Cloud1 Acquires Majority Stake in the Machine Learning Pioneer – “The Missing Link for Enabling Enterprise AI”

From left to right in the photo: Mika Koivula (CEO, Smartbi), Seppo Kuula (CEO, Cloud1), and Emil Sievinen (CTO, Smartbi)

Smartbi Oy, a leading expert in industrial AI solutions, strengthens Cloud1’s position as an enabler for enterprise AI.

This is Cloud1’s second significant acquisition this year, with the company now holding a majority stake in Smartbi.

Founded in 2018 in Espoo, Smartbi specializes in deploying machine learning applications and developing algorithms for industrial environments.Its clients in Finland include GRK and Kemira, while it also contributes to AI advancements in the U.S. defense sector. Smartbi’s revenue has doubled over the past two years and is projected to reach three million euros this year.  The company employs a team of 20 AI experts.

From Isolated Agents to Integrated Enterprise AI

Cloud1 aims to become the Nordic leader in Enabling Enterprise Intelligence and a comprehensive provider of Enterprise AI solutions.

Devisioona Oy, which joined the Cloud1 Group in April, strengthens Cloud1's capabilities in user interface and integration design services. Meanwhile, Smartbi reinforces Cloud1's expertise in enabling the production use of AI solutions.

With this acquisition, Cloud1 is preparing for the next evolution of AI: unifying generative AI-driven agents that autonomously manage companies' information and production systems into a single, cohesive enterprise AI.

'By joining forces with Smartbi, we’re integrating data platforms, managing diverse data sources, and using generative AI-enhanced interfaces to build a production-oriented learning machine. This is the crucial link in realizing true Enterprise AI. Only a few companies in Europe can deliver such a comprehensive solution,' explains Cloud1 CEO Seppo Kuula.

Smartbi has completed hundreds of customer projects over the past six years. For example, developed a globally implemented AI service to optimize wastewater treatment.

'We’re entering a fast-paced AI revolution as part of an ambitious ecosystem that combines cutting-edge expertise with transformative technologies,' says Smartbi CEO Mika Koivula.

'Our early-adopter clients have been using AI for some time, and we expect a wave of large, established companies to follow within the next two years. A major shift is underway, especially in the convergence of operational and information systems (OT/IT). We’re ready to seize this change,' Koivula adds.

Moving Beyond Pilots to Enterprise-Wide AI

In today’s rapidly advancing tech landscape, companies risk overlooking their internal needs for change as new AI solutions—often seen as the latest ‘silver bullets’—emerge almost weekly.

Kuula notes that many companies still fall into cycles of R&D-driven pilot projects or build AI solutions for limited, isolated tasks, a trend also seen in the first wave of machine learning-based AI.

'We've discussed the importance of information management for over a decade, but now it really is the gateway to the next stage of data-driven leadership and Enterprise AI.'

Over the next five years, we’ll see the rise of autonomous AI globally. Yet, in Europe, companies often remain stuck in pilot mode, producing valuable yet isolated AI solutions—whether through generative AI or the first wave of machine learning,' Kuula observes.

Instead of waiting for a technological ‘silver bullet, companies now have the opportunity to lead their own AI transformation.

'The next AI evolution will come from Enterprise Intelligence, a comprehensive approach to business and process design, data management, and ensuring data quality and availability, all powered by transformative change management that engages the entire organization.'

'Building AI on the foundation of Enterprise Intelligence creates value across the entire transformation journey. It enables companies to craft their own silver bullet,' Kuula concludes.

Additional information:
Seppo Kuula
CEO, Cloud1
 +358403700032
seppo.kuula@cloud1.fi