Vaisto Solutions was founded in 2017. The service-oriented company delivers software engineering projects and services to its customers. By doing so, Vaisto helps industrial companies leverage software, AI, and IoT to improve their products, operations, and provide insights for decision-making. What sets Vaisto apart is the unique combination of technical expertise and deep domain knowledge. Especially in the fields of mechanical engineering, construction or agricultural technology, Vaisto offers specific solutions that are based on in-depth knowledge and that benefit from collaborating with some of the leading companies, many of whom are early adopters of cutting-edge technology.
Since its foundation, Vaisto has also always had the goal of expanding into Germany. In our interview, CEO Ville Aittomäki explains why the Finnish company has chosen Baden-Württemberg and the CyberLab in Karlsruhe in the end.
What were the main reasons for your expansion to Baden-Württemberg?
From the outset, our goal was to expand into the German market. We thoroughly researched and considered quite a few potential locations in Germany, seeking a comprehensive understanding of the best platforms for developing and growing our business. After narrowing down the choices, we decided to locate in Baden-Württemberg.
You had various cities on the shortlist. What convinced you about Karlsruhe?
Three main reasons why Karlsruhe came out as our top choice:
- The high “customer density” in Baden-Württemberg. A large number of companies could potentially be Vaisto’s customers. We think of Baden-Württemberg as the “Silicon Valley” of machine building.
- Strong and active clusters, providing opportunities to network and make Vaisto heard and seen.
- University and start-up scene; even though Vaisto could be considered a “grown-up with a start-up mindset,” we look at the active start-up scene and the university as definite strengths.
You set up your company in Karlsruhe in the summer of 2024. How were you able to benefit from the strong industrial and research landscape in Baden-Württemberg during your early days?
We were introduced to the local key clusters and associations, thus speeding up building our local networks. Among these, the memberships in the network organization for the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry VDMA and the largest hightech business network CyberForum e.V. were key milestones. Both networks enjoy international appeal and are leaders of their kind in Europe.
What challenges did you face when choosing a location and how did BW_i help you overcome them?
The main help was to help navigate the complexity; Germany (structure of the market, regional differences, etc.) is quite “fragmented” and difficult (for an outsider) to comprehensively understand. BW-i was involved organising our early site visits and other valuable discussions with different clusters and players.
How important do you think Baden-Württemberg is for your international growth plans?
Baden-Württemberg is definitely the long-term platform for our international growth. Provided that we are successful, the market opportunity is large enough to support long-term growth of Vaisto (with the neighbouring states of course).
In our video, Aittomäki explains the reasons for Vaisto’s expansion in more detail. Have a look!
