One million euros to a Russian startup. Controversy over Slush, one of the main European tech conferences

A major European conference awarded a startup founded by Russians. The company is called Immigram. It was founded in 2020 by Mikhail Sharonov and Anastasia Mirolyubova. It is a platform that helps talents from different countries to move to UK where it is based: company founders, engineers, software experts from Belarus, from USA, from Ukraine, from India. And of course from Russia.

The conference, on the other hand, is called Slush. It is an event for startups that has been held in Helsinki (Finland) since 2016 and is considered by many to be a leading event for the European startup scene. Its jury of experts last week awarded Immigram as one of the best emerging European startups. One million euros the prize.

But an avalanche of criticisms of the decision immediately arose. The reason? He rewards a company suspected of having a direct link with the Moscow establishment with money and European contributions. Suspects. Maybe little else. But the controversies from last week to today have not subsided. Enough to induce Slush and the organization to back off: “Sorry, it was an oversight”, the comment of the organization, which immediately collected the award.

In reality, the startup would have put its own effort into it. According to Sifted, the Financial Times portal dedicated to the world of European startups, Russian ads appeared shortly after Slush’s victory on Immigram, inviting candidates to find work in Moscow. The company said early on that it does not have an office in Russia or employees in Moscow. Furthermore, he says he has not received any money from Russian investors (Western yes: a million from venture capital such as Accel and General Catalyst).

Mirolyubova also immediately declared that she was against any Russian war in Ukraine: “We support Kiev, we will continue to build our company anyway to support the talents who want to go to the United Kingdom,” said the entrepreneur. Late clarification. Maybe useless anyway. The award has been withdrawn. But the controversies surrounding Slush and its organization have not abated.