Shaping Tech ecosystem: My Role as Venture Advisor at Helsinki Partners

Personal growth was only the beginning for me. I have become interested in looking beyond myself and supporting other entrepreneurs. Therefore, in June 2019, I decided to join Helsinki Business Hub (Now Helsinki Partner), an international trade and investment promotion agency as a Venture Advisor.

Immersing myself into the Finnish tech ecosystem

My responsibilities encompass various aspects:

• continuously sourcing and evaluating Finnish startups and scaleups, and analyzing market and technology trends for potential investments
• establishing and nurturing relationships with international family offices, venture capital firms, and corporate venture capital entities
• facilitating connections between international investors and relevant stakeholders within the Finnish startup ecosystem, including local venture capital firms, angel groups, corporations, research institutes, and public organizations.

This experience offered me a unique opportunity to dive into diverse tech sectors, from smart mobility to health tech. For example, we researched and mapped out the most promising startups in a sector, identified potential investors, evaluated startups through the lens of an investor, and provided them with high-quality deal flow.

Also, with my supervisor's encouragement, I had the chance to visit the startup and investor communities in Stockholm, Berlin, Lisbon, Tel Aviv, San Francisco, Tokyo, and Shanghai - a whirlwind tour of the global tech scene. Through tech conferences such as WebSummit, Stockholm Tech Festival, SuperVentures, Slush and many more, I quickly developed and maintained relationships with global investors and attracted them to invest in Finland. I am proud to have contributed to its thriving tech ecosystem.

Being a part of a team that solved complex problems made my job in Finland truly fulfilling. My colleagues and I bonded not only over work but also over shared experiences outside the office. Whether it was dancing the night away or going for morning runs in the snowy Helsinki, I enjoyed a strong sense of camaraderie that kept us motivated and productive.

Despite my love for the job, I decided to take a bold step and leave the company on 2020 June, a decision that raised eyebrows among my family and friends because of pandemic. While the pandemic was still raging on, I felt that I had gained enough knowledge and financial independence to take on new challenges and pursue new opportunities that would stretch my abilities and push me out of my comfort zone.