Program guide

How to apply to Slush 2026 Startup Programs

Founder programs at Slush in Helsinki (November 17-19, 2026), including startup booths, a startup stage, investor office hours, founder-only side events and the Slush 100 competition with an equity-free prize.

Official page Listing details

Step by step

Check that you are eligibleThe published rules: Open to founders, researchers; Booths: Series A or earlier; Startup Stage: seed to Series A; Science to Scale: researchers moving from lab to company. Booth and stage applications for 2026 closed Aug 31; office hours and founder events still open while spots last.
Gather the materialsYou will need: Company profile, Pitch deck.
Write the answersLook for startup pavilions, sponsored country stands and pitch stages: they usually cost less than a standard stand.
Submit on the official pageApply through the official page (Own portal), and keep the confirmation.
Follow upNote when results are due. If the organiser invites questions, ask once, briefly, after the date has passed.

Timeline

21 days before the deadlineUpdate deck and numbersRefresh the deck, key metrics and the one-sentence description of the company.
14 days before the deadlineDraft the answersAnswer every question plainly, with numbers you can verify.
7 days before the deadlineRecord and reviewRecord the video if one is asked for, and have someone outside the team read the answers.
2 days before the deadlineSubmitSubmit early; some programs review applications as they arrive.

At a glance

Organizer: Slush
Timing: Cycle: Annual (November); booth/stage applications close in late summer
Where: Helsinki, Finland · open to applicants worldwide
What you get: €500,000
Cost: Startup booth EUR 1,500 (1 day) or EUR 3,000 (2 days); Slush ticket needed for most programs
Applied through: Own portal
Account: You need an account on the application system

Who can apply

Open to founders, researchers
Booths: Series A or earlier; Startup Stage: seed to Series A; Science to Scale: researchers moving from lab to company. Booth and stage applications for 2026 closed Aug 31; office hours and founder events still open while spots last.

Materials checklist

Company profileUpload yours, or let Onward Scout draft one from your profile for you to edit.
Pitch deckUpload yours, or let Onward Scout draft one from your profile for you to edit.

Questions you will meet, answered honestly

What will you show, and to whom?

Name the product and the buyer types you want to meet; organisers use this to place you.

Are you ready to sell into this market?

Say honestly which markets you can ship to today and which certifications you hold.

What reviewers of trade shows and exhibitions look for

Look for startup pavilions, sponsored country stands and pitch stages: they usually cost less than a standard stand.
Book meetings with buyers before the show; their calendars fill weeks ahead.
Prepare your company profile and product images in the organiser's format; they go into the catalogue and the event app.

The full playbook for trade shows and exhibitions

How Onward Scout helps

This one is submitted on the organiser's own site, behind your login. Onward Scout prepares every answer and file in the form's order with one-tap copy, so submitting takes minutes; you mark it submitted when you're done. There is a fee to pay to the organiser; payment always stays with you.

Let Onward Scout apply for me

Let Onward Scout prepare your Slush 2026 Startup Programs application

Get your company profile for this programme, drafted from your own documents in about two minutes. Free to start, no account needed. Every answer is drafted from your own documents with sources, and nothing is submitted without your tap.

Let Onward Scout apply for me Open it in your Scout board

Nothing is submitted without your tap. Logins, CAPTCHAs, payments and interviews stay with you.