Techstars Heads to Slush 2026 With Two Founder-First Side Events in Helsinki
November 5, 2026
Heading to Slush 2026? Techstars is hosting two private side events in Helsinki. Founders and investors can connect over coffee and pulla at Thaw on November 17, and founders can trade the conference floor for bowling, darts, and phone throwing at Hard Reset on November 18.
Every November, Slush brings thousands of founders and investors from around the world to Helsinki. This year's event runs November 18 and 19 at Messukeskus Helsinki, and as always, some of the most valuable conversations of the week will happen away from the main stage.
Techstars London is hosting two side events built for exactly those conversations. One is a slow, intimate morning designed to put founders and investors in the same room. The other is an afternoon of games, food, and drinks where founders can simply unwind. Neither requires a Slush ticket, and both are kept small on purpose.
Start the Week With Thaw
On Tuesday, November 17, the day before Slush opens, Techstars is hosting Thaw, a Slush take on pullakahvit, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Finnish tradition pairs coffee with pulla, a sweet cardamom bun, and it's meant to be enjoyed slowly.
That pace is the whole idea. Thaw brings together a small, curated room selected by the Techstars investment team. Founders get unhurried time with seed and Series A investors who are in town for Slush. Investors get access to pre-seed to Series A founders from across Europe, including Techstars-backed companies. There are no slides or panels, just coffee, pulla, breakfast, and good conversation before the conference kicks off.
Thaw is presented in partnership with Notion, Vercel, and Seapoint. The event takes place at a central Helsinki venue, with the address shared with approved guests.
Unwind at Hard Reset
Slush week is a lot. Back-to-back meetings, investor follow-ups, and a constant stream of notifications add up fast. Hard Reset, presented by Techstars with Zendesk and Carta, offers founders a break from all of it.
On Wednesday, November 18, the first day of Slush, Techstars is taking over a Helsinki games club from 4 to 6 p.m. for a private event with just 50 spots. Guests can bowl, play darts, and try the golf simulators. They can also try phone throwing, a Finnish sport born in 2000, where the goal is to hurl an old phone as far as possible, with bonus points for style. A buffet and drinks are included. There won't be any slides, panels, or lanyards.
Hard Reset is for founders only. The venue address is shared with approved guests.
How to Request a Spot
Both events are private, and every guest is approved individually. Founders can request a spot whether their company is Techstars-backed, VC-backed, or bootstrapped. Investors attending Slush can also request to join Thaw.
Request your spot for Thaw and Hard Reset on Luma. Space is limited, so we recommend applying early.
We'll see you in Helsinki.
