Aarhus SMIL

Hosted by startup aarhus

MAY 22, 2025

Skovgaardsgade 5C, 8000, Aarhus

Program

SMIL isn’t your typical startup conference - it’s all about the right connections!
On May 22nd, 2025, a colorful corner of Aarhus becomes a playground for founders, investors, and startup-curious folks. We’re ditching the one-size-fits-all event for a lot of smaller, curated fun hangouts. It’s the perfect chance to meet your next investor, co-founder, or friend.
Trust us, you will not want to miss this!

TICKETS FOR SMIL 2025

SMIL is happening for the first time ever—and you’ve got the chance to be part of it. If you want in, now’s the time.

But heads up: SMIL is curated. That means you need to pick the ticket that actually fits who you are. Wrong ticket? We’ll retract it. Sold-out category? Grabbing another won’t get you in.

But with that said – Honestly? We’re freaking out (in the best way). Grab your ticket. Be part of the first SMIL!

EMERGING STARTUP PASS

DKK 350

‍(excl. VAT)

For startups with a CVR but no funding rounds yet (aside from soft funding). Meet fellow builders at the starting line.

GET YOUR TICKET

EARLY-STAGE STARTUP PASS

DKK 350

‍(excl. VAT)

For pre-seed and seed-stage startups ready to scale, hire, and grow. Bootstrapped or backed by investors - this one’s for you.

GET YOUR TICKET

LATER-STAGE STARTUP PASS

DKK 350

‍(excl. VAT)

For later-stage startups entering new markets and growing fast. Whether you’ve raised big or bootstrapped smart - this one’s for you.

GET YOUR TICKET

INVESTOR PASS

DKK 550

‍(excl. VAT)

For active investors ready to meet the best founders at all stages. Expect honest conversations, and no sitting on the sidelines.

GET YOUR TICKET

COMMUNITY PASS

Sold out

‍(excl. VAT)

For those who cheer on startups—accelerators, mentors, and enablers showing up to support and connect.

JOIN THE WAITLIST

SERVICE PROVIDER PASS

Sold out

‍(excl. VAT)

For consultants, agencies, and service providers who work with startups. No sales pitches—just real connections and real value.

JOIN THE WAITLIST

Program

When you get your ticket, you tell us who you are - we have built the program around that.
The light grey sessions? That’s happynings (at 14–15 and 16–17). You can’t do it all, so just pick what speaks to you. Everything is open - unless it says invite-only.
‍
Oh and lunch? You’re on your own for that one - but hey, you’re in Aarhus, so you’ll be just fine.
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The rest will make sense once you’re here - promise!

12:00-13:00

Institute for x

WElcome to SMIL
(check-in)

Roll in, grab your badge, and fuel up on coffee. We’ll handle the rest. Zero stress, just good people and a big welcome waiting for you at "the doors".

Heads up, we’re not serving lunch, so make sure to eat beforehand.

13:00-13:30

in front of House A

the Official Opening of smil 2025

Time to press play. We’ll keep it short, sweet, and slightly unexpected. Hear what SMIL is all about and why showing up might be the best decision you make this year.

Line Bech

Startup Aarhus

Ellen Kobberø

Startup Aarhus

14:00-15:00

Palmgarden

Hustle Culture in 2025

In collaboration with IDA, we’re taking a hard look at hustle culture in 2025. Are endless work hours still the key to success, or is it time to redefine productivity? Let’s challenge the myths, question the norms, and figure out whether working smarter beats working longer.

#Emerging

Rikke Nielsen

IDA

Mattias Edström

Co-founder of Dripdrop

14:00-15:00

The Terrace

How to Grow Without Losing Your Mind (or Team)

Scaling sounds sexy until you actually try it. You’ve raised your round, hired your team, and the pressure’s on. This session dives into what actually changes when you go from pre-seed to seed and beyond with the people who’ve done it (and felt it).

#Early-stage

14:00-15:00

Greenhouse

Unicorn Academy Lands at SMIL

In collaboration with Danish Tech Startups, Unicorn Academy is making a special stop at SMIL. This invite-only session brings together top founders and operators, all on a mission to build a better tomorrow for startups and scale-ups in Denmark.

#Later-stage #invite-only

14:00-15:00

House A

The Golden Relationship: What If It Breaks?

This is a raw, fast-paced session where we drop the filters and talk about the hardest part of building a company: the people closest to you. Your co-founder. Your investor. Your lawyer.

We’ll play out real scenarios - live - and ask the audience: what would you do?

#Early-stage

Søren Munk Hansen

Highbridge Law Firm

Magnus Stagsted

People Ventures

Line Bech

Startup Aarhus

14:00-15:00

Frontyard

Building Without Billions - walk and talk

Funding can be great. It can also be a full-time job you didn’t apply for. In this walk and talk happyning, we unpack what happens when you skip the VC treadmill - or when you team up with investors who play a different game. Whether you’re bootstrapping, soft-funded, or just exploring smarter ways to grow, this is a chance to rethink what building a company can actually look like.

#Early-stage

Christian Vinther

Investment Director at Founderment

Casper Hofmann

Founder af Faundit

14:00-15:00

Radar

Super Connectors Live

Five startups. Five real challenges. The audience competes to be the ultimate Super Connector by delivering the best lead, advice, or intro. Think you’ve got the network and know-how to solve a founder’s biggest roadblock? Prove it.

#Everybody

15:00-16:00

Front yard

Pause, Connect, Refuel

Take a moment. Link up on LinkedIn with that person you didn’t want to lose, enjoy some local bites, maybe a concert with ..... drumroolll - and figure out where you’re heading next.

16:00-17:00

Palmgarden

Failing forward like a pro

Forget the polished pitch. This HAPPYning is where we talk about what actually happened. Together with Fail Forward, we’re creating a space for emerging startups to share the mistakes that hurt and helped. Expect stories you won’t hear on stage, an open mic moment, and a reminder that failing is part of building. Because failing forward is a skill. And we’re all still learning.

#Emerging

Sumeya Hassan

Founder of Reclaim Active

Roxy Dat

Founder of FailForward

Daniel Sand

Former co-founder of Wedio

16:00-17:00

House A

Show Me the (public) Money

Soft funding, early investments, and finding the right fit. In collaboration with EIFO and Innovationsfonden, we’ll explore what your first funding steps could look like. What’s out there, who should you talk to, and how do you set yourself up for success - with or without a big round?

#Emerging

#Early-stage

16:00-17:00

Greenhouse

Unicorn Academy Lands at SMIL (continued)

#Later-stage #invite-only

16:00-17:00

The Terrace

Selling to Corporates - It’s Just People (With Bigger Logos)

Selling to corporates sounds big and scary - but it doesn’t have to be. We’re bringing the corporates to SMIL so you can meet them, ask dumb questions, pitch smart ideas, and figure out how to land those first big deals. It’s not about sliding into inboxes - it’s about real conversations with the right people.

#Early-stage

17:00-18:30

Institute for x

dinner is on us

And you won’t be eating alone. We’re setting up dinner groups so you can meet a few new faces, share a meal, and slow down for a bit. Good food, good people – simple as that.