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Our amazing team

At epicMeets, our fantastic team uses the latest neuroscience and behavioral psychology breakthroughs to help our customers thrive. This cutting-edge expertise makes us unique and helps your business become better storytellers, more innovative, agile, and super successful.

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Thomas Tuominen
Founder, CEO

Thomas has 25+ years of B2B service sales and sales and marketing management experience. His primary focus has been in the corporate events and meetings industry, where he has leveraged the connections between stakeholders into successful business models. He has also been an entrepreneur in the HoReCa sector. 

His responsibilities have included international expansion, building efficient sales teams and models, and strategic planning, and he has also been responsible for Marcomms teams. This experience has honed his skills in strategic thinking, team leadership, and international business development. Thomas has gathered this experience in diverse locally and globally operating companies such as Schibsted, Management Events International, Huone, Smarp (later merged in Haiilo), and Clear Channel International. Thomas has an MBA from the University of Northampton, Business Management and Administration.

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Robin Gustafsson
Founder, Head of product

 

Robin Gustafsson is the Co-Founder and Head of Product at EpicMeet and an Associate Professor of Strategic Management at Aalto University, where he has been a faculty member since 2013. Currently on partial leave to focus on EpicMeet, Robin is a recognized expert in strategic management, particularly in the platform, data economy, and digital transformation. His research delves into how digital platforms and big data are transforming business operations and competition, focusing on platform design, strategy, and the impact of innovation policies and regulations. His research has also extended into impactful strategy workshops, focusing on facilitation techniques and fostering playfulness in the workplace.

Beyond his academic work, Robin has been deeply involved in helping organizations navigate change through impactful meetings and workshops, emphasizing facilitation techniques and promoting playfulness in the workplace. He has successfully led numerous strategy workshops for major corporations, leading to significant enhancements in their strategic planning processes. As a trained facilitator and respected executive educator, Robin has worked extensively with SMEs, large-company managers, executives, and government officials across the globe. His work spans Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, and the United States, where he has facilitated strategy and policy development while helping leaders enhance their strategic skills in the era of data and platforms.

Nikolai

Nikolai Denissov, 
CTO

Nikolai is a versatile professional with extensive experience in Management and Software Engineering, making him an excellent addition to the EpicMeets founding team. His career shift from business to software engineering underscores his adaptability and commitment to continuous learning. 

As a Delivery Lead at Ubisecure, he has honed his skills in cybersecurity and back-end development, as well as product backlog managemen, all crucial for driving EpicMeets' success. At VR Group, he managed distributed teams and developed backend sales solutions, highlighting his ability to lead complex projects. 

His previous roles at Sulake, CSC, and Tallink Grupp demonstrate his proficiency in feature implementation, process facilitation, and CI/CD pipeline maintenance. With a Master’s in Software and Service Engineering from Aalto University and a Bachelor’s in Software Engineering from Metropolia University, Nikolai's strong educational background complements his professional achievements, positioning him as a valuable asset to the EpicMeets founding team.

Nanna

Nanna Ruotsalainen, Software Developer

Nanna is an exceptional Software Developer at epicMeets, having made noteworthy contributions since October 2023. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor's and Master of Science in Computer Science at Aalto University and is expected to graduate in 2026. Nanna boasts a comprehensive skill set, including expertise in various programming languages such as Flutter, Node.js, React.js, Express.js, and Socket.io, as well as mastery in Microsoft Azure and Azure Cosmos DB.

Her technical acumen, honed through her education and practical experience, makes her a versatile developer who can tackle a diverse range of challenges in the tech landscape. Nanna's specialization in Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence makes her an invaluable addition to our software development team. Currently, she is spearheading a research project and testing a novel method of analyzing voice recordings to enhance individual meeting participants' sentiment and communication skills.

Agnese

Agnese Bartolucci
UX/UI and Visual Designer

Agnese Bartolucci is a skilled visual designer at epicMeets, where she specializes in crafting user-centric UI/UX designs that elevate both digital and in-person meeting experiences. With a strong foundation in data visualization and information design, Agnese brings clarity to complex concepts, ensuring that interactions with the epicMeets software are intuitive and visually engaging. Her contributions extend beyond UI/UX design to include the overall visual identity of epicMeets.

She is responsible for crafting the visual design of the epics and other visual artifacts, ensuring a cohesive and consistent visual language across all elements. Agnese’s work blends her academic research in visual communication with her passion for thoughtful, accessible design, delivering seamless and engaging user experiences across all touchpoints.

 

Erik

Erik Langinkoski
3D Artifact Designer

Erik is a highly skilled 3D designer and design assistant who is currently pursuing a Technical Design degree at Omnia Leppävaara. He is expected to graduate in 2025. At just 24 years old, Erik has already showcased his talent by securing third place in the Taitaja 2023 competition's CAD design category. This nationwide contest measures sector-specific expertise among vocational students in Finland. Erik has been instrumental in developing the design language and production technical definition design principles at epicMeets. He is proficient in a variety of technical tools, including AutoCAD, Inventor, Fusion 360, and Blender. Erik is passionate about technology and enjoys 3D printing, gaming, and drawing.


Our excellent advisors

Combined experience in successful exits, software, International SAAS sales, and top-notch gaming industry
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Kim Väisänen

Angel investor and entrepreneur. Kims portfolio currently includes over 30 investments. Co-founded the world’s leading data erasure software company Blancco.

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Paul Arpikari

Paul is the Chief Evangelist of Sellforte, a rapidly internationally growing BtoB SAAS Martech company providing advanced analytics to optimize digital marketing.

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Juha Äkräs

Juha is a scholar and a business leader, who believes that magic happens when you combine extraordinary talent; empowering and transformational leadership; and inclusive, psychologically safe, yet effective, innovative and customer focused organisational culture.

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Timur Kärki

Timur co-founded Gofore and became CEO of the company in 2010 when Gofore had 25 employees. During his nine years as CEO, the company grew 50% yearly. Today, Gofore employs almost 600 people across Finland, Germany, Spain, and Estonia.

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Lauri Ahlgren

Lauri spent over a decade at Supercell, being one of the central figures of Clash of Clans. Lauri helps us understand what triggers and hooks users. 


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We started as a R2B Project

With Research to Business funding, public research organizations can prepare the commercialization of research-driven product or service ideas and conduct applied research that supports commercialization. We successfully completed our 18-month R2B project in June 2024 with a spin-out and created epicMeets in August 2024. 

The main goal of an R2B project is to prepare for commercialization. At the same time, researchers can increase their commercialization skills.

Over all, more than 50 R2B spin-outs have raised over 500 M€ in investments.