CEO

Matti Tikanmäki

Probot’s top boss Matti is an approachable guy with a warm heart who always takes everyone into consideration. Our team could not wish for a better CEO! Whatever the topic, you can always ask Matti to give a presentation, but here’s a word of warning: If you were to time this presentation, you’d be sure to run out of minutes before Matti runs out of things to say. The CEO’s job includes everything under the sun, whatever there may be on an entrepreneur’s agenda.

Matti has a Master’s degree in electrical engineering and entrepreneur qualifications. He’s also got diplomas in product development and business management and special vocational qualifications in technical sales. Matti is a family man who likes to spend his leisure time travelling, taking photographs and building various things. By the way, Matti’s favourite game is Civilization and you’ll usually find him in the wondrous world of games with the nick ProboRobo.

#randomfact: Matti is a bit of a collector. And we don’t just mean empty cups of coffee spread around his office but also things like miniature Porsches, Lego figurines and coins.

CTO

Antti Tikanmäki

How do you recognise Antti? Well, from his black Probot mug, of course! The tasks of our CTO, who shares his time working as a project manager at the University of Oulu, involve business development, in his own words as “backroom staff”.

A Master of Science in Engineering and assistant aircraft mechanic, Antti has studied electrical engineering and embedded systems, among other subjects. In his free time, sci-fi fan Antti likes to work on his own projects, spend time with his dog and listen to metal. If you’re in luck, you might run into this rare metalhead on a karaoke night.

#randomfact: Antti was last seen at a barber’s in 2004. Long hair is all the rage in metal, after all.

Sales Manager

Maria Ruottinen

Maria is the Probot team’s very own lioness and sales master. Maria is known to delight the team at monthly meetings by bringing breakfast, which can be anything from liver casserole to plum kissel. Maria has a warm heart, wants to know her team and never forgets to ask people how they are doing. The tasks of this lioness running on high energy involve working with customers, project organisation and corporate development tasks.

Maria has a Master’s degree in bioprocess engineering and she’s a specialist in foreign trade. In her leisure time, she’s kept busy by her four sons and her hobbies singing in a choir and coaching a football team. If in a need to let off some steam, just follow the yelling noises and you’ll find Maria wandering in a forest.

#randomfact: Maria once played a demon in a play, and during the musical’s première, a church burned down. Coincidence?

Project Coordinator

Juha Polvela

You won’t run out of things to talk about with Juha! After all, he’s a very approachable and sociable guy. Juha spends his work days in mechanics design, documentation and robotic cell simulations.

This electric automation technician has a wide variety of skills. In fact, Juha has completed so many courses he could teach a course in completing courses. Check out his LinkedIn profile for more information. In his leisure time, you’ll probably find Juha studying, reading a book or playing the guitar. You may also find this multi-talent on a hiking trail or kicking a ball around with his children.

#randomfact: “My main interest is everything.”

Automation Engineer

Toni Autio

In our team, Toni is “That Nice Chap” whom you can discuss just about any topic with. This professional spends his days in mechanical design, logic and robot programming and technical sales. At times, Toni also shines in the Probot drama club.

Toni’s educational background is in mechanical engineering. In his leisure time, he spends time with his dog, plays games and, in his own words, “makes his tummy grow”.

#randomfact: Toni says he’s “next in line from Kari” – although it may be that this is only his personal opinion.

Mechanical Designer

Aleksi Tyni

Aleksi is a man of order! – And it shows, as this guy’s desk is always perfectly organised. Aleksi’s job description largely includes mechanics and layout design, sales and solution conceptualisation for customers.

This professional in mechanical engineering and business spends his leisure time playing computer games, hanging out and sleeping – unless he’s out playing disc golf.

#randomfact: Aleksi doesn’t like vinegar crisps, but once he’s duped into eating them, he cannot stop. The team members have witnessed this during every one of our team days.

Robotics Engineer

Ville Iivari

The calm and collected Ville brings a relaxed feel to work tasks with his smiley demeanour. And there are plenty of those tasks: after all, Ville’s work includes coding robots, PLC programming and automated device implementation. His work also involves mechanics, software, device and electrical design, to name but a few.

The plater welder and mechanical engineer likes to spend his leisure time in nature, fishing, hunting and mountain biking. That’s probably where that relaxed attitude comes from!

#randomfact: Ville is known for his epic fits of laughter at work. Warning – these fits are very contagious!

Office dog

#BadProbotDog

Our beloved office dog, #BadProbotDog, is probably the most well-known member of our team. The job of this ambassador of mobile robotics includes padding around the world and attracting admiration.

Our office dog has been learning skills and behaviours in a posing training, puppy training course and robot Hogwarts. The pup spends most of its leisure time sleeping and eating screws.

#randomfact: Despite its young age, the #BadProbotDog is quite the #tourist: the pooch has already visited at least eight countries.

Art Director

Minna Haarala

Minna is our advertising master who serves as Probot’s “brand police” – her job includes a variety of advertising and marketing tasks. She spends her work days with graphic design, photography, content creation and branding as well as in different working groups.

Check out Minna’s educational background on LinkedIn – the list is so long that we can’t quite manage to fit it here. In her free time, Minna trains in Muay Thai, unless she is spending time in nature with her dogs with a camera hanging around her neck or is glued to a book with her cat on her lap. You may also find Minna at home working on her writing or art projects.

#randomfact: Minna was supposed to become an author or an artist. That didn’t happen, but one of her comics was published in the Hevoshullu magazine for horse fans in the 1990s.

Robotics Expert

Kari Anunti

Briefly put: Kari is a fine man. For this achievement, he’s earned a special plaque on the office wall which states the same in writing, surrounded by a frame. Kari is our team’s mobile robot expert. His job also includes coding, troubleshooting devices and fixing any problems, 3D printing, assembling and installing devices and at times also creating components. Indeed, Kari describes himself as a “jack of all trades”.

Kari is a physicist who likes to drink and sleep in his free time – if we’re being honest. But perhaps it’s more appropriate to say that in his leisure time, Kari likes to listen to audiobooks and take care of his dog. Of course, Kari also does some coding in his free time.

#randomfact: At the final stage of his studies, Kari was kicked out of his office at the university to make room for his office mate’s bicycle.

Marketing Coordinator

Roosa Hyvärinen

Roosa is our team’s marketing master who’s known to polish up our videos and social media posts to a T! You can have the most interesting lunch break chats with Roosa, as she’s incredibly knowledgeable about lots and lots of things! On the other hand, Roosa will also give you the best tips on funny TikTok videos. In addition to her tasks in marketing, Roosa is in charge of the company’s invoicing, among other things.

Roosa has a Master’s degree in process technology and she has also studied the basic of machine automation, robot programming and 3D modelling. So she certainly knows her stuff! In her leisure time, our marketing master likes to listen to audiobooks and grow grapes.

#randomfact: Roosa is the winner of the 2018 Finnish championship in roller derby. Torilla tavataan – see you at the square!

Mechanical Designer

Eetu Koskela

Eetu is a relaxed and easily approachable guy. You can find Eetu building robots at the workshop – or designing them at his desk.
“Is everyone wearing their hearing protectors?”
– When you hear this sound, you know Eetu is about to get some stuff done!

Eetu is trained as a plater welder, machinist and machine automation engineer. This multi-talented tinker spends his free time exercising, fishing and hunting. You can also challenge Eetu in CS – if you dare.

#randomfact: Eetu has a tendency to infect others with his earworms at the office. So those hearing protectors may really come in handy!

Production Engineer

Janne Paaso

Here’s a safe guy for sure! After all, we all turn to Janne when it comes to occupational safety issues. Janne is a nice no-nonsense guy who’s sure to give you good comments, whatever the topic. He’s also always quick to laugh. His tasks as an occupational safety officer also include automation installation and mechanical design.

Janne is a machine and production engineer and will soon graduate with a Master of science in machine design. This guy likes to spend his leisure time at the gym and in the kitchen. In fact, he just might be Probot’s very own Masterchef!

#randomfact: Janne hasn’t bought bread in over two years as he likes to bake his own loaf.

Automation Engineer

Eemeli Mutanen

Eemeli is a reflective multi-talent. You may find yourself in an engaging discussion with him on surprising topics. This team member spends his work days mostly around logic programming and automation cell start up.

Eemeli has a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering. In his leisure time, you’ll probably find this guy playing floorball, football or disc golf. Eemeli also likes woodworking and spends a lot of time with his family. We should also mention that during one team day, Eemeli beat everyone (including Matti) in laser tag.

#randomfact: Ever since he was a child, Eemeli has enjoyed throwing accuracy exercises. Feel free to challenge him!

Automation Engineer

Jani Juntikka

Our Jani-tor is a cheerful, smiley guy with an always positive attitude. He works in logic programming and machine modernization.

This member of the Jani tribe is trained as an IT engineer and he also rates his year-long work experience in the United Kingdom as a major learning opportunity. Jani is currently studying alongside his work to become a mechanical engineer.

If he’s got any spare time left from his studies, he spends it leading his son’s football team or playing bass in a band.

#randomfact: Jani has found himself in the opening act for international superstars – it pays off being a bass player!

Project Coordinator

Jani Tyni

If you’re feeling wound up at work, it’s a good idea to go and spend some time with Jani. After all, he’s such a chill guy that he’d make a Duracell bunny calm down. He’s
also always quick to smile. Jani has proven to be a very helpful, innovative, creative and reflective team member. His job includes programming and automation installation.

Jani is trained as an automation mechanic and automation engineer. He’s also acquired competence by completing a KNX course and intelligent automation training. In his free time, this member of the Jani tribe likes to spend time in nature, fishing or riding his bike. You might also see him holding a camera or a PlayStation controller.

#randomfact: Jani is highly interested in science and psychology. Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

Production Engineer

Risto Kotajärvi

Professional and calm, Risto mainly spends his work days on the implementation of robots.

Risto holds a mechanical engineering degree. As a machine automation professional, he has also studied the basics of Lean. If there’s something he doesn’t know, he actively searches for information and learns about it – a knowledge-hungry individual that he is. During his spare time, you can find him at the gym or fishing.

#randomfact: Rumor has it that whatever you might be missing when you go cottaging, Risto has it. This man is prepared for anything!

Mechanical Designer

Mika Taskila

If you’re in need of fresh ideas and innovation at work, it’s worth tapping on this guy’s shoulder. Honest and thoughtful, Mika takes pleasure in the details. The days of this inventive team player revolve around tasks such as machine design, assembly, testing and 3D modeling.

Educationally, Mika holds a degree in industrial engineering. He continually develops his skills through courses and training, the latest being Lean-Robotics. During his free time, Mika recharges his creativity through mountain hikes and tinkering with various devices. His time is also dedicated to maintaining his own house and assisting with chores on a small farm and in forestry.

#randomfact: As a child, Mika wanted a dog to play with and train. Since he didn’t get a dog, he took care of and trained calves instead.