03.11.2011
Joberate entered into Tekes’ Young Innovative Companies (NIY) program
Social media recruitment firm Joberate entered into Tekes’ Young Innovative Companies program. The venture has been able to confirm major national and international recruitment deals and partnerships. Joberate’s service has been used in more than 30 countries and it is expanding its customerbase rapidly. Tekes funding will be used to strenghten international precence and growth.
31.10.2011
KoppiCatch led the pre-seed financing round for Fenomen Oy, the company with service Mobide(tm). The current investors, including KoppiCatch, and two angels investors, secured this round of financing. Also the management was strengthened by a CTO joining the company and investing personally as well. – This financing package shall be used to ensure product development towards coming commercial launch, from the current alpha.
02.10.2011
KoppiCatch portfolio company Fenomen Oy reported today that their crowd-sourcing service called Mobide(tm) has reached the level of 100 000 registered products. This amazing number of tagged products has been captured by mobile phone users around the world by scanning bar codes on consumer goods. The service generates a flow of unique consumer opinion data at the purchasing moment, when people are having branded products in their hands.
30.09.2011
Koppi’s partner Oskari Lehtonen depended his thesis relates to venture capital and entrepreneurship at Hanken. The dissertation investigates several factors that may influence the relationship between entrepreneurs and investors, and consequently the success of growth entrepreneurship. Such factors include the ways in which entrepreneurs might choose an investor, the investor qualities an entrepreneur should look for, the significance of the balance of power in the entrepreneur-investor relationship, the entrepreneur’s view of the role of experts in the capital investment process, and the increase in the credibility of entrepreneurs that can be brought by investors. The title of the thesis is An Examination of How Entrepreneurs Can Improve Their Position in Relation to Investors.
Download a pdf version of the thesis here:
helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/27777/233_978-952-232-139-8.pdf?sequence=1
28.07.2011
KoppiCatch has excecuted its first “Vigo” exit transaction, when it’s portfolio company Zokem Ltd was acquired by Arbitron, the leading media measurement company in USA. Zokem has been assisted and accelerated by KoppiCatch since late 2009. The total deal value is up to $23.7 million between now and 2014. More, see press release.
15.07.2011
KoppiCatch’s portfolio company Fenomen Oy reports that its Mobide service is in use in 130 countries and volunteers have created a data base of over 80 000 consumer products. ”This is amazing! The product is still an early stage alpha - and zero Euroes have been invested in marketing” says Harry Santamäki who has been assisting Mika Vehmersuo, CEO of Mobide since 2009.
15.03.2011
Koppi has agreed that it will start accelerate Joberate’s growth, support to acquire additional funding and help the venture to execute its internationalisation strategy. The venture will apply to Tekes NIY-funding program in near future. Joberate’s CEO Jukka Pekonen comments the co-operations as follows: “We really are looking forward the co-operation”. KoppiCatch’s business accelerator in this particular case, Mr. Oskari Lehtonen, says that he has rarely seen a team that is executing in such a determination and passion. “This team really gets things done”.
06.02.2011
KoppiCatch has become an accelerator for Happy-Or-Not Oy, a customer satisfaction measurement company. Mr. Heikki Väänänen is the CEO of the company. Mr. Harry Santamaki and Mr Oskari Lehtonen are the business accelerators from KoppiCatch’s side. ”Happy-Or-Not fits beautifully to our portfolio of consumer-centric ventures” says Mr. Santamaki.
24.01.2011
KoppiCatch closed a seed investment round for its portfolio company Rapid BlueSolutions (RBS). This round ensures ramping up of sales and product development of this innovative young company. RBS also grows out from the premises of KoppiCatch and moves to own offices at Iso Robertinkatu, downtown Helsinki. Mr. Gavin Weight is the CEO of the company and Mr. Oskari Lehtonen is the accelerator from KoppiCatch’s side. ”RBS can provide retailers, shopping mall operators and venue owners very unique information how people move inside the buildings or in open-door commercial areas” says Mr. Lehtonen.