The new team on the block – meet Jaakko, Panu & Kasper

The year 2015 started with a bang for Startup Sauna and now we’re working day and night to prepare for our Local Events tour taking place from February 23rd to March 26th.

The new year also brought about changes in the Startup Sauna team, as the C-level recruiters of Finland cried of joy when they heard our CEO Juho Kokkola and COO Juuso Koskinen decided to seek new challenges after running and growing Startup Sauna successfully for 2 years. We owe these guys a big thanks for all the fine work they’ve done during the last 4 batches; the custom Nike sneakers they’re leaving behind will be both challenging and rewarding to fill.

So, we’re pleased to introduce the new Startup Sauna team:

Jaakko Hynynen is stepping up as the bossman & CEO of Startup Sauna. He’s taking a hiatus from his studies at the Information Networks degree programme of Aalto University, working as a software developer, and DJing to face the challenges of running a startup accelerator. Jaakko accidentally got introduced to startups while browsing Hacker News for the next cool Javascript framework. He is passionate about learning from the coaches and the countless startups that he has already met, and will meet, while sitting on the Iron Throne of Startup Sauna.

Panu Paljakka will keep things running as our COO, making sure the program runs effortlessly and keeping the rest of the team in check. A physics student gone bad, Panu abandoned a future as a nuclear scientist in favor of Vice-Presidentship in Aaltoes. Brought up in Brussels, Panu brings a breeze of fresh, cold, execution-oriented air to the Startup Sauna team. Hearing the word ‘startup’ for the first time in Slush 2013, he is now all-in to have an impact by helping startups and making sure our network of startups and coaches keeps going strong.

Kasper Suomalainen is representin’ as the CMO, taking the ball on communications and marketing. An entrepreneurship student on the brink of graduation, Kasper did his due diligence as the honorable President of Aaltoes. He was raised in the US, India, Finland and China, learning to call “home” the place he sleeps that particular night. A true Texan by heart, Kasper also knows his way around the basketball court and has a penchant for Krispy Kreme donuts. A 9-to-5 will never cut it, so working at Startup Sauna is an obvious next step towards being an entrepreneur.

Psst.. We’re now looking for the most promising teams in the world to join our spring ’15 acceleration program! You can apply by attending a Startup Sauna local event or filling out the open application.