What do engineering industry and cosmetics have in common? Nothing as far as I am concerned, except for Tomi Taipale from our Advisory Board.

He is involved in both fields: he works as an industrial entrepreneur in Kaarjoki Limited and investor in Cosmo Nordic Limited. Just like our previous Advisory Board member, Pasi Vänttinen, Taipale is also an experienced entrepreneur, partner in Vana Capital & Venture, and an active figure in the business of Turku region. Taipale has also influenced in Junior Chamber International, JCI Finland.

The idea of getting a big international event to the Southwest Finland has been a long time dream amongst the Turku players. “It wasn’t anything like SHIFT that we used to plan but I am not in anyway disappointed. Clearly the idea has evolved into something more. SHIFT is a fresh breeze to Turku region – and to the whole of Finland.”

Taipale sees that Turku region has a lot of potential. While others have knowledge and money to do projects, others have ideas and enthusiasm to build new initiatives. “We just need to get these people to connect with each other. The startups and small companies willing to grow need the more experienced and well-off connections. I would really like to see new success stories starting from SHIFT. For example, take a company that already runs a reasonable business, but still would like to expand its market share. With an extra capital, it could quickly grow from a company with 1 million revenue to an enterprise with 20 million revenue. It is not just the Turku region that have the potential and the need, I see the same around the Baltic Sea”, Taipale states.

According to Taipale, investors are interested in many fields of business, not only in mobile gaming, which has been visible in media for while. Taipale himself is especially interested in collaborations where traditional industry is mixed with new approaches. When companies start to do old things in different way.

SHIFT is an excellent way to learn from others’ success stories. You should also be there to witness or generate new ones to start. “I think many types of people should come there: investors looking for new targets, students willing to deepen their understanding on business of today, people and companies looking for a new opportunities. I would like to challenge couple of investors to join the SHIFT: Petteri Laitala, Mika Aliranta, Petri Lehmuskoski, and Juhani Elomaa”.

You are welcomed too! Buy your tickets here.