It’s been a while since large in-person events were a casual part of our everyday lives. And even though quite many conferences and gatherings have returned to in-person format in 2021, visiting one still feels like a special occasion.

Maybe that’s the reason I’ve waited a while to share my takeaways from this year’s Slush – that and winter’s cold, which we’ve recently welcomed here in Latvia. But without further ado – here are my main takeaways from Slush 2021.

• Your industry is changing as we speak. 

One day you’re the new kid on the block, the next day – an old-school has-been. And if you want to hold on to that cutting-edge persona, you need to keep your eyes open and never stop innovating.

I witnessed a great example of the fast-paced change of industries at Slush. Two delivery unicorns, Bolt and Wolt, each took the stage to share their success stories. But while the audience, myself included, was receiving a dose of business inspiration – on a parallel stage, another startup, Wing, was introducing their drone delivery service for food.

While Bolt and Wolt may be huge at the moment, the question is – how long until someone more innovative arrives and takes the throne?

Regardless of your business battlefield, remember that you can never be too prepared for the future, especially now.

• The world of investments is shifting.

Funding has never been easier to get. All you need is a decent idea, and the chances of meeting an investor willing to fund your startup will likely be in your favor.

However, money isn’t the only investment type available. I’m genuinely happy to see more investors sharing their knowledge besides their finances.

In my opinion, the value of knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship hasn’t been recognized enough. And to see that this knowledge is becoming increasingly valued in the world of investing is remarkable.

• Everyone is struggling to attract a talented workforce.

Slush 2021 highlighted that talent attraction is something most tech businesses have difficulties with. Due to the recent shift in work conditions (howdy, remote work) and the rapid growth of the tech sector imposed by the pandemic, struggling to attract the best talent is a hot topic in the tech business world.

But engaging founders and CEOs more in the hiring process could be a possible solution.

I used to spend at least half of my time scouting for new talent, but with time I stepped aside from operational tasks, including talent attraction. However, after seeing this major struggle among many businesses in this year’s Slush, I’m sure that I need to devote much more time looking for great additions to my team.

Bonus takeaway: driverless cars are a closer reality than you may think.

I was incredibly awed by the development of the driverless industry, which was widely presented at this year’s Slush.

Even though many tech things we only dreamed about in the past have already become a reality, I was still surprised to find out that driverless cars aren’t just a sci-fi movie thing anymore. In no time, they will be our reality.