SHIFT Business Festival sold out: "What does extraordinary success look like?"
SHIFT Business Festival brings together the most influential people, phenomena, and perspectives in the business world. SHIFT 2026 explores how to make better decisions, how to lead with emotion, and what extraordinary success looks like.
SHIFT Business Festival has become one of the most impactful business events in Southwest Finland. Its number of attendees has more than quadrupled in just a few years, and this year’s SHIFT is already practically sold out. On May 28, around 2,700 participants and 120 partners will gather at the event.
"SHIFT is a unique combination of inspiration, people, and opportunities! It is one of the few events where conversations turn into action. SHIFT provides energy and direction for the entire regional business community," says Carita Varjonen, CEO of SHIFT.
Held at the Visitor and Innovation Centre Joki in Turku Science Park, this year’s theme is success. The topic will be explored from the perspectives of data-driven leadership, community, and internationalization.
Among the speakers taking the main stage this year are Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae, voted Finland’s most influential businesswoman seven times; Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, Chairman of the Boards of Ingka Holding B.V. (IKEA) and Telia Company; as well as creative director and radio personality Henri "Henkka" Hyppönen. Other notable speakers include serial entrepreneur Toni Lähde, diversity expert Kamilla Sultanova, and one of Finland’s best-known investors, Inka Mero.
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SHIFT is full of surprises
SHIFT is known for its unexpected experiences, and this year’s event area will feature attractions such as a humanoid robot from Turku School of Economics, a Sandvik simulator, and Töölön Vire’s therapy chair.
At the City of Turku’s Turku 800 Stage, discussions will focus on commercializing Finnish expertise, startup funding, and growth entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, Business Turku’s Avidly Cave will dive into topics such as growth, leadership, and business opportunities in women’s health.
Turku University of Applied Sciences will host workshops throughout the day on themes including future innovations, data-driven management, and lessons from the world of sports. At the Mama Creative Showroom, Anna Perho will host live interviews with business leaders, while the Taiste Stage will share real-life business stories and practical tips, especially from the perspective of utilizing artificial intelligence.
SHIFT also serves as an important platform for networking, supported by 1-to-1 meetings that participants can arrange through the SHIFT Business Festival app.
The festival will culminate in its legendary evening party at Jussinaukio and across both indoor and outdoor venues. Performers include Windows95man, Stig, and Jenni Vartiainen, with DJ PikkuMiska keeping the atmosphere alive and Lakari Sax performing throughout the event area.
In addition, several Side Events will take place across Turku during SHIFT Week.
English track at SHIFT 2026
10:45-11.00 Business Turku: Women’s Health: The Next Global Growth Market - Why Innovation and Business Must Catch Up
Business Turku will bring us a keynote with a timely topic that is strongly rooted in Turku! The stage will feature an introduction on "Women’s Health: The Next Global Growth Market - Why Innovation and Business Must Catch Up" by Aura Pyykönen, followed by a panel discussion. Location: Avidly Cave.
11:00-11:30 Business Turku: Building the Women’s Health Economy: Partnerships, Platforms and New Business Models
Business Turku will bring us a keynote with a timely topic that is strongly rooted in Turku! The stage will feature an introduction on "Women’s Health: The Next Global Growth Market - Why Innovation and Business Must Catch Up" by Aura Pyykönen, followed by a panel discussion.
The panel topic is "Building the Women’s Health Economy: Partnerships, Platforms and New Business Models," and will be moderated by Minna Arve, CEO of Business Turku. Panelists are CIO Jennifer Grönqvist, Dayan Ventures and Tuomas Nyman, Neuvo Inc. Global. Location: Avidly Cave.
12:00-13:00 SHIFT goes life science
As part of SHIFT’s health track programme, we will bring Roope Suomalainen from AMD Silo AI and Ville Haaslahti from Hidex to discuss the signifigance of data as well as the scalable ecosystems especially from the viewpoint of life sciences. Hosting the session we have Mari Lahti, who is building one of the next life science breakthroughs at Ferrivia. Location: Koski.
Topics: Roope Suomalainen: Why Openness Wins: AMD’s Role in Building Scalable Life Sciences EcosystemsVille Haaslahti: Data in science based business.
13:00-13:45 Lars-Johan Jarnheimer: Leading in a changing worldLocation: Rajulava.
14:00-14:45 Lars-Johan Jarnheimer Q&A + cocktails for Executive networkLocation: Avidly Cave.
14:30-15:15 Inka Mero: Time for radical solutions - Steps to radical thinking
Inka Mero is a Finnish technology influencer, entrepreneur, and investor, as well as the founder and CEO of Europe’s leading deep tech fund, Voima Ventures. She invests particularly in growth companies in energy self-sufficiency, the AI transformation, quantum and defense technologies, and medicine. In addition to growth companies, Mero has extensive experience in board positions across SMEs and listed companies. At the core of Inka’s work is the belief that Finland’s greatest growth potential emerges when the most significant breakthroughs from top-tier research combine with bold ownership and entrepreneurship. Clarity of thought and asking the right questions are at the heart of her recipe for growth. Inka has taken a strong stance on Finland’s future, economy, and growth, most notably in Radikaalit Ratkaisut - 7 rohkeaa tekoa Suomelle (Radical Solutions - 7 Bold Acts for Finland), co-authored with Tero Ojanperä.
At SHIFT, Inka holds a keynote "Time for Radical Solutions - Steps to Radical Thinking." Location: Rajulava.
15:15-15:45 Choose your battles and your allies - internationalization in the field of defence technology
We are bringing an unprecedented panel discussion to SHIFT, as four companies join forces to discuss internationalization from the specific viewpoint of defence technology. On stage we will have panelists Jaakko Heikonen from Pemamek, Panu Routila from Patria and Kimmo Laine from Milrem Robotics. Location: Rajulava.
15:30-16:15 Kamilla Sultanova: The modern village idiots: why "kylähulluus" is Finland’s secret superpower (EN)
In this cheerful and energising keynote, keynote speaker, host and DEI consult Kamilla Sultanova explores "inclusive leadership through kylähullu lenses": the brave, slightly quirky Finnish spirit that dares to connect people, cross boundaries and turn strangers into neighbours. Drawing on stories from Finland before, during and after Covid, and on local and global trends that show how employees and customers yearn for community in an age of loneliness, the talk reveals how me-henki and everyday acts of inclusion unlock innovation, loyalty and performance across borders and technologies.
Participants will leave with simple, practical ways to spot the "obvious but unseen" people and ideas around them, and to practice their own kylähulluus to build trust, accelerate change strategies and create better ways of working, earning and living together - fully in tune with SHIFT Festival’s joyful me-henki feeling. Location: Avidly Cave.