SMIL is where startups move forward fast, together

On May 28, 2026, Aarhus’ startup festival SMIL returns.

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Built to move startups forward fast, SMIL brings founders, investors, and operators together in smaller, curated, interactive sessions.

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Real conversations. Practical progress. And a lot of fun.

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It’s Aarhus on turbo: close, collaborative, talent dense and built on trust.

See you in

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Who you will meet at SMIL’26 ↓

The people shaping the day

Louise Ferslev

Investor

Christian Bjørnskov

Professor at Aarhus University

Mette Hoberg Tønnesen

Startup Aarhus

Alexander Tolstrup

Danish Tech Startups

Anders Cederholm Nielsen

CEO of Arturel.com

Otto Bjerg Hausgaard

Startup Aarhus

AJ Tennant

Founder & Investor, Tenacity Capital

Roxy Dat

Founder of FailForward

Katja Meyer

Startup Advisor at Kitchen

Dominika Wilinska

Startup Aarhus

Søren Munk Hansen

Partner at Highbridge Law Firm

Jacob Lilholm

CEO of Formalize

Louise Bech Junge

Startup Ecosystem Builder

Jacob Lilholm

CEO of Formalize

Otto Bjerg Hausgaard

Startup Aarhus

Christian Bjørnskov

Professor at Aarhus University

Roxy Dat

Founder of FailForward

Louise Bech Junge

Startup Ecosystem Builder

Louise Ferslev

Investor

Katja Meyer

Startup Advisor at Kitchen

Dominika Wilinska

Startup Aarhus

Alexander Tolstrup

Danish Tech Startups

Mette Hoberg Tønnesen

Startup Aarhus

Søren Munk Hansen

Partner at Highbridge Law Firm

AJ Tennant

Founder & Investor, Tenacity Capital

Anders Cederholm Nielsen

CEO of Arturel.com

Tickets

SMIL is curated by design to create better rooms and better outcomes.

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Please choose the ticket category that matches who you are role. If a ticket is purchased in the wrong category, it will be retracted.

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If a category is sold out, buying another ticket type will not grant access to that track.

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Startup pass

350 DKK (excl. VAT)

For early-stage startups ready to scale, hire and grow. Meet investors, gain exposure, and connect with peers shaping Denmark’s next generation of ventures.

Scaleup Pass

350 DKK (excl. VAT)

For growing companies with traction, funding, or rapid market expansion. Network with partners, talent, and investors ready to fuel your next growth stage.

Investor pass

550 DKK (excl. VAT)

For venture capital professionals and business angels seeking high-potential startups, co-investors, and insights into emerging innovation trends.

Community pass

950 DKK (excl. VAT)

For ecosystem builders, those in incubators, accelerators, hubs, and support organizations, strengthening the Danish and Nordic startup landscape.

General pass

950 DKK (excl. VAT)

For consultants, service providers, and ecosystem enthusiasts eager to engage with startups, explore potential collaborations, and stay updated on local innovation.‍

Corporate pass

950 DKK (excl. VAT)

For innovation teams, CSR units, and corporate ventures seeking partnerships, startup collaborations, and insight into disruptive trends shaping future industries.

Program ↓

How SMIL works:

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All sessions are curated, interactive and practical.

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You choose two sessions, one in each round.

Time

Session

Speaker

Venue

Track

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11:30-12:30

Check-in

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12.45-13.10

Kick-off

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13:30-14:30

Round 1 - Choose one

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Expanding Beyond Founder-Led Sales

AJ Tennant

A-House

The Hustle

Some startups scale past $100M. Others stall at $5M. Why?

The answer is rarely the product - it’s the go-to-market: hiring, leadership, customer focus, and team alignment.

AJ Tennant shares what works, and tests it live with real startup sales pitches on stage.

How Sound Fucks Up Your Nervous System

Anders Cederholm

Palmehaven

The Reset

Noise is the new sleep.

Fifteen years ago, we barely understood the importance of sleep. Today, it is a key health metric and a full industry. Sound and noise are at a similar turning point. The World Health Organization calls noise pollution the second largest public health crisis.

At SMIL, I will share insights from years of research and simple ways you can bring more silence into your everyday life to support your mental health.

The Open Room

TBA

Outside

The Money

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TBA

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TBA

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TBA

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TBA

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14:30-15:30

Break & Networking

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15:30-16:30

Round 2 - Choose one

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Why Founders Stay Happy (Against the Odds)

Christian Bjørnskov

A-Huset Lounge

The Reset

Building a company means constant pressure, financial uncertainty, high expectations, and people depending on you, yet many founders still experience happiness and meaning.

In this session, Christian Bjørnskov explores the science behind it, including research with Nicolai J. Foss, and invites you to reflect on what truly drives happiness, meaning, and how we navigate pressure in our own lives.

Unicorn Academy (invite-only)

Jakob Lilholm

Drivhuset

The Money

Unicorn Academy brings together the next generation of unicorn builders with founders and leaders who have already scaled companies to global success.

In this special 1-hour closed-door session at Aarhus SMIL, Danish startup founders will gain firsthand insights through open conversation and Q&A on the realities of scaling, from fundraising and leadership to international expansion.

BUY, SCALE or STOP

Kristian Tølbøl Rasmussen

Palmehaven

The Hustle

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Term Sheet Battle

TBA

A-House

The Money

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TBA

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