“I’m enthusiastic about using the most modern technology in the centre of international services and developing the business of a Finnish pioneer in exports”
Software development company Unikie is strengthening its board by appointing Seppo Kuula as a Board Member starting from January 2020. The appointment is a part of Unikie’s growth strategy and will take the company’s board to new level.
Unikie’s focus is on complex software technology, such as artificial intelligence and self-driving cars. From the start, the company’s goal has been rapid internationalisation through technology.
“We’re now in an interesting turning point after growing in Finland and entering the international market. We have some extremely significant openings in international business, and now it’s time to boost our progress. Seppo’s experience and understanding of international business are just what we need at this time”, says Esko Mertsalmi, Unikie’s CEO.
Seppo Kuula brings extensive experience of sales and management in the ICT industry to Unikie’s board. He has managed the business operations and sales of international companies both in the US and Europe. His current role as the CEO of Enfo Group, as well as his previous roles in the management of Siili and Elektrobit, give him great perspective for the board work at Unikie. Kuula’s qualifications include MSc, eMBA and a degree in engineering.
“I’ve been following Unikie’s development from the sidelines for a while. I’m pleased with the company’s rapid growth and entrepreneurial attitude. Unikie’s chosen market segment around autonomous vehicles is also very interesting. In the past, we opened Siili’s international operations by expanding the usability of data in the face of the changes in vehicles’ digital interfaces, while Unikie looks at the same market from the perspective of utilising data. I’m enthusiastic about using the most modern technology in the centre of international services and developing the business of a Finnish pioneer in exports”, Kuula says.
“Unikie also has sellable technology to offer to its entire clientele, which is particularly interesting to me because of my dissertation, which is currently in review. One of my theses is that merging products into the service flow is a way for service companies to scale their operations, particularly on the international market”, Kuula adds.
Kuula joined Unikie’s board in January 2020. Tommi Rasila will continue as the Chair of the Board, with Seppo Kolari and Esko Mertsalmi as Board Members.
Unikie, founded in 2015, operates in Finland, Sweden, Germany and the United States. Currently, Unikie and its subcontractors employ 280 people. Approximately a third of Unikie’s turnover comes from export. The company’s growth goals are ambitious: it’s aiming to a size +100M euros. Thanks to Unikie’s expertise and the current demand for technological solutions, the company’s profitable and robust growth is expected to continue. Unikie’s clients include Sandvik, Nokia and Valmet, among others.
Unikie focuses on high-profile embedded software for the automotive industry, smart machinery, industry 4.0 and telecommunications. Unikie offers specialised technological solutions to each segment. The company’s leading project is Unikie AI Vision, a comprehensive solution for autonomous driving (AD) which also scales to the global market.
