Sami Kämppi and Antti Kaukinen combine their creative and technological skills to build stunning interactive installations, or Smart Spaces. As co-founders of OiOi, their work has featured across their native Finland and as far afield as Hong Kong. We talked to the pair about where Smart Space technology is heading and their aspirations for OiOi.
1. Where do you want to take your company?
OiOi is building up a strong reputation in the field of Smart Spaces. We are well-known in our native Finland and want to build on that reputation to become one of the leading Smart Space solution providers in the world. Having our installations at international events like Slush Helsinki has enabled us to showcase our work to a global audience. We are now keen to take our smart spaces worldwide.
2. What barriers have you faced so far in internationalising your business?
At the end of the day, the success of our work comes down to the quality of the customer experience. So while finding the right clients can be a challenge, finding the right subcontractors is an even bigger one. We have to be sure that we’re working with the right partners on the ground and this is one area where the Enterprise Europe Network is helping us.
3. Your Smart Space solutions are used in retail, art & learning and brand engagement. Which of these areas is looking most promising for expansion?
For us, we see the most promising fields as exergaming (solutions that combine exercise and gaming), tailored museum and public space installations and educational wall games. Expect to see more Smart Spaces in these areas popping up in the coming months and years!
OiOi has worked with the Enterprise Europe Network partner Turku Science Park in Mikkeli, Finland.