Nordic Startup News Early Stage Startup News From The Nordics
The SXSW week kicked off for startups at the annual Capital Factory’s Startup Crawl, a long-running format bringing together dozens of companies and partners under one roof in Austin.
The concept is simple: move, meet, and talk. Short demos, quick introductions, and constant flow between tables. Less pitching, more direct interaction.
Finnish startups were again part of the mix
Audicin, represented by Laura Avonius and her team hosted a stand at the event, engaging with a steady stream of visitors and turning conversations into early-stage leads. The format supports exactly that — volume and relevance over formality.
Jaan Apajalahti founder of Romify was active on the floor, meeting partners and exploring opportunities, including discussions connected to their partner HubSpot.
Finnish participation at the Startup Crawl is not new. Teams from Finland have been present consistently since 2011, making it one of the longest-running Nordic footprints within SXSW’s startup ecosystem.
While 2026 lacked a centralized Nordic “house,” activity remained visible — just more distributed. Capital Factory continues to act as a key anchor point, especially for early-week momentum.
P.S. Love these “Kimi-liners” I always gather at events like this:
“Same place. Same idea. Still works. Short talks. Real contacts. Good start.”
