Scaling Beyond Borders: How AIStart’s International Delegations Open Doors for Finnish Startups

International delegations are not about attending events, they’re about accelerating trust, visibility, and market entry. When startups go together with a strong ecosystem partner, doors open faster.

Text: Aline Santa Izabel

International Delegation Visit at Business Region Goteborg  during the GoWest Capital Forum in Gothenburg in January 2026. The companies had the opportunity to meet representatives and visit their facility in Eriksberg, the epicenter of innovation in Gothenburg.

International growth rarely happens alone. Navigating new markets, finding the right partners, and gaining credibility abroad require access, trust, and strong local networks. Through the AIStart project, Business Helsinki offers curated International Delegation Services designed to help AI native and AI enabled startups take confident steps into global ecosystems.

The delegation model combines strategic preparation, ecosystem access, and on site support, enabling companies to focus on what matters most: building meaningful international business.

Delegation as a Service – A Gateway to New Markets

GoWest 2026 in Gothenburg

AIStart’s delegation activities are built around a simple idea: internationalization works best when done together. Companies travel as a coordinated group to key European tech events, backed by Business Helsinki’s networks, credibility, and hands on support before, during, and after the journey.

International delegations are not about attending events, they’re about accelerating trust, visibility, and market entry. When startups go together with a strong ecosystem partner, doors open faster. Warm introductions, peer support, and shared visibility make a measurable difference.

From Helsinki to the Nordics: Recent Delegations

The Nordic Advantage is a core reason why international delegations matter. Finland, Sweden, and Denmark form a highly complementary innovation region, combining Finland’s deep tech and research excellence, Sweden’s strong scale up, corporate, and investor ecosystems, and Denmark’s leadership in commercialization, design driven innovation, and sustainability.

Through international delegations, AIStart and Business Helsinki provide startups with structured access to this shared Nordic landscape, allowing companies to test, learn, and scale across borders instead of approaching each market in isolation. Traveling as a coordinated delegation accelerates trust, enables access to partners and investors, and strengthens credibility within the common Nordic business culture.

This approach reinforces the emerging “New Nordics” narrative, positioning the region as a unified and globally competitive innovation hub, while also creating a strong foundation for deeper Nordic and Nordic Baltic collaboration. By fostering these cross border connections, international delegations enable faster market entry, stronger peer networks, and increased readiness for global expansion.

During 2025–2026, AIStart and Business Helsinki organized three international delegations to leading Nordic tech events:

  • TechBBQ 2025 (Denmark)
  • GoWest 2026 (Gothenburg, Sweden)
  • Tech Arena 2026 (Stockholm, Sweden)


Altogether, 33 startups participated, representing sectors such as AI, HealthTech, MedTech, PropTech, EdTech, and sustainability. Delegations included curated side events, company visits, informal networking sessions, and on site coordination, all designed to foster high quality encounters rather than random exposure.

Part of the AIStart delegation in Tech Arena 2026 in Stockholm, organised with Health Incubator Helsinki, Business Helsinki Accelerator Services, and Sisu Factory 2.0.

Tangible Results and Measured Impact

Feedback collected from participating companies highlights strong and consistent outcomes across delegations:

  • A relevant number of high-level leads per startup
  • Investor meetings and warm introductions
  • Partnership discussions and pilot negotiations
  • Several customer cases already secured in Sweden and Denmark
  • Strategic insights rated up to 10/10 by founders


Participants reported that being part of a coordinated delegation increased credibility, especially in discussions with investors and potential partners.

Here are some comments from the founders:

“Visibility by association with Business Helsinki was incredibly valuable. The warm introductions and peer support helped us move faster — we’re already in follow up discussions with partners in Sweden.”

Lisa Theman, CEO, Lensor, a returning delegation participant

“Some of our most meaningful outcomes came from side events and company visits. The informal setting made it easier to build trust, and we wouldn’t have accessed those rooms on our own.”

Iara Dias, CEO, Ikkio

What Worked — and What’s Next

Side events, company visits, and intimate networking sessions were consistently rated as the most valuable elements. Founders also emphasized the importance of traveling alongside fellow Helsinki based startups, strengthening peer networks while expanding internationally.

With upcoming delegations planned to new European and global markets in collaboration with internationalization services coordinated by Business Helsinki including Sisu Factory Go Global, Health Incubator Helsinki and Startup Advisory Services, AIStart’s International Delegation Services continue to evolve, combining startup needs, ecosystem strength, and real world results.

Delegations work because they’re built with founders, not just for them.

 

Would you like to know more? Please contact:

Aline Santa Izabel
Networks & Ecosystems Manager
Business Helsinki
aline.santa-izabel@hel.fi