With a notable track record in taking Finnish businesses to international markets, Sarita Runeberg is set to steer Maria 01 into a promising new era, building upon the company’s successful achievements in managing the Nordics’ leading startup campus and community. Runeberg’s previous roles at Smartly.io, the world’s largest SaaS digital advertising platforms, and Reaktor, a global technology company designing and building digital products and services, have been marked by an unwavering dedication to fostering innovation, driving growth and leading teams to success. This is exactly the kind of attitude and leadership Maria 01 was on the lookout for to continue its mission of providing the best possible environment for startups to grow.
– I am honored to join the Maria 01 team and committed to leading this exceptional company and community towards a bright future. Maria 01 has an exciting history of innovation and a one-of-a-kind sense of belongingness, and I am excited to work with the talented team and ecosystem to build upon this foundation, Runeberg expressed their enthusiasm for starting in their new role.
The new CEO will not only have a prominent role in accelerating Maria 01 on its path towards becoming one of Europe’s biggest startup hubs but likewise continue to support the City of Helsinki’s strategy as a Place of Growth. City of Helsinki is one of the owners of Maria 01.
The aim of the Helsinki City Strategy is to strengthen the business and innovation environments that support the competitiveness of Helsinki's companies. The key is to ensure that Helsinki remains an attractive place for talent and businesses. The city aims to strengthen and develop its status as one of Europe's best innovative environments, start-up hubs and hotbeds of business opportunity. The Maria 01 start-up campus will continue to play an important role in this work.
– We are thrilled to welcome Sarita as our new CEO. Sarita’s extensive experience and vision align perfectly with the mission and direction we envision for Maria 01. We are confident that this appointment will pave the way for continued growth and innovation, says Jarmo Hyökyvaara, Chair of the Maria 01 Board.
On the road to becoming Europe’s largest startup hub
Over the past seven years, Maria 01 has grown into one of the leading startup hubs in Europe, gaining a prominent role in the thriving Finnish startup ecosystem. Maria 01 was founded in 2016, and is today the home to over 180 startups, facilitating an over 1500-member strong community together with investors, corporate partners and ecosystem organizations. Over the course of its seven-year history, the hub’s startups have collected more than 700 million euros in funding, while playing an important role in creating jobs, taxable income and working towards establishing a more international working environment.
The growth of Maria 01 shows no signs of stopping. While eagerly waiting for the number for 2023, the hub’s startups raised a record-breaking total of 219 million euros in funding in 2022. In the near future, the startup campus is set to expand its current 20,000 sq m space to 70,000 sq m, aiming to attract up to 600 new startups joining the community.