The Finnish Venture Capital Association (FVCA) and PwC working as a partner arrange the annual Kasvunrakentaja - Growth Builder competition. This year’s winner is Kotkamills with its interesting growth story of innovative paperboard that replaces plastics. Without the fruitful cooperation with MB Funds, a Finnish private equity firm, this successful innovation story would not have been possible.
The competition looks for the year’s most interesting and inspiring stories from venture capitalists’ portfolio companies, stories that best spotlight growth building together with their investors. This year’s three finalists were: PHM Group, the Nordic property maintenance specialist; Supermetrics, offering tools to process marketing data; and Kotkamills, creating alternatives to plastic and plastic-containing packaging materials, including applications in food service packaging.
“Take a careful look at what you are holding; the right cup can be a real eco-action. The use of plastic must be reduced and, ideally, discontinued where not needed. Being in a pioneering role is often rough. This recognition feels like a nice tribute to our entire team”, rejoices Kotkamills’ CEO Markku Hämäläinen.
“Our cooperation with Kotkamills’ management and personnel has always been very efficient and close. Decisions are always made on the company’s terms. Investing is more than mere capital; it involves cooperation and sharing expertise, experience and networks. Trust and consistency are values that help to build growth in sustainable business”, notes Hannu Puhakka, Managing Partner of MB Funds and responsible for the Kotkamills investment.
The competition jury included growth building experts – F-Secure Founder and Chairman Risto Siilasmaa, Talouselämä’s former Editor-in-Chief and Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA Director Emilia Kullas; and Nasdaq Helsinki President Henrik Husman.
Justifying the win, the jury mentioned both by the ingenuity of innovative plastic-free board and by the close and committed cooperation between the private equity investor MB Funds and the management of Kotkamills. Throughout the cooperation, all parties have committed to working closely together for the benefit of the company.
Contact information:
Markku Hämäläinen, CEO, Kotkamills Oy
tel. +358 40 721 0548
email [email protected]
About Kotkamills
Kotkamills, located in Finland, is an experienced and responsible global partner, manufacturing innovative products created from wood, a renewable natural resource. Our range of sustainable products includes food safe consumer boards, the high-quality saturating base kraft paper Absorbex®, and ecological wood products. The fully recyclable AEGLE® and ISLA® boards, produced since 2016, were complemented in 2018 with water-based dispersion barriers replacing plastics used in packaging and food service applications. All our products are environmentally friendly, recyclable and safe to use.
© Koodiviidakko Oy - Y-tunnus 1939962-1