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In the culminating event of a year long selection process, today BroadBit Batteries won first place in the KasvuOpen startup sparring competition in Jyväskylä, Finland. Amongst other prizes, the KasvuOpen program will enable BroadBit to receive free counseling in their growth plans during the year. The finals took place at the Growth Open Carnival (Karnevaali), where the top 100 finalists, out of 839 participating companies in 30 categories, pitched and sparred with judges.

The jury consisted of Finnish Business Angels (FiBAN) network chairman Fibanin Torsti Tenhunen, Butterfly Ventures founder and shareholder Juho Risku, serial entrepreneur and Rocsolen chairman of the Board Anssi Lehikoinen, Largo Capital’s Managing Director Seppo Sneck, Finnvera’s financial director Titta Mantila, Grannenfelt Finance Ltd’s partner Jaakko Salminen and private equity investor Juho Lipsanen. The jury’s award criteria were, in particular, the disruption and scalability of the business idea, the internationalization potential and the team’s composition, knowledge, skills and attitudes.

David Brown, PhD, CEO of BroadBit who represented the company in the competition said, “The other companies in the process were top notch, but we are extremely happy that the judges saw the revolutionary potential of our battery technology, the logic of our business model, the strength of our team and our path to rapid growth. We look forward to working closely with the KasvuOpen team and main sponsor Nordea Bank in the coming year and beyond.”

About the KasvuOpen, Nordea and the Growth Open Carnival (Karnivaali):

KasvuOpen, with main partner Nordea Bank, is the largest growth entrepreneurship program in Finland. KasvuOpen Carnival is two-day and two-stage event that brings together the Finnish growth companies network. In is the culmination of the year long KasvuOpen startup competition and accelerator. On Wednesday, October 25, Carnival focuses on sparring companies and refinement of the 100 finalists’ growth plans. On Thursday, October 26, the top 10 Growth Open finalists are chosen and forced into the “Bear’s Nest” to choose the overall winner.

Growth Open Carnival is a powerful blend of growth business competition, fairs, seminar, work and fun. Combining elements brings the year’s energetic growth business event that brings under the same roof the most promising growth companies in Finland and the growing business network that has accumulated over the years to thousands of people. The Growth Open Carnival is a meeting place for anyone interested in growth and a growing platform for new networks, ideas and innovations. Of the participants in the last year, 88% recommend the event.

On 9 May 2017, the Prime Minister’s Office has joined the Growth of the Open Carnival for the 2017 Centennial Year of Independence of Finland.