We have this thing called “Kielimuuri”
For an international company, Finland can feel like a difficult market to approach. But no worries. You can reach the right people, open interesting conversations and find an audience for your message when a local communications agency helps you build the right connections.
This is especially true at events, where a market suddenly becomes real people meeting face to face. A good trade fair can open the door to local communities, but simply having a stand does not guarantee success. An event creates value when your message is tailored to the audience. Conversations in Tampere are different from those in Helsinki, and in Oulu, people are proudly independent. One formula does not fit everyone.
That was also the case when fintech company Valour planted its flag at the Tampere Investment Fair in May 2026.
Building a local network starts well before the event
Preparation began well ahead of the event itself. Mailand mapped and contacted members of Finland’s investment community and arranged meetings for Valour with relevant decision-makers. Our job was to make sure Valour met the people who matter most to its business in Finland.
We help many international companies that want to quickly connect with the right people and networks in Finland. We know the Finnish operating environment*, help identify the people worth meeting and loosen up companies’ messaging so it sounds natural to Finnish ears.
Why loosen it up? The same rule applies to any skill: try too hard, and things tend to go wrong.
Keeping the practical event setup firmly in hand
Mailand also took care of the practical coordination of Valour’s trade fair preparations in Tampere. The further you travel, the more useful it is to have a local partner handle the details: arrangements, delivery of materials, preparation of speaking points and messaging, figuring out event logistics and coordinating the different parties involved.
That leaves you free to focus on showcasing your expertise and sharpening your best conversation starters.
There throughout the event day
Mailand’s work continues in front of the curtain. We support our client throughout the event and help with practical situations as they arise. At the same time, we act as a link between the client’s team and the Finnish audience.
Even small things can make a big difference. While Finland’s investment community operates internationally and is perfectly comfortable speaking English, there will always be visitors who prefer to have the conversation in Finnish.
We have this thing called “kielimuuri” (=language barrier), you know.
The event brought Valour into the local conversation
At the Investment Fair, Valour’s experts discussed the role of crypto assets in investment portfolios, the convergence of AI and crypto markets, and new forms of decentralised technology and investment opportunities. We brought Valour’s experts into a wide range of conversations and introduced them to key people, including representatives from the banking sector.
In our post-event debrief, we highlighted the strong technological expertise within Finland’s investment community and the high level of the discussions held at the fair.
Entering a new market? A local partner connects strategy with practice
Entering a new market means much more than translating your messages into the local language. You need to understand who to talk to, where to reach them, how to approach them and what kinds of messages resonate in the local conversation. A local partner can shorten that learning curve considerably.
This is particularly important when your own team is only in Finland for a few days. A trade fair trip should not be spent simply standing at a booth. It should be about the right meetings and the right conversations.
Mailand makes Finland easier to navigate for international teams. Our collaboration begins by getting familiar with your strategy deck. From there, we build an understanding of your business objectives and turn them into action in a way that is relevant, credible and locally grounded.