Hannu Kröger, a seasoned consultant and Senior Software Developer, has always had a deep interest in understanding how computers work. From a young age, he was constantly engaged in various hobby projects, and his fascination with computers eventually led him to co-develop the popular 90s game series “Tapan Kaikki”. This passion for technology naturally guided him to study computer science at the University of Oulu.
– Oulu was promoted as a hub of technology, so I ended up studying there. I also spent a couple of years abroad as an exchange student in Germany and Italy, before finally graduating in 2008, Hannu recalls.
Throughout his career, Hannu has worked primarily in telecom and payment services and has also developed expertise in the Cassandra database system. Though his specialisation in Cassandra happened somewhat by chance, it played a significant role in his decision to move to Southern Finland, where he later found himself conducting Cassandra training sessions around the world.
– I’ve traveled the globe teaching about Cassandra – from Spain to Colombia and Ukraine, and of course, here in Finland as well, Hannu says.
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After moving to Helsinki and working at a local startup, Hannu began to contemplate the idea of consulting.
– Not in the sense of working as a consultant, but diving straight into the deep end as an entrepreneur. I founded Kröger Consulting Oy in 2016, and about a year later, a former colleague from Jyväskylä reached out, and we decided to see what we could achieve together, Hannu shares.
Kröger Consulting soon became Upsert Oy, based in Jyväskylä. As an entrepreneur, Hannu has been involved in many exciting projects. In recent years, he has worked closely with the payment and billing development team at Oura, a Finnish health tech company. While the project’s technologies were new to him, his extensive experience in payment services and billing proved invaluable.
– I got involved when an old contact from a completely different project reached out, saying they needed my skills. I happened to be finishing up another project, so I joined a team that was built at lightning speed, Hannu explains.
The Oura team has greatly valued Hannu’s contributions. Lauri Vuornos, SVP of Software Engineering at Oura, describes him:
– Hannu has been an invaluable asset to our team at Oura. His foundational work on modelling our product catalogue and financial records around memberships, helped the team to transform our business from a hardware-only model to a successful hybrid approach with a membership. Hannu’s dedication and skills have made a lasting impact on our development efforts.
Although Oura’s success has been tremendous, Hannu reveals that, from a work perspective, the company doesn’t feel any different.
–It’s not like I get butterflies in my stomach every time I visit the office. If there is anything that stands out, it’s that the snacks are probably a bit healthier than at other places I’ve worked, Hannu reveals with a smile.
Upsert joins the Codemate family
Like many companies, Upsert faced challenges during the COVID pandemic. At the same time, Hannu noticed that the consulting business was changing, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for small companies to get a foot in the door with new clients. The idea of new business arrangements started to gradually take shape.
Hannu first encountered Codemate at a networking event in Oulu, where he spoke with COO Jukka Katajaharju. Even then, he felt that Codemate’s and Upsert’s values aligned well, though Codemate was a few steps ahead in terms of growth.
– We started with casual conversations and getting to know each other. Eventually, we began to seriously consider merging. When we discussed this internally, I think everyone was pretty excited about the possibility, Hannu recalls.
For both Hannu and Codemate, it has been essential from the beginning to listen to employee feedback about the merger. They’ve made sure that information is accessible and that everyone’s perspectives are considered. When founding Upsert, Hannu and co-founder Teemu Kupari aimed to create a company where they would want to work themselves – and Codemate fits this vision perfectly.
– We’re still in the process of getting to know each other. We’ve visited the Helsinki and Oulu offices, and some of our team members have already started collaborating on projects. The integration is happening at different levels, with different teams meeting and working together, Hannu explains.
The merger of Codemate and Upsert has strengthened Codemate with experienced consultants and expanded the company’s physical presence in the Jyväskylä region with a new office.
Culture and music: the perfect counterbalance to work
According to Hannu, work-life balance comes naturally to him these days. Sometimes the days are longer, and other times he can wrap up earlier – IT work tends to be flexible.
– Back when I was juggling a full-time job, side business, demanding hobbies, and writing my thesis, I started showing signs of burnout. I’ve since learned to recognice the symptoms, and it hasn’t been an issue since, Hannu shares.
Music has been a lifelong hobby for Hannu, though he admits that he’s been more of an audience member lately. He attends several gigs weekly and enjoys a wide range of cultural experiences. You won’t find many concert photos on his phone, though—he prefers to be present in the moment.
– I go to see and listen to all kinds of things. In December, I’m heading to a German hip-hop gig with a friend, Hannu reveals.
Read: Codemate and Upsert unite under one brandThe journey continues
The merger between Codemate and Upsert has been a step towards a stronger and more unified team, with Hannu playing a key role in the transition. The merger has allowed Codemate and Upsert employees to combine their skills and experiences for new projects and clients. Hannu is optimistic about the future and looks forward to what they will achieve together.
– Upsert’s and Codemate’s culture, philosophy, and values align well. With this merger, I expect we’ll take on even more interesting projects and hopefully welcome more new team members to Codemate, Hannu concludes.
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