A record-breaking number of investments – 479M€ into Finnish Startups

Amazing statistics of startup investments in Finland! It shows we’re a real power nation in startups. Thank you for sharing the news to Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN) and FVCA – Pääomasijoittajat.

Aboa Advest contributed with investments in CosmEthics, Entis, Plantui, theotherdanishguy and Sharetribe. In 2018 we also committed to invest in Saari Partners – starting a Venture Capital fund focusing on growth companies in Finland.  Thank you to all the co-investors and founders who have participated with us in the funding rounds over the years.

Please refer to the press release by FiBAN and FVCA.

OneMind Dogs announces crowdfunding round with Invesdor

We are happy to announce we’re in this round as an investor and new OneMind Dogs owners.

Exciting news – the OneMind Dogs page on Invesdor went live today and the company is officially kicking off their funding round.

Ever since OneMind Dogs started it’s company in 2012, their mission has been to give a better life for dogs by helping people understand the dog’s point of view. This spring, they are bringing the unique OneMind Dogs training method to even more dogs around the world by introducing a new, online puppy training program available on all major smart devices.

OneMind Dogs wants to expand its ownership base with new experts, community members and, most of all, people who believe in the OneMind Dogs mission of better life for dogs.

This investment round will help them bring the product to the market quicker and make high-quality puppy training available for all new puppy owners.

The market momentum for a high-quality online dog training service is now. The total number of dogs continues to grow, and so does the overall spending on dogs. More and more people are treating their dogs like children, fur babies. At the same time, dog-related behavioral problems, like dog attacks, are widely acknowledged. All this creates a huge demand for easy, accessible, fun and effective online dog training.

OneMind Dogs’ solution is meeting this demand. OneMind Dogs has the right experience, tools, network, and platform to take ownership of this category and offer high-quality puppy training to the wide mainstream consumer audience.

We have already made an investment in OneMind Dogs and I would love it if you decided to join us on this journey. I invite you to take a look at their pitch on Invesdor and join their Facebook group for potential investors.

BRITISH SAILING TEAM PUSHES SUSTAINABILITY TO THE FOREFRONT WITH FOSSIL FUEL FREE ROUND-THE-WORLD AMBITION

Oceanvolt Press Release 2018

N.B. Timo Ketonen is a private investor in Oceanvolt Oy.

For immediate release: Tuesday, October 23

• Alex Thomson Racing set to integrate electric motor system in new IMOCA racing yacht
• New, multi-million pound boat will be launched in summer 2019, with the aim of winning the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe race
• Skipper Thomson aims to race around the world without fossil fuels using cutting edge technology and solar power
• Pioneering manufacturer Oceanvolt will work in partnership with the racing team to integrate state-of-the-art electric motor and batteries 

British sailing team Alex Thomson Racing has underlined its commitment to sustainability by declaring an ambition to race around the world without the use of fossil fuels.

Earlier this year the ocean racing team announced plans to build a brand new IMOCA 60 yacht, with the aim of becoming the first non-French team to win the iconic round-the-world Vendée Globe race in 2020-2021.

Now well into the build process of the multi-million pound boat, the team has declared its intention to switch to an electric motor, charged by onboard solar panel technology.

Partnering with Oceanvolt, a world leader in the manufacture of electric power and propulsion systems for boats, the racing team will integrate a state-of-the-art electric motor and batteries, designed to withstand the demands of a gruelling round-the-world campaign, whilst continuing to promote sustainability.

Alex Thomson Racing’s Technical Director, Ross Daniel, said: “As a team, we are committed to operating in the most sustainable, responsible way possible, and that commitment will filter through to the new HUGO BOSS boat.

“Battery power is really the heart of the boat. It’s crucial for communication, navigation, and the running of both the onboard water maker and the autopilot. If the heart stops beating, the boat stops. It’s therefore critical that we implement a system that we trust, and can rely upon, in order to ensure Alex’s safety.

“On the new boat, we will explore solar energy as the primary power source, via solar panels located across the deck. In order to do so, we must consider not only the duration of the race but also the conditions that the boat will be exposed to. For example, when Alex finds himself in the depths of the southern ocean where there is restricted direct sunlight, we have to be sure that the solar panels are still capable of delivering the amount of energy that the boat requires.

“For us as a team, the move to an electric motor was of paramount importance when we began the design process for the new boat. We’re confident that, by working closely with the team at Oceanvolt in the lead up to the Vendée Globe in 2020, we can develop a performance system which is clean, safe, efficient and wholly reliable.”

While completing the Vendée Globe without using fossil fuels is a significant challenge, it is one that skipper Thomson is fully committed to taking on: “There is often a perception that implementing more sustainable systems can bring about a performance disadvantage but we don’t believe that needs to be the case in our sport” said Thomson. “In fact, we think that integrating more sustainable systems could actually deliver certain advantages, and that’s an exciting prospect for our team”.

Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Oceanvolt has received numerous awards for its innovative systems, including a 2017 DAME Award (Machinery, propulsion, mechanical and electrical systems and fittings), 2016 and 2013 Pittman Innovation Awards and a 2012 Clean Design Award. The company will now serve as an Official Supplier to Alex Thomson Racing.

“We are thrilled at the opportunity to test our new technology in extreme racing conditions” said Janne Kjellman, Founder of Oceanvolt. “We look forward to receiving valuable data from the boat, which will enable us to further develop our unique electric propulsion systems. Alex Thomson has always pushed the boundaries of technology development, and we are proud to team up with him in our quest to bring to the market ever more sustainable and reliable solutions for maritime use.”

–

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Sarah Taylor
Communications Manager, Alex Thomson Racing
Phone: +44 (0) 7587 452 390
Email: Sarah@alexthomsonracing.com

Anna Hietanen
Marketing Manager, Oceanvolt
Phone: +358 (0) 10 325 5289
Email: anna.hietanen@oceanvolt.com

About Alex Thomson:

Alex Thomson is the youngest skipper ever to win a round-the-world yacht race. When he triumphed in the 1998/1999 Clipper Round-the-World Race he set a record which still stands today. Thomson also holds the British solo, unassisted round-the-world monohull record, which he set in 2017 when he finished the gruelling Vendée Globe race – ‘the Everest of sailing’ – in just 74 days, 19 hours, 35 minutes. Having achieved third and second place finishes in the last two editions of the iconic race, Thomson and his team – together with their long-standing sponsor, HUGO BOSS – now have their sights firmly set on becoming the first British team in history to win the race in 2020/2021.

www.alexthomsonracing.com
www.hugoboss.com/alex-thomson-racing
Twitter @ATRacing99
Facebook @AlexThomsonRacing
Instagram @Alex_Thomson_Racing

About Oceanvolt

Founded in 2004, Oceanvolt is the leading manufacturer of clean electric power & propulsion systems for boats. Oceanvolt’s award winning motor systems have been installed on hundreds of boats ranging from daysailers to 80 ft catamarans worldwide. The systems are not only suitable for cruising and sailing on lakes but also for circumnavigating the globe in tough conditions.

www.oceanvolt.com
Twitter: @Oceanvolt_Ltd
Facebook: @Oceanvolt
Instagram: @Oceanvolt