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What’s New in the Nordics

Now that the world has opened in full swing post-pandemic, business conferences are back. We should know. Here at Selected, we cover 2,000+ of the leading technology and business events around the world.  So with all the places to go and things to do, how do companies decide where to allocate time, resources and personnel? The key to the Nordic Business Forum lies in the quality.

This year, NBF also turned out to be the place to meet the 1st female president of Finland, Tarja Halonen. There was a presidential debate of three potential future presidents, one of them a former foreign minister who could soon be Finland’s 1st gay president.

The Nordic Business Forum is renowned for its high-quality content, the opportunity it provides for networking and learning, impeccable organization (they only take staff from two of Finland’s business colleges), and the meticulous planning and execution evident in its seamless organization. Every detail, from the schedule to the venue, is carefully orchestrated to provide an optimal experience for attendees.

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Pasi Salminen :: Youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai

World-Class Speakers

The Nordic Business Forum is distinguished by its roster of speakers, featuring renowned experts, authors, and leaders from different fields. These speakers share their wisdom, experiences, and insights, enriching the audience with valuable knowledge and perspectives. The forum’s commitment to bringing high-caliber speakers underscores its reputation as a leading business conference.

Ticket prices range from €1,490 to €3,490 which nowadays attracts not only the often siloed Nordic countries, but I sat next to the CEO of a company from Holland who had integrated the work of the conference’s opening speaker Patrick Lencioni into his entire business operations. Organizations like Hero that have used Lencioni’s methods swear by it so much that they brought their whole management team to Finland just to attend his morning talk.

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Pasi Salminen :: Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Work Week and the most listened to business podcast (1 billion downloads)

Diverse Range of Topics

The Nordic Business Forum is a space where knowledge meets passion, fostering an environment conducive to learning and growth. This year, like all major events, AI was included. Of course.

The conference covers a wide array of topics pertinent to the business world, including leadership, innovation, culture, strategy, and more. The diversity in content ensures that attendees from various sectors can find value and relevance in the discussions, making it a versatile and inclusive event.

You need to understand the difference between what is a trend and what is trendy.’ was one of the many pearls of wisdom I heard while avidly taking notes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to write down who said it, but Nordic Business Forum does come with a livestream option and access to recordings for 90 days so I could go back and check.

The program covers two full days and an evening VIP dinner for those with access. The food throughout the event is local, Nordic, exotic, organic, caters to all diets, and is cheffed by a celebrity in the field. In a surprise artistic touch and nod to the growing popularity of the Nordics, the conference brought a concert of flamenco, and joik (similar to yodelling) from the indigenous Sámi people in a duet with a hit rapper to the stage.

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Pasi Salminen :: “Impromptu” flamenco dance break out
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Pasi Salminen :: A song honouring indigenous Sámi people

Expanding Horizons

At Nordic Business Forum, you are sure to be surrounded by European business leaders and C-level executives, immersed in stimulating conversations with industry leaders. The Nordic Business Forum is not just a conference; it is an experience that expands horizons, challenges conventional thinking, and inspires change. It is a catalyst for innovation and transformation, empowering individuals and organisations to reach their full potential. It brings together a diverse group of individuals who are united by their passion for learning and their pursuit of excellence.

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Pasi Salminen

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Unlike other tech conferences, IFA Next maintains laser focus on technologies that will directly impact how people live, work, and interact with their environments. The Dream Stage is also where Europe’s next consumer tech unicorns are spotted far before they take flight. The finale of this year’s IFA Next Pitch Battle 2025: Breakthrough Battle saw founders presenting concepts to investors, media, and industry experts, competing for visibility, investment, and growth opportunities. Complementing the Dream Stage was the IFA Lab, an interactive testing ground where exhibitors, investors and industry  professionals collaborate to bring innovations from prototype to store shelves. The Lab is where Europe’s startups refined their ideas, engaged with industry experts, and pushed new technologies from concept to market reality. Hall H25: Europe’s consumer tech capital Hall H25 was home to what has become Europe’s largest dedicated consumer technology startup space. Beyond the sheer numbers, the hall is an indicator of how mature Europe’s hardware ecosystem has become. IFA Next specifically champions hardware solutions that people can touch, use and integrate into their daily lives. The diversity and ambition on display were remarkable. Both European and international startups presented solutions spanning healthcare, sustainable products, and cutting-edge tech for everyday use.  What stood out Addressing a critical gap in healthcare technology that affects families across the world, Coro, which won an IFA Innovation Award, accurately measures milk supply in real-time during breastfeeding. This is exactly the kind of practical, user-oriented innovation that defines IFA Next’s positioning. LeydenJar Technologies‘ groundbreaking battery technology deserves special mention for fundamentally rethinking energy storage for everyday devices. This startup is tackling what will arguably be one of the biggest challenges for consumer electronics as AI-powered devices become ubiquitous in European homes: more energy storage while keeping the dimensions small. Dtablet’s medication management solutions address  healthcare challenges that affect millions of European families. Their focus on reducing dosing uncertainty represents the practical, user-centered approach that characterizes Europe’s tech startups. Paptic’s bio-based, recyclable packaging materials are made from renewable wood fibers, a distinctly European approach to sustainable products. The startup won multiple awards, demonstrating how European startups are leading global sustainability trends. Unframe showcased immersive applications combining virtual reality and artificial intelligence, a bellwether of  next-generation digital experiences. The startup’s user-centric approach to VR and AI reflects its emphasis on practical applications over pure technological spectacle. Broadcasting innovation: IFA’s Twitch strategy One of the most forward-thinking aspects of IFA 2025 was the creation of dedicated Twitch live rooms for presenting products and news in real-time. Modern users expect interactive, accessible content about the products that will impact their lives, so this integration of live streaming represents a crucial evolution in how innovations reach their intended audiences. Sessions like “Retro Tech Rewind” with IFA CEO Leif Lindner were specifically designed for Twitch, demonstrating IFA Next’s commitment to making innovation accessible beyond the convention floor. This approach to content delivery could set new standards for how European startups engage with their markets. Europe’s consumer tech ecosystem at scale What makes IFA Next compelling is its comprehensive approach to nurturing consumer-focused innovation. It’s not just about displaying finished products; the focus here is on creating an environment where startups can connect with VCs, retail partners, buyers, and over 4,500 journalists. This ecosystem brings together everything from AI-powered home devices, smartphones, laptops and sustainable products to smart health solutions and wearable technology. With dedicated spaces for both demonstrations and retail networking, IFA Next bridged the gap between cutting-edge research and retail opportunities, a critical pathway for European hardware startups. While cities like London, Berlin, and Amsterdam host numerous tech conferences, none of those events match IFA Next’s specific focus on hardware innovation or its ability to connect startups directly with the global consumer electronics retail ecosystem. Samsung’s strong AI focus Samsung has put in a lot of time and effort into comprehensively integrating AI across its consumer product ecosystem. Take for example Its AI-enabled refrigerator: besides keeping your groceries fresh, it can propose recipes, and even identify missing ingredients — it’s a masterclass in how established brands are setting the bar for startups to reach and surpass. Samsung also showcased its expansion beyond traditional consumer electronics into B2B applications. Its IoT systems and 3D building visualization software demonstrated how consumer tech innovations can scale into commercial applications — a pathway many European startups at IFA Next are actively pursuing. The future of European consumer tech IFA 2025 has demonstrated that Europe’s technology startup ecosystem isn’t just thriving — it’s defining global trends. From sustainable packaging solutions to revolutionary healthcare devices, European startups at IFA Next are solving real problems with practical, scalable solutions. The combination of established electronics giants setting innovation benchmarks, ambitious startups developing market-ready solutions, and innovative presentation formats showed that IFA Next has become more than Europe’s largest consumer tech startup showcase: It’s evolved into an essential preview of European technology leadership. For anyone interested in understanding where European consumer technology innovation is heading, IFA Next represents the definitive annual checkpoint. The innovations showcased here by European and international startups will likely be the everyday products of tomorrow, and Europe’s leadership in making that transformation happen is becoming undeniably clear. As Europe’s premier consumer tech startup showcase, IFA Next

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