Schedule
17:00 Doors open
17:30 Seminar with Aalto ENT and Game Makers of Finland
19:00 Gathering & Networking Demo Corner
Game Makers of Finland
Game Makers of Finland is the world's first union for the people who work in the game industry. Our mission is to help create, develop and implement the best practices in the game industry together with all of you. http://peliala.fi/en/
Aalto ENT
Aalto University Developing Entrepreneurship (Aalto ENT) understands the challenges of entrepreneurship and offers agile and practical solutions to develop companies business operations and create new business. Our offering is targeted both to the start of the entrepreneurial journey and to the later stages when ideas and businesses develop. Aalto ENT supports innovation and renewal in organizations using lean startup methodology. www.aaltoent.fi
Seminar
What are the unanswered questions regarding education and training in the Finnish game industry? Does the game community need more training and mentorship? What are the success stories behind these mentorship programs?
Ask the panelists
For the September gathering we want to hear the community's opinion on Education and Training in the Game industry. Is it necessary to go through a Training program during your career in the industry? What are the biggest questions regarding Education and Training in Finland? What is your experience with training and workshops in the industry?
Use the linked questionnaire to ask any question you would like to address to our panelists and it may be featured in the panel on the 10th of September.
Panelists
Arja Martikainen: Business Owner, Northstar
Arja is Business & Concept Owner of Northstar talent community Nordics at Barona. She has participated in over 20 mergers and acquisitions, in addition to numerous integration projects.
Martikainen has recruited hundreds of game and tech developers, as well as people from other fields, like sales and business intelligence. Her specialties include: human resources, recruiting, games, operative management, internal communications, mergers and acquisitions, and event management.
Natasha Skult: CEO, Mi Tale
Natasha is the CEO & Creative Director of MiTale, a game development company from Finland focusing on narrative-driven experiences in mixed reality. She is an active member of the Finnish games industry as Chairperson of IGDA Finland and board member of Neogames and Suomen Pelinkehittäjät Ry.
Natasha is one of the founders and elected Chairperson of The Hive – Turku Game Hub (game business center in South-West Finland). Besides industry work, she is active in academic research and teaches courses in game design and game (digital) art production at the University of Turku.
Veli-Pekka Piirainen: Founder and Chairman of the Board, Critical Force
Veli-Pekka is Founder and Chairman of the Board at Critical Force. He is a graduate of Oulu University, where he received a M.Sc. in Engineering. After 18 years of working as a software developer and serial entrepreneur, he switched to an academic career at Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, where he founded the best and oldest game development curriculum in Finland.
Before founding Critical Force, Veli-Pekka worked as a studio manager at Supercell North. It can be said, without a doubt, that Veli-Pekka is the spiritual father of the Kajaani game development scene.
Taina Myöhänen: President, Women in Games Finland
Taina is the President of the Women in Games Finland Ry (WIGFi), handling the NGO’s official business. She entered the game industry in 2006. She left the industry and worked in digital media for a while, but games got her back. In games she has worked mostly in management. Her talent is putting things together and making them roll, be it is a project, a process, an organisation or a grant application. Currently she is COO of Helsinki-based indie dev company Secret Exit.
Her personal mission: In 2006, she discovered that the games industry is a great place to work, and she wants everyone else to learn about it.
Panel hosts:
Milla Pennanen: Coordinator, Game Makers of Finland
Andreea Cozma: Project Manager, Aalto University Executive Education
Networking Demo Corner
Join our networking Demo Corner guided by experienced mentors and coaches. They will share their experience and give the general topics and hints on how to improve and be an effective networker and approachable to others too.
Networking Mentors
Arto Käyhkö: Vice President of Business Development at Apprien Oy Ltd.
Tiina-Milsa Malin: Organization Coach, Enabler
Aalto EE Relation Management Team: Taimo Paavola and Rolle Isotalo
Partners
Apprien is sponsoring 200 goodie bags (first come first served!) for the gathering - Apprien is a Software as a Service that offers algorithm that determines the optimal price of a product based on price elasticity of demand. https://www.apprien.com/
PocketGamer.biz, official media partner of the Game Executive Program. Pocket Gamer Connects, the Official Media Partner of the Game Executive program offers 20% off any ticket for Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki for Game Executive participants by using code GameExec20. https://www.pocketgamer.com/
IGDA Finland Helsinki Hub September Seminar + Gathering with Aalto ENT & Game Makers of Finland
Time: Tuesday 10.9.2019 at 17:00
Place: Maxine, Urho Kekkosen katu 1 A, 6th floor, 00100 Helsinki
Please note that you need to be at least 18 years old to attend. The cloakroom service is offered free of charge.
