Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Seasoned startup entrepreneur with deep experience building high-volume social media platforms and web services. I got my start on the Commodore 64 and in the demoscene, which shaped a lifelong passion for technology and building things that scale. Over 25 years, I’ve founded 10 companies, led 4 exits, earned 3 university degrees, and stayed a hands-on full-stack technologist at heart. I’m driven by a simple mission: use technology to make the world a better place for everyone. I’ve grown startup teams from 2 to 60 people and scaled products to €500k MRR (€6M ARR) and 850,000 weekly active users. Co-founder of: Ellie, IRC-Galleria, Ninchat, Heimo, Poiju, Herdifier, Suomen Somet, Stuntman Enterprises, Tietoon, and Hyperspace Yard.
Ellie Technologies is an ISO 27001 certified AI company focused on enterprise data modeling and data catalogs. I work as the CTO, responsible for the product roadmap and R&D teams. Ellie.ai is a collaborative AI data-modeling platform for data teams. It helps enterprises understand their business needs and validate product ideas before committing to building complex and costly data pipelines. Leading companies across healthcare, telco, energy, and IT use Ellie to gather and understand their requirements quickly and ensure that their data initiatives deliver tangible business value. The company is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, and serves customers worldwide, from Canada to New Zealand. Learn more at https://www.ellie.ai/
IRC-Galleria is one of the oldest still running European social media sites. It is used mainly for sharing photos and meeting new people. It was used by 85% of 15-24 year old Finns on a weekly basis back in the day, making it the most active and largest media for teens and young adults in Finland. Tomi Lintelä and I founded the site in 2000. My responsibilities have been ranging from all around the service, for example: Advertising, Concept Design, Marketing, Programming, Design, Customer Service, Ad Sales, Management, Recruiting. All kinds of possible things when building a startup from the scratch. irc-galleria.net
Coubonga is a fast-growing startup redefining local savings with its hyperlocal and gamified coupon app. Designed with a simple, intuitive interface, it seamlessly connects consumers to the best nearby and online deals — plus exclusive “golden coupons” can be found every week. Already ranked several times among the Top 3 most downloaded apps on both the App Store and Google Play, Coubonga is transforming how people discover and enjoy everyday savings.
Kiuas is a startup accelerator based in Startup Sauna, Otaniemi, Espoo. https://www.kiuas.com/coaches
Visiting lecturer on service design & product management for the graduate students.