Espoo City Council from 2001 to 2008 and again from 2017 to 2024, including a term as Chair of the City Council from 2020 to 2021. A native of Espoo, he is a father of two. His hobbies include trail running, sailing, and history.Photo: Kerttu Penttilä

Teemu Haapalehto serves as the Acting Director of Economic Development in Espoo and, together with the Economic Development Unit, is responsible for developing the city’s vitality and competitiveness. The goal of the unit he leads is to strengthen Espoo’s position as an attractive city for businesses and professionals – a place where companies, universities, research institutes, and international professionals together create globally impactful innovations and sustainable economic growth. Before his current role, Teemu worked extensively with immigration affairs in Espoo, which gives him a strong perspective on the importance of international talent for the city’s economy. Teemu is fascinated by the opportunities of using data-analytics to improve public service provision, but in the middle of the digital revolution, remains true to the analog love of his life: vinyl records!

Atte Jääskeläinen began his role as President of Sitra in August 2023. He holds a Master of Laws degree with court training and a Doctorate in Business Administration with a focus on strategic management. Atte has led major newsrooms for over 20 years in newspapers, the Finnish News Agency (STT), and Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Before joining Sitra, he was Director General for Higher Education and Science Policy at the Ministry of Education and Culture. In Europe, he has been involved in academia at Oxford and the London School of Economics and has advised public broadcasters on digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence.Photo: Topias Dean, Sitra.

Juhana Brotherus is the Director and Chief Economist of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises. His team is responsible for the organization's overall economic policy. He is known as an active commentator and analyst on economic matters. Additionally, he has extensive experience in various board positions in companies, foundations, and associations.Photo: Jetro Stavén.

Anna-Mari Ylihurula has been the Senior Vice President of Corporate Business and a member of the Executive Team at DNA Plc since 2023. She has had a long career in executive business leadership roles in IT, telecom, and service companies, including Elisa Plc and ISS. Anna-Mari has extensive and diverse experience in leading organizational transformations, strategic business development, and mergers & acquisitions. She has played a key role in driving digitalization to enhance growth and productivity, as well as in developing new operating models and offerings by leveraging technological opportunities in both the public and private sectors. She is a board member of the Helsinki Chamber of Commerce and serves as the Chair of the Innovation and Growth Committee.

Tiina Laisi-Puheloinen is an experienced leader with a strong background in startup development, fundraising, and scaling digital businesses. She has deep expertise in SaaS business models, dynamic pricing, and digital media strategies. Tiina is an active reservist and also works in the defense and security sector, helping companies scale and grow. She strongly believes in strategic leadership, data-driven decision-making, and building sustainable growth.

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Photos

Please note that photos and video footage will be taken at the event. The images and video footage may be used in the communications of Business Espoo and Business Espoo's operators.

Background information

Business Espoo is a service network for businesses and entrepreneurs operating in Espoo and nearby municipalities, formed by six operators. The goal is to create more jobs and dynamism in Espoo by providing client-oriented, high-quality and cost-effective services for businesses and entrepreneurs. The Business Espoo network consists of the City of Espoo, Enter Espoo, the Federation of Espoo Enterprises, the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce, Omnia and the Espoo Regional Enterprise Agency. More information about our services: BusinessEspoo.com

Elinkeinofoorumi is Business Espoo's annual flagship event, bringing together entrepreneurs, businesses, and key stakeholders in the city's business community.
Read about past events in the articles published on our website: