Award-winning entrepreneurs Maria and Jarkko Jokelainen from Kuori Oy challenge top display manufacturers on the international market
The Espoo Entrepreneur of the Year award was presented to family entrepreneurs Maria and Jarkko Jokelainen from Kuori Oy. Founded in 2015, Kuori Oy is an Espoo-based high technology company that designs and manufactures large digital display solutions for international markets. Kuori Oy focuses on modular display and software solutions, and its products are currently exported to 30 countries. The solutions’ many applications include the care sector, parking terminals, restaurants, golf courses and ski slopes.
When launching their company, Maria and Jarkko had solid experience in business and entrepreneurship. Maria was the child of an entrepreneur family and founded her first company at a young age. Jarkko had earned his spurs under the service of large technology companies and had previously tried the path of a start-up entrepreneur. Maria and Jarkko are also parents of three children on the autism spectrum, and struggled for years to help the children understand and interact with the surrounding world. This pushed the couple to try entrepreneurship together. When the children were diagnosed with autism, the couple understood that managing their own business was the only possible mode of employment for them.
The first large touch screen was developed for the care sector. As the couple’s children played with the displays during the product development stage, the entrepreneurs noticed that the huge tablet helped the children learn, focus and communicate better.
Maria and Jarkko launched their business in 2015 and generated a turnover of around EUR 9,000 during the first year. In 2022, the company’s turnover exceeded EUR 12 million with a profit of EUR 862,000. The financial statements for 2023 have yet to be completed, but the turnover is expected to increase to almost EUR 14 million.
Kuori Oy’s strengths are its superior technological knowledge, in particular about the Android operating system, the modular product structure and thermodynamics, which ensures the displays’ long-lasting operation in challenging outdoor conditions. At the moment, the company employs over 70 people, who work mainly in product development. The company’s prospects on the international market are bright, and it will continue to challenge the biggest players in the field.
The entrepreneur colleagues of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Espoo Enterprises chose Maria and Jarkko as the entrepreneurs of the year for many good reasons. The Nihtisilta-based company has succeeded in developing a patented technology and breaking into the difficult global market. The company’s products also have a positive impact on the health care sector, which has unique needs. The large touch screens are an excellent aid for the elderly and those with cognitive and physical impairments. Since 2022, products intended for the health care sector have been developed under YetiCare Oy.
The Espoo Entrepreneur of the Year award was established in 1980. The award has nearly always supported and even boosted the success of the award recipient and their company. The panel of the Federation of Espoo Enterprises believes that the award will also benefit Maria and Jarkko from Kuori Oy.
The Entrepreneur of the Year award was presented to Maria and Jarkko Jokelainen at the Business Espoo Elinkeinofoorumi on 8 May 2024 by Espoo’s Mayor Jukka Mäkelä and Esa Kinnunen, Managing Director of the Federation of Espoo Enterprises.
More information:
Esa Kinnunen, Managing Director, Federation of Espoo Enterprises, tel. +358 40 5860928
Maria Jokelainen, CEO, Kuori Oy, tel. +358 40 5691397
Federation of Espoo Enterprises
The Federation of Espoo Enterprises is a local association of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises and serves as the local interest group for entrepreneurs. The association improves the preconditions for profitable operation of small and medium-sized businesses in Espoo and promotes the wellbeing of member entrepreneurs. It serves as a lobbyist organisation and provides members with training and social activities. The Federation of Espoo Enterprises has over 2,100 entrepreneurs as members. The Federation of Espoo Enterprises presents the Espoo Entrepreneur of the Year award on an annual basis.
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Business Espoo is a service network for businesses and entrepreneurs operating in Espoo and nearby municipalities, formed by seven operators. The goal is to create more jobs and dynamism in Espoo by providing client-oriented, high-quality and cost-effective services for businesses and entrepreneurs. The Business Espoo network consists of the City of Espoo, Enter Espoo, the Federation of Espoo Enterprises, the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce, Omnia, business services at the Uusimaa TE Office, and the Espoo Regional Enterprise Agency. More information about our services: BusinessEspoo.com