Technology Specialist Seppo Kuula appointed as the Chairman of Board at Cloud1

Seppo Kuula has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Cloud1, a Finnish company specializing in data and cloud solutions.

Kuula brings Cloud1 insight into the growth of service business, internationalization and the possibilities of artificial intelligence in data services.

“Cloud1 is already the leading company in Finland with its expertise in processing business-critical data. One of our first tasks is to formulate services that are even more understandable than before, which will be supported by artificial intelligence in new ways, ”said Cloud1's Chairman of the Board Seppo Kuula .

Kuula currently serves as an advisor for the artificial intelligence company SiloAI and brings his expertise to Cloud1's business development.

According to Kuula, the implementation of artificial intelligence solutions is now progressing rapidly.

“For example, PwC estimates that the gross domestic product produced by AI applications will be equivalent to the combined GDP of China and India in 2030. Cloud1's data platform expertise enables advanced artificial intelligence solutions in this technological revolution", says Kuula.

Cloud1 aims to develop into a company eligible for public listing within the next five years.

“Seppo's vision and proven ability to take advantage of major technological changes will bring us new growth opportunities as we harness responsible data and artificial intelligence in developing our clients' business” , says Harri Puupponen, founding partner and commercial director of Cloud1.

Disorganization threatens growth

Cloud1 was founded in 2012 and has grown profitably into a company with approximately 10 million euros in revenue.

The company has reached a size where domestic companies in the industry are often sold to larger companies or to foreign ownership.

Cloud1's next growth leap will be based on a precise definition of its core expertise and deepening.

“Finland is full of examples of IT companies that have lost their grip on the market as they have expanded their business beyond their core expertise and forgotten where they were originally the best”, says Kuula.

In Finland, companies in the industry often make decisions that stifle promising growth.

“Cloud1 has found its area of expertise with Microsoft's Azure cloud platforms and does it better than anyone else in Finland. Alongside this, we are now bringing new opportunities for artificial intelligence ", Kuula says.

Familiar team back together

Cloud1's next growth phase will be supported by venture capital and private equity firm Voland Partners, which made a minority investment in Cloud1 at the end of last year.

“Cloud1 is an excellently managed expert organization with the best data expertise and winning culture in Finland. Building data platforms in the cloud and utilizing data in business are strong megatrends regardless of the industry. At Cloud1, we know how to do this intelligently, cost-effectively and responsibly”, says Veera Sylvius, CEO of Voland Partners.

“Seppo Kuula is the best possible person to chair the Board of Directors, which is working on the new growth strategy together with the executive management, and to provide support in implementing the strategy”, Sylvius continues.

Three of the four founders of Voland Partners were already part of Kuula's team at Siili Solutions when the company was developed into a company listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

Among the founders of Voland Partners, Erkka Niemi served as CTO for Siili Solutions, Samuli Siljamäki as CFO and Jyrki Laune as advisor for M&A transactions for Siili Solutions.

“The decision by Voland Partners' founders to invest in Cloud1 was successful and crucial. With our familiar team in place, we have a great opportunity to make Cloud1 the best company in its field not only in Finland but also internationally”, says Kuula.

Additional information:

Phone: + 358 40 550 1175
Email: harri.puupponen@cloud.fi

Seppo Kuula

• Education: Doctor of Technology, also completed three university degrees
• Career: Over 20 years of experience in the transformation of high-tech companies and the development of international business.
• Recent CEO experiences:
  Unikie Oy: (550+ employees)
  Enfo Oyj: (1,000+ employees)
  Siili Solutions Oyj: (750+ employees)
• Completed two IPOs and nearly ten corporate mergers in the past ten years
• Kuula currently serves as an advisor for Silo AI and as a member of the Board of Directors of Finlabs Oy. He is also the founder and chairman of the board of communication agency Bravura Oy.

Cloud1 Oy is a Finnish expert company focused on data-driven cloud service solutions. Cloud1's services consist of Azure expertise, architectural design, agile development of analytics, data and integration solutions, as well as Microsoft's advanced analytics and low-code solutions. Cloud1's revenue was approximately 8 million euros in 2022.

Voland Partners Oy is a minority investor specialising in the development of technology companies. The Voland Technology Growth Fund I adheres with Article 8+ of the SFDR on responsible investment. The fund's target size is 80 million euros. Cloud1 is Voland Partners' first investment.