Interview with Leif Setälä by IteWiki

IteWiki's series of articles showcases software companies and the people behind them. Trineria, a developer of customised industrial internet software, is targeting 40-60% annual growth.

Trineria, specialist in custom software for industrial Internet, seeks 40–60% annual growth

CEO Leif-Johan Setälä’s background is in software development

In this article series, Ite wiki introduces software companies and people who make it all happen.

In addition to the business side of things, we take a closer look at the people working in software development.

This time we are interviewing Leif-Johan Setälä, the CEO of Trineria. The company specialises in custom software solutions for the industrial Internet. They also develop their own bespoke software product tailored for the industry.

Could you give us a brief personal introduction?

I’m extremely open, curious, and I tend to get very excited at the prospect of new challenges. My definite strong points are patience, optimism, and the ability to grasp the bigger picture. My technical strengths relate to problem-solving and being able to conceptualise technology solutions as they relate to business.

My background is in software development. It definitely has an effect on how I approach business challenges, which I usually do by leveraging the possibilities of data and technology. Aside from the usual CEO tasks, my daily work entails things like product ownership, project management, and practical software development. I often take part in brainstorming solutions for our clients; I see this hands-on problem-solving as integral to maintaining my own chops.

What kind of hobbies and personal interests do you have?

I enjoy the great outdoors: camping, hiking, and fishing. I greatly appreciate being able to live close to nature and still work for a company that’s all about technological pioneering. It’s all very good for winding down and recovering. I spend a lot of time doing things with my hands, collecting information regardless of the field. I’ve come to realise that this has a very positive effect on keeping yourself curious and preventing your mind from compartmentalising itself too much.

What are your main interests in the field of digitalisation?

I’m generally interested in the variety and interdisciplinary nature of this field and how digitalisation links and relates to other fields and business segments. It’s primed for perpetual learning and development, and it creates a way of improving the world and society.

How did your story at Trineria begin?

We founded Trineria in 2014. The company was originally born out of a need. We wanted to improve both the software industry as well as ourselves and create solutions we could be proud of. We’re very happy for the company’s growth and achievements over the years and for the thriving work community we’ve created.

What is the history of your company like?

During our first year, the company had only one developer besides myself. Our office was a small hotel room and there we worked on projects for our two clients. Today, we’ve grown into a software house of 15 people, and we provide our clients with tailored industrial Internet software while simultaneously developing our own product. Those two original clients are still with us as well. Our business has always been about long-term, close-knit relations where trust and understanding of the client’s business are key.

We’ve been able to reform ourselves successfully every year. Our central pillars have always been constant self-improvement and controlled growth. In keeping with these principles, we’ve always taken in new clients and recruited more staff at rates we know we can manage.

Could you describe your current core business?

Tailored and client-oriented industrial Internet solutions. We help our clients gather data from their devices, instruments, and sensors. We enable the utilisation of data for decision-making, analysis, and device control.

What are your company culture and values like? Any practical examples?

Our company culture is fair and centred around the people; our values are honesty, bravery, and harmony. What exemplifies this is our self-managed team culture. Everyone, including management, are willing to constantly better themselves. The hierarchy in our organisation is fairly low and our teams are very autonomous. As far as discourse goes, we emphasise that no subject is ever taboo, and everyone’s views are taken into account. If there’s ever an issue, we focus on finding solutions, not culprits.

What types of goals do you have for the future?

We strive for controlled growth. This way, we can have a bigger impact on the world around us. This year we’ll focus heavily on product development which will enable us to take on and manage ever larger projects.

In the future, we wish to invest in the research of the software industry and do our share in taking the industry forward. In terms of numbers, we have our sights on annual growth of 40–60% for the next few years while remaining profitable. We’re also looking to go international in the near future.

Any other insights you wish to share?

I think it’s imperative for everyone to understand digitalisation and its possibilities. It will invariably find its way into everyday life, in all industries. It’s very interesting to be a part of it all. We need people from all walks of life in order to discover these future solutions.

Any final words for our readers?

Improving yourself is always worth it and you should study whatever you find interesting. You don’t have to be a developer to understand this field or technological progress. Capable end-users of digital solutions will be increasingly valuable to companies in the world of tomorrow.

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