Juha Ristolainen

Juha is a highly experienced technology executive and software craftsman with over two decades of experience in building and scaling digital products. His career spans various industries including Fintech, automotive, logistics, and e-commerce, where he has consistently delivered innovative digital services and applications for a range of clients from large OEMs to startups. He has a proven track record of building and leading high-performing software delivery teams, sometimes comprising hundreds of professionals, and driving strategic impact by bridging the gap between technology and business. juharistolainen+2

Juha is a FinTech expert with significant contributions to the investment infrastructure and payment sectors. He co-founded Upvest, where he pivoted the company to a B2B investment infrastructure API, scaled its engineering team to 120, and helped raise ~$180M in funding. At Wise (formerly TransferWise), he led the API strategy for the B2B division, achieving 75% YoY growth and expanding the API to numerous banking partners. He is passionate about democratizing access to wealth building and disrupting the financial industry through technology. juharistolainen+2

With a strong technical background, Juha possesses deep expertise in a diverse array of technologies including blockchain, Big Data, AI, cloud computing (Google Cloud Platform, AWS), microservices, event-driven architecture, and various programming languages (Go, Java, TypeScript, HTML/CSS). He is hands-on with software development, DevOps, CI/CD, and actively participates in discussions around the intersection of technology and sustainability. His personal project, a Code::Stats VS Code extension, showcases his continued engagement with development. juharistolainen+2

Juha is a highly active Non-Executive Director, Advisor, and Angel Investor, particularly within the startup ecosystem. He holds board positions at companies like Sustashift and Vaana, advises Greencode Ventures, HashLeap, and Push That Button®, and is an Angel Investor at Kodarit. He is also a member of the Finnish Business Angels Network and a Partner/Startup Mentor at Nordic Startup School, demonstrating his commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and providing guidance to early-stage ventures. juharistolainen+3

Throughout his career, Juha has demonstrated a capacity for driving organizational and technological transformations. At TUI Group, he led mobile app delivery, re-platformed products, and restructured teams for agile methodologies. At Futurice, he helped the company expand significantly and established new offices. He also contributed to the innovation hub at Daimler Fleetboard, experimenting with new business models and utilizing blockchain for logistics solutions. juharistolainen+1