Terhi (TJ) Vapola

Terhi J. Vapola is an experienced venture capitalist, entrepreneur and international business executive, with proven track record in creating new tech businesses and driving growth through board work. Her experience spans from managing high tech start-ups and growth companies to venture capital and corporate venturing. Currently she is the leader and founder of Helen Ventures, the investment arm of Finnish energy company Helen Ltd. She has also worked as a CEO of leading Finnish early growth phase investment firm and as a managing director of a seed VC firm. A startup that she co-founded won the coveted Red Herring Europe and Red Dot Design awards. Whilst at Nokia she participated in bringing WCDMA to the global markets (the technology that enables us to bring internet into our mobile phones), and orchestrated setting up two mobile startup funds with Silicon Valley and Seattle based partners. Through her Ph.D. dissertation and work experience, she has a profound understanding of how to successfully manage the partnering between startups and multinational corporations in global innovation ecosystems.