After this year’s Shanghai, Tokyo and Singapore events Slush is back at home in Helsinki. Honoured to join and be part of the coolest startup event in the world. Since 2008 Slush has been changing the way people think about entrepreneurship and reaching and achieving your dreams. I’m particularly fond of the example and inspirational message that Slush and the broader student and youth-driven ecosystem carries: Don’t fear failure, Do what you love, Aim to the stars, Never give up. These ideas matter to anyone regardless you’re an entrepreneur or not. Entrepreneurial life is standing on your toes, it’s windy, challenging and asks a lot of character. But in the end those who stand up tall are looked above by others. Entrepreneurs have a mission to not only to themselves but to broader society. It’s a very important part of a healthy society – you need to support people to reach their goals.

I’ve learnt a lot during the past 2,5 years being part of the Slush ecosystem, a lot of knowledge and lessons from others. But also of myself. A few nice successes and equally many failures, misjudgements and fall downs have come along the way. I have had the chance to live through the ideals. It’s not only a word-parole of some “big guys” on a mike, but for me it has become a tested, judged and questioned confirmations: it is how it’s said, and a few personal truths that have become my life and existence, and hopefully strengthen and stay there a long time: if you truly aim to the stars, don’t fear failure, find what you love to do and don’t give up on it, it’s pretty much guaranteed that sooner or later you will hit a bull’s eye and make it. The windy steps might take you up and down, but one thing is there that stays, if you love what you do, you will overcome the obstacles. And learn as much, or even more, from failures than successes. It’s a difficult road and sometimes painful to take. The doses of learning don’t always taste good. But it’s sometimes necessary to take to grow, learn and develop.

My love is for China and Asia. I’ve been fascinated about it for a decade already, studied, researched, visited, and now finally moved there to build the next step of my life there. I’m very thankful for all the loving and caring people along the way and also of those who have helped me to learn a lot, sometimes on a nice, sometimes on a necessary not-so-tasty dose. The fight club of the startups, and a fight club of life, which eventually, hopefully, brings out great entrepreneurs, individuals, people.

The philosopher I so much respect, Esa Saarinen, once mentioned: “You have to have the courage to set yourself into a certain ‘powerfield’ (voimakenttä), and let it ride you into the next level.” It demands a lot of trust. Where do you get it? From the people and from above. Heaven, people and earth. I think I’ve most been involved with the first two, not as much with the third. Now it’s time to dig deeper to the earth, “feet on the ground”, not just big ideals, but digging of the ground too, bringing wood and solid to your thoughts. Aalto University, Aaltoes, Startup Sauna, and Slush, for me have been that sort of a ‘powerfield’, that I have boldly stepped into – and it has taken me into great heights, bumbed a few times back to the ground, and lifted again. It’s like the wind that keeps your boat going forward. But make no mistake, it’s not the boat, it’s the wind. You need to build your own boat and learn to sail the seas on your own. The wind blows you forward, but if you’re not well positioned and strong in your direction, it’ll take you down to the bottom of the seas, the “fight club” gives no mercy, to lift you up again more stronger, developed, learnt. It’s pretty amazing.

On the year of the 9th Slush, I join the event, with 4 years of China experience behind me, 2,5 years in the Slush ecosystem, and a birds-eye-view to the Chinese startup ecosystem through companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, Xiaomi, Baidu and awesome startups from Beijing, Shenzhen and now Hangzhou and Shanghai. Especially my current one, Boru Technology with Nihao and Nibook apps, the foreigners friends in China, that have helped me to bandwagon and walk the walk behind the talk. Am I still ready to truly stand on my own toes and take the wind blowing? Maybe not yet, but hopefully soon to be. There are maybe places for alumnis, but we are all students for the rest of our lives.

China offers amazing opportunities. After the bumps and buzz I truly think it can be an amazing chance for any of you to take your dreams forward. The youth people are full of energy and openness and they will change China – and indeed the whole world along with it. I couldn’t imagine a more interesting place to be than China at the verge of these many global technological geopolitical transitions we’re witnessing.

三十而立, I’m already 31, soon to be 32. It’s about time to think of your future too. Part of the “Earth” is also to settle down your life in order to better connect with Heaven and people. For me one very happy thing has been having a partner next to you, and I truly hope this thing will last. I believe in the power of family and I would love to see myself one day having one. I also don’t believe in any “this-is-the-way-how-you-should-live” kind of imperatives and everyone needs to create their own reality and make the world suit for yourself. You need to help others and adapt, but you also need to take care of your own happiness, peace, calmness, health and harmony in order to do it. Same goes to relationships, there are no similar kind of partnerships. We are all some sort of “exceptions”. And I believe the same mantras from our ecosystem goes to your personal life too: do what you love, never give up, aim to the stars, don’t fear failure. The road is not easy.

I’m so happy that these things can also come together and I can share things that I care and find meaningful. A lot of love, heartful moments and interest expected next week in Slush. Great to be in Finland.

Warm greetings and welcome to Slush 2016,

Lauri