Jyväskylä Business Rally
Investor Day

Ilkka Kaikuvuo, jury member

Chair person of FiBAN

Ilkka Kaikuvuo is known as a seasoned tech entrepreneur and early‑stage investor behind companies like Framery and Surveypal. Mr. Kaikuvuo brings sharp startup insight and human‑centered leadership to this year’s jury.

For years, Mr. Kaikuvuo has been involved in strategic business development and operational build-up across various startups and growth companies. He has witnessed the power of humanity when facing difficult moments and has seen time and time again how the courage to fail is the key to growth and development — as an individual, as a leader, and as an organization.

Mr. Kaikuvuo is a passionate innovator, builder of new ideas, and a sparring partner. He is energized by solving challenges, helping organizations, and co-creating creative solutions with people. His strengths include solid experience in the journey of growth companies, corporate leadership, board work, and mentoring.

Audra Shallal, jury member and keynote speaker

EBAN Board Member, Vice-President of Corenvest 

Audra Shallal is the Vice-President of Corenvest, with over twenty years of experience in entrepreneurship, business planning, and pitch coaching for investor-ready programs. Based in Finland and France, she consults for esteemed international organizations, including the OECD, UNEP, UNIDO, and the European Commission. Audra teaches courses on entrepreneurship and finance at prestigious institutions such as ENSCP, X, ParisTech, and CELSA, and she conducts her popular workshop, “Craft a Killer Pitch,” globally.

Her significant contributions include launching the Enterprise Financing Network within the MENA-OECD Investment Programme, which connects entrepreneurs, financiers, research bodies, and policymakers to improve financing conditions. As a former Vice-President of FBA and past board member of NFBAN, she holds board positions with business angel networks such as EBAN (European Business Angel Network) and SBA (Sophia Business Angels), while serving on the advisory boards of I4W (Impulse4Women), AFBAN (African Federation of Business Angel Networks), and Tenmou. Additionally, she is a Co-Founder of Flying Finn Angels and Co-Chair of Eban Sports.

She is also an Expert Jury Member for the European Commission’s European Innovation Council (EIC) and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), a D2XCEL Stakeholder member of the AI-Powered Digital Services for Sustainable and Smart Cities Group, and an EIC Mentor/Expert for Clean Fuels and Hydrogen. Additionally, she serves as a D2XCEL Mentor/Expert for Renewable Energy Production and Sustainable Mobility, and is a WOMEN TechEU partner, supporting women-led deep tech startups from Europe to grow into tomorrow’s tech leaders within the European Commission.

Outside of her professional endeavors, she is a former classical ballet dancer and is involved in performing arts. She competes in high level fencing and show jumping, winning multiple medals. Bilingual in English and French, she holds two BA degrees in International Business and Economics (AUP), an MBA (École des Ponts et Chaussées) , and a DEA (Sorbonne) in Strategic Management.

Jarkko Kosonen, jury member

Investment Director, Partner of Midinvest

Mr. Kosonen joined Midinvest in 2025. His responsibilities include sourcing new investment opportunities, preparing investment decisions, and supporting our portfolio companies.

Mr. Kosonen has specialized expertise in B2B sales management, marketing, communications, and leveraging AI. His background also covers digitalization, strategic planning, software-centric business, and international business expansion. Prior to joining Midinvest, he worked for several international IT growth companies, including ten years in executive leadership roles at Pinja.

Jouni Flyktman, jury member

Member of FiBAN, Vice President at IQM Quantum Computers  

Mr. Flyktman is Vice President for Defense and Security at IQM Quantum Computers, where he leads the company’s engagement with international defense and security stakeholders. He has overseen customer deployments globally, entries to new markets, and quantum R&D projects, including Finland’s first quantum computers.
 
Prior to joining IQM, he served for 20 years in the Finnish Defense Forces, advancing cyber defense, driving the development of next-generation defense capabilities, and contributing to strategic and operational planning.
 
He holds degrees in Engineering Physics (M.Sc.), Economics (M.Sc.), and an Executive MBA, as well as a General Staff Officer qualification, combining technical, defense, and business expertise to shape the future of quantum technologies. Mr. Flyktman is a member of FiBAN.
 

Petri Laine, keynote speaker

Venture Partner, Innovestor Venture Capital

Mr. Laine has worked over 20 years with early phase tech companies as an advisor, coach, consultant and foremost as VC-investor investing in several verticals from industrial technology to software, medtech, life sciences etc.

Subsequently he has been board member or chair in multitude of companies being able, as a generalist, to bring in experience, best practices and analogies gross industries and different development phases of growing companies.

Mr. Laine has extensive experience in building funding rounds, successful exits, including four IPOs, but also valuable experience of mistakes made. He has degree in accounting from Finland and degree in finance from the UK.

Niilo Kervinen, keynote speaker

Co-founder of Northlink Partners 

Mr. Kervinen has over 12 years of experience working with Japanese companies, especially in the fields of education, technology, and wellbeing.

Supported numerous Nordic companies entering Japan and Japanese companies expanding into Finland, providing long-term guidance to ensure success in diverse business environments.

Having lived in Japan for years and visited many times since, Mr. Kervinen brings strong cross-cultural skills and is fluent in Japanese for business communication.