Unifund is supporting start-up network by creating meetings between Venture Capital investors and research teams

-The University of Jyväskylä research and innovation ecosystem has a track record of producing digital health winners. Firstbeat is an example. We start discussions with two of the companies we met at the University of Jyväskylä event. The concept was great, allowing Venture Capital’s ample time to get to know the cases, said Patrik Louko and Will Cardwell from Courage Ventures VC.

The concept of investors and startup teams getting together has proven fruitful.

Senior Commercial Adviser Liisa Chisty and Academy Research Fellow, University Lecturer Matti Jalasvuori say:
- Our project investigates diverse options to commercialize bacteriophage technology. The discussions help us to modify our plans. Investors have different focus areas and thus it is important to profile our technologies and products in a way that is appreciated by relevant investors, accelerating commercialization and funding opportunities.

The event in the beginning of April was organized by University of Jyväskylä (JYU), its investment company Unifund and Startup Factory Jyväskylä.

Jussi Sainiemi from Voima Ventures says:
- Collaboration with universities is a very important channel in identifying science based deal flow. The aim is to coach the startup teams, with mutual benefit. Follow up discussions will be done after this meeting, for sure.

Twelve Venture Capital investors registered originally to the event, including US and Estonian investors. Sparkmind, Butterfly Ventures, Innovestor, Voima Ventures, Midinvest, Fov Ventures, Nordic FoodTech VC, Vendep Capital and Courage Ventures attended the event.

Teams of the University of Jyväskylä present were WeeeFiner Ltd, Evogenom Ltd, BiopSense Ltd, Research to Business project PrecisionPhage and Aiwo Digital Ltd.

Jarno Mikkonen from the Research and Innovation Services of JYU:
- Venture Capital networks have major impact in enabling commercialization of new technologies, from research to business, in real terms.

Niko Frilander, Board Member of Unifund and angel investor:
- Several one-to-one meetings were organized between investors and teams, hopefully leading to long-term cooperation. Event like this is a great possibility for the teams to meet many potential investors simultaneously.

CEO of the Unifund Vesa Kupari says:
-We could convey our gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of this meeting. We hope that the future cooperation will prove to be mutually beneficial, and that this kind of meeting will strengthen contacts in start-up network.

Unifund


^{Photo Tarja Vänskä-Kauhanen}