Each of us has an identity. In today’s society, where more and more services are online, it is crucial to ensure that our digital identities do not fall into the wrong hands.
“Protecting our digital footprint has become extremely important”, says Mika Aromaa, CEO of the Turku-based software company Trivore.
Previously, companies protected their operations by building a firewall around their operating environment. The significance of firewalls has since diminished considerably, and when a company’s digital environment is breached today, it primarily happens through identities.
“Today, identity is the first thing that perpetrators seek to steal from companies and organisations.”
Even two-factor authentication does not always help, as accidents will happen when people are busy, and someone might inadvertently grant login permission from their mobile device.
“I’d say it’s not a question of if but when this happens. That’s why digital identities must be managed to ensure that employees only have access to the data and resources they need.”
Demand for a Finnish solution
Trivore offers its customers an entirely Finnish identity and access management solution that makes their daily lives easier.
“We wanted to make the user experience seamless, and with Trivore’s solutions, the user doesn’t have to perform any tricks to access systems. We develop tailored overall solutions for our customers according to their specific needs.”
Currently, Trivore is growing at an annual rate of 50–70 per cent, which the CEO Aromaa considers a fairly good pace for a software company that has been operating for a quarter of a century. This growth is driven by a shift in focus from being a consulting company to a product company.
“Through long-standing customer relationships, it became evident that there’s a clear demand for a Finnish identity management solution.”
At present, Trivore manages more than six million digital identities. Not all are Finnish, of course, as almost all public transport systems utilise Trivore’s identity management solutions.
“When a passenger buys a ticket using a mobile app, a Trivore identity is created in the background”, Aromaa explains.
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Appealing alternatives
The sudden changes in the global economy also spur Trivore’s growth. In the United States, the political climate has challenged the structures of the global economy, prompting EU decision-makers to consider the opportunities for local software providers to deliver solutions to businesses and organisations.
“Using American software isn’t inherently a bad thing, but there should always be alternatives available. If something happens and, for example, global trade rules are significantly altered, we must consider the implications of all software being based on American solutions.”
Alternatives are appealing for other reasons, too, as local suppliers are now being sought to replace global giants. This creates significant opportunities for European players.
“Many want to collaborate with a smaller player because this usually means better service and better local knowledge. A local player generally has a greater ability to meet customer needs.”
The advantage of a smaller company is that if a customer has a specific need, it can be addressed quite flexibly, according to Aromaa.
“Even there, we need to be able to strike a balance; you can’t build a million customer-specific features into a product because then it becomes impossible to maintain. A customised product is always more expensive than a generic one, making maintenance really costly”, Aromaa explains.
Aiming for international markets
Aromaa sees Trivore’s strong growth continuing in the years to come. In addition to robust product development, investments are being made in sales and marketing, as the aim is to go international.
“Our strategy is to grow quickly while maintaining profitability.”
Expansion into the international market happens one country at a time. The initial focus is on the other Nordic countries and the Baltic states, followed by Northern Europe.
An interesting opportunity is arising with the EU’s forthcoming digital identity wallet reform. The wallet will make consumers’ daily lives easier by enabling secure identity verification. In addition to personal identification data, the wallet can contain various certificates, from hygiene passes to driving licences.
“However, there won’t be a single, unified digital wallet for the EU; it will be implemented through various national solutions. This also presents a market niche for us.”
Although Trivore is pursuing strong international growth, the intention is to keep the company Finnish and to hire Finnish nationals, at least for the time being. The company employs approximately 45 experts in Turku, Seinäjoki, Jyväskylä, and Helsinki.
“As a growth company, we have benefited from the current labour market situation and have been able to hire the experts we need. Through thesis projects, we have also been able to offer work to many young students at the end of their studies. Employing young people is truly important to us.”
Trivore’s growth figures indicate that product development investments have paid off. There are many new prospective customers. However, the CEO Aromaa believes that this is not the most important thing.
“In my opinion, the most important thing is that we can create jobs in Finland and in this way contribute to Finland’s overall growth. With our expertise, we can also play a part in making the European software industry a significant global player.”
Text: Katja Hautoniemi
Photos: Jarno Hiltunen
Business Turku: Lotta Kujanpää, Pia Lappalainen
This article is part of the TKI-kompassi project, funded by the Regional Council of Southwest Finland.
