In today’s interview, we are speaking with Ville Aittomäki, CEO of Vaisto. This is a pioneering company specializing in providing software engineering services and solutions for its’ customers. Vaisto’s customers are companies developing and building smart machinery and industrial automation products and technology. Founded in 2017 in Finland, Vaisto Solutions has focused on expanding into the central European market, with a particular emphasis on Germany. Recently, they established an office in Karlsruhe, Germany, within the CyberLab #SmartProductionPark, which positions them at the heart of the region’s thriving industrial automation sector.
Could you please introduce yourself and your company in a few words? What do you do, and what is your vision?
Our company, Vaisto Solutions, is based in Finland and Germany. We specialize serving customers who develop and build smart moving machinery and industrial automation technology. Our goal is to leverage our software expertise to tackle complex challenges in the industrial sector, creating impactful and meaningful solutions for our customers. We founded the company in 2017 and had a dream from day one to establish ourselves in the German market. As we have always focused on industrial automation and machine building, Germany was an obvious choice for us, given the high customer density in this field.
What made you specifically choose Karlsruhe as your location in Germany?
After evaluating around ten different locations across Germany, we eventually narrowed it down to two regions: Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. After visiting the places and meeting with local representatives and companies, it became clear that Baden-Württemberg, especially Karlsruhe, offered the best opportunities for our business. It’s similar in size to the city we originate from, and the region has a high density of machine builders and industrial automation companies. This area really feels like the „Silicon Valley“ for our sector.
It sounds like a well-thought-out decision. What challenges did you face when setting up in Karlsruhe or Germany in general?
One thing we quickly learned is that there isn’t just one „Germany“ when it comes to choosing a location or running a business. Each state, city, and even cluster operates a bit differently. Understanding the structure of the German market was a steep learning curve for us. On the administrative side, founding the company and dealing with paperwork proved to be more complex than expected. We had advisors helping us along the way, but there were still some tricky moments. That said, it’s less about blaming the system and more about understanding how to navigate it. And not to forget, we always received a helping hand and got friendly answers to our sometimes stupid-sounding questions. We felt, and still do, very welcome.
In your experience, what is the biggest difference between doing business in Germany compared to Finland?
One difference is the traditional hierarchy in some German organizations. In places like banks, for example, things can be more formal, which contrasts with the more informal and direct business culture in Finland. However, the younger generation here, especially in networks like CyberForum, seems to operate in a very similar way to our culture. It’s been a learning experience for us to navigate these different environments.
It seems like you’ve had mostly positive experiences in Germany so far. Would you agree?
Absolutely. From day one, we’ve felt very welcome, especially by the city of Karlsruhe and CyberForum. The level of support we’ve received has been exceptional. While some processes may be slow or tricky, whenever we’ve needed help, there’s always been someone willing to assist us.
What are your next steps or future plans here in Karlsruhe?
If everything goes well, our next step is to recruit our first employees in Germany. We’re currently looking for technical leads who can engage with our customers meaningfully. Establishing partnerships and starting the sales process is also a priority. Ideally, within the next six months, we’ll have a small team and some initial projects underway. That would be a fantastic starting point for us.
About the European Digital Innovation Hub Artificial Intelligence and CyberSecurity (EDIH-AICS)
EDIH-AICS is a European project that aims to strengthen and promote artificial intelligence and cyber security in the areas of production, mobility, energy, trade and services as well as in municipalities throughout Europe.
Together with excellent partners from the extended Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion, CyberForum offers services for local, national and European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and public sector organisations to digitise their businesses.
The project is funded by the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) Framework Programme of the European Union under grant agreement number 101083994.
