Austin Texas

Expand your business in the U.S. – Start or scale in Texas.

Is your company exploring new opportunities in the U.S. market? Join a business delegation and trade promotion program in March 2026!

Texas market entry program at a glance

What: U.S. market entry business delegation and trade promotion program for tech and health companies
Where: Houston & Austin, Texas, USA.
When: 9–18 March 2026

Through this U.S. market entry program in Texas, your company will:

  • Engage directly with major U.S. industrial and aerospace players in Houston through curated meetings with companies such as Chevron, Axiom Space, KBR and Barrios Technology
  • Parallel Health & MedTech track at the Texas Medical Center, including direct exposure to the world’s largest medical ecosystem and leading institutions such as MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • Connect with international investors and strategic partners in Austin at SXSW Innovation Conference, complemented by targeted visits to key technology hubs and accelerators
  • Accelerate U.S. market entry or Texas expansion with on-the-ground support from the Finnish Consulate in Houston and selected accelerator and ecosystem partners in Austin
  • Capitalize on one of the fastest-growing U.S. state economies, offering immediate scale, strong demand and investment momentum for expansion now.
  • Gain practical, first-hand insight into how U.S. sales, procurement and scaling actually work, reducing execution risk and shortening time to revenue

Who should join?

The program is built for companies entering or expanding in the U.S. market, particularly in industrial, energy, aerospace, defence, health and AI-driven sectors. The program is ideal for executive and growth teams seeking customers, pilots, partners or funding — and a practical understanding of how business, procurement and scaling work in Texas.

Participation options

You can participate in either city or both, while meeting potential customers, partners and investors:

  • Houston only (industry or health track, or both)
  • Austin only (SXSW and Business Tampere program)
  • Full program (Houston + Austin)

Registeration is done through one application.

Houston, 9-10 March 2026

The Houston program offers direct access to some of the largest industrial, energy, aerospace and healthcare ecosystems in the U.S. Alongside company visits, participants join facilitated sessions with local industry leaders, Team Finland experts and peer companies. These meetings are designed to create meaningful connections rather than surface-level contacts. The result is faster learning, stronger relationships and clearer next steps for U.S. expansion.

Register here

Industrial & Aerospace track

The Industrial & Aerospace track provides direct exposure to major U.S. energy, industrial, defence and space programs. Participants gain a practical view of how large-scale projects are structured, how procurement works and how technology companies enter global supply chains.

At Chevron and KBR, companies explore the future of energy, hydrogen, electrification, automation and billion-dollar industrial and defence projects, while learning how large corporations and system integrators work with technology suppliers and partners.

Visits to Barrios Technology and Axiom Space open the door to the NASA ecosystem and the next wave of commercial space infrastructure, offering insight into how private companies engage in space programs and where new opportunities emerge at the intersection of space, industry and digital technologies

Health & MedTech track

The Health & MedTech track opens the door to the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical ecosystem. At Texas Medical Center Innovation, companies gain a practical view of how health technologies move from idea to clinical use in the U.S., and connect with hospitals, investors and strategic partners.

At MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the world’s leading cancer hospitals, participants get first-hand insight into clinical validation, pilot opportunities and collaboration in areas such as diagnostics, imaging and AI-driven solutions.

The Houston Methodist – Rice University Digital Health Institute visit demonstrates how AI, data and digital health solutions are tested and scaled in real hospital environments, while offering direct connections to clinicians, researchers and technology leaders.

 

Austin, 11-18 March 2026

In Austin, the program offers optional access to SXSW technology and innovation festival 2026. Alongside SXSW, Business Tampere organizes a separate, facilitated delegation program, including:

  • curated visits to key technology hubs and accelerators
  • targeted meetings with investors, partners and ecosystem leaders

This allows companies to benefit from Austin’s innovation ecosystem even without purchasing an SXSW ticket. The week also includes 200+ high-quality side events hosted by global technology, investor and corporate communities (separate registration).

Registeration

Secure your place in the Texas Market Entry Program by submitting your binding registration by 27 February 2026. Participation in the delegation program, including company visits, joint sessions and networking activities, is free of charge. Please note that travel, accommodation and SXSW tickets are at the participant’s own expense.

Register by 27 February 2026 to confirm your participation.

FAQs

Organizers

For more information

Pertti Aimonen

COO, Chief Operating Officer

Kristian Valkama

Senior Director, Data Economy & AI

Mika Kulkas

Head of Defence

Back to top