Arktinen Hehku 2026
Hehku is back and this time we're heading deep into the Arctic. Two days of entrepreneurship, innovation and real conversations at Salla Wilderness Park, surrounded by reindeer, fell landscapes and people who mean business.
Keynotes from some of Finland's sharpest entrepreneurial minds, hands-on workshops, two panel discussions, a startup pitching competition with €1,000 in prizes, and a 12-hour hackathon. Whether you're here to pitch, build or learn — there's a place for you at Hehku.
Speakers
Peter Vesterbacka · Aki Kangasharju (ETLA) · Juhani Honkala (IkonAI) · Emmi Keskisarja (Emmi Ventures) · Zachary Burda · Ida-Maria Tyyskä & Timo Vanhapiha (Knitgrammer) · Satu Laiho (Salla) · Timo Tuuha · Leena Lundell
ProgrammeThursday 9 April
11:00–12:00 Arrival, registration .12:00–13:45 Opening session & keynote speeches13:45–14:30 Coffee break & expo area14:30–16:00 Parallel workshops — pitching fundamentals, design thinking, startup ideation16:00–17:00 Panel A: Future Entrepreneurship in the Arctic · Panel B: Entrepreneurship in Salla17:00–18:00 Dinner Break & networking 18:15–Hackathon kickoff — challenge reveal, team formation, overnight work beginsExpo area open 10:00–17:00 · and coffee at 13:45
Friday 10 April
08:30–09:00 Welcome coffee & expo area09:00–09:30 Keynotes — Peter Vesterbacka & Juhani Honkala (IkonAI)09:30–11:30 Pitching competition — 3–5 min pitches + Q&A11:30–12:00 Wellbeing session — Glow and Success Come from Well-being12:00–13:00 Lunch & expo area 13:00–13:15 Pitching competition — winner announced on stage13:15–16:00 Hackathon finale — team presentations, winner announcedExpo area open 08:30–16:00 · Complimentary coffee in the morningHackathon challenges:CHALLENGE 1 – The arctic is not emptyHow could places like Salla become places where people want to live, build companies, study, or create something new? CHALLENGE 2 – Living in Lapland: Services, Life, and Distance How can we make living in remote areas easier, smarter, safer, or more connected?CHALLENGE 3 – The Lapland Immigration PathwayHow could Lapland attract international people, help them move here, and help them stay build a life here? Contact info: farhan@oulues.comdinara@oulues.com
