Slush 2023

Ready? Set. Play!  Navigating the Next big thing in Media & Gaming

Together with Startup Flanders, Yle, and Storytek, FMH will organize a Slush side event on Day Zero, November 29th, from 3-6 pm at Maria 01 (Room: Event Space). This year's focus will be on the latest trends in Gaming: find out what is happening in the game industry and who the must-know startups are.

On the agenda: 

3.00pm.    Introduction by Future Media Hubs, Startup Flanders, Yle and Storytek

3.20pm.    Launch of the 2024 Innovation Competition 'Think Ink' - Noora Alanne

• Noora Alanne, Executive Director of the Media Industry Research Foundation of Finland and Director of New Growth at Finnmedia, boasts a decade of experience in international media roles. With a Ph.D. in information systems, she focuses on media companies' adaptation to digital platforms, often speaking at media events and serving on advisory and board roles.

3.30pm.    Cloud gaming in a way that can disrupt VOD thinking - Antti Sartanen

• Antti Sartanen, a gaming industry veteran, is a cloud-native and streamed gaming pioneer. Co-founder of Return Entertainment, he's focused on bringing cloud-native games to every TV screen.

3.40pm.    Panel conversation on the crossroads between media and gaming - Moderated by Sten-Kristian Saluveer

• Aino Greis - Storytel: With a background at Rovio and currently with Storytel, Aino brings over a decade of experience in licensing, sales, and marketing. Her current role involves overseeing global partnerships with tech giants Apple and Google, showcasing her expertise in both the gaming and media industries.
• Uri Levanon - Ludeo: Uri is a digital entertainment expert and VP of Biz Dev at Ludeo, where he's pioneering a user-generated gaming platform. With a background in founding startups and advising major companies like Red Bull and Vice, he's a seasoned entrepreneur and angel investor in Israeli, EU, and US startups.
• Matthew Blakemore - AI Caramba: Matthew is an influential AI and ML thought leader, co-authored ISO/IEC 8183 and patented a generative AI solution for video classification. With a diverse career spanning music, fashion, and media, he emphasizes ethical AI alignment in business and serves on the Innovate UK Bridge AI Programme Advisory Group.
• Laura Olin: Laura has worked within XR and Metaverse since 2016. She has produced some pioneering virtual and gamified projects for corporates and culture & music while working at Zoan, a leading Metaverse studio. She believes that XR technology is one of the biggest change-makers, but is far too important to be left for tech enthusiasts only.

4.30pm.    Startup Pitches

• Master Blaster (Skagerrak Technologies): Pioneering Gaming Solutions
• SPREE Interactive: Redefining Virtual Reality Entertainment

4.45pm.    Keynote on insights from the gaming industry

• Keep an eye on this page, our keynote will be announced this week!

5.05pm.    Networking

• Of course, we'll wrap it up with some networking – great conversations and some gaming and Belgian waffles! 

Curious to know what we did last year? Read our article The future of Audio