Codento expands to the Nordic countries

Tommi Tuokko, Codento’s CFO, says the company has been growing and changing rapidly. Compared to 2022, turnover has increased by a couple of million euros and the number of employees has roughly doubled.

At the beginning of 2023, the company conducted a market survey of the Nordic countries with Business Finland’s Market Explorer funding. Inspired by this, Codento decided to seek a foothold as an expert in Google Cloud services, primarily in Sweden. Business Finland’s Talent funding helped improve Codento's international capabilities.

“Codento has been a Finnish-centered company for nearly 20 years, even though we’ve had international employees and management. We felt that we needed a little help in internationalization and with how we manage our own backyard and corporate culture.”

Talent funding provided the support the company needed to develop its organization, management, and recruitment.

Codento applied for funding at the end of the summer of 2023, and the company launched a development project to prepare for internationalization in the fall. In its entirety, the project lasted about a year.

According to Tuoko, Talent funding has brought financial benefits and allowed the company to invest in developing its organization and personnel rapidly and systematically. Brainstorming with Business Finland’s experts has resulted in a tangible framework of necessary measures.

“Without Talent funding, we would have progressed slower. We would have lacked structure and a clear and sensible roadmap. The project made us stop and think, and that’s been a good thing.”

Codento has changed in a short time. For example, Finnish language proficiency is no longer a criterion for hiring.

According to Tuoko, international experts increase the entire company’s expertise because projects become more diverse and the whole staff learns by example. Since the fall, the company has recruited both experienced professionals and junior staff with varying cultural backgrounds.

“The management is strongly international. We hired a country manager in Sweden, who is also a member of the management team. We have experts who are familiar with the international scene. We’ve hired interns with international backgrounds from Aalto University. They’re part of the coding team that does the hands-on work for our clients.”

In support of its new direction, Codento made a significant change in its work culture in the fall when it changed its internal language from Finnish to English. Tuokko is satisfied with the result.

“Our staff have the confidence to take a position, ask questions and speak in English. We haven’t noticed anyone becoming less talkative because of this change. Now we’re clearly venturing beyond Finland’s borders.”

Codento’s journey on Nordic soil is just beginning. The company has now identified the people who will be at the forefront of discussions and projects with new customers.

We’re especially increasing their capacity to work internationally. We’re also starting a larger project in Norway, which requires a slightly different approach than operating in Finland.”

Tuokko sees many successes in the Talent funding project. For example, Codento has created a corporate image of itself as a Nordic operator. The company has also been bold enough to recruit people who do not speak Finnish and are already international.

“We used to be a company based in Finland, where we spoke Finnish. Now we’re a company that also operates abroad and holds meetings in English. These are major and concrete changes,” says Tuokko.

Codento

• A Google Cloud services consultancy that helps customers with apps and AI solutions
• Employees: 44 persons, 6 nationalities
• Turnover: EUR 5,3 million