Mika Ihamuotila, Chairman – Owner of Finish fashion and design company Marimekko, has invested in European investment crowdfunding platform Invesdor. Details of the investment were not released.
Ihamuotila is well known in Finland and is also a Board member of Rovio/Angry Birds and Sanoma. He is also former President and CEO of Sampo Banks and a former Board Member of the European Banking Federation.
Invesdor was founded in Finland in 2012 and operates across multiple European countries. To date, Invesdor has helped companies raise over €26 million for 73 separate investment crowdfunding campaigns.
The former banker commented on his investment in the crowdfunding platform;”
”I believe that in the near future there will be fewer middlemen, such as banks, between investors and businesses looking for funding. On the one hand this is made possible by digitalisation, but on the other hand it is also about developments in legislation and proliferation of crowdfunding,” said Ihamuotila. ”In my opinion Invesdor is a very promising startup in this sector. In a short time it has grown to be the largest crowdfunder of Nordic businesses thanks to its digital platform and skilled team. I hope that I will be able to contribute to the growth and international success of this Finnish company.”
Invesdor CEO Lasse Mäkelä welcomed Ihamuotila as an investor and “sparring partner”.
”Mika is an exceptional combination of strong banking experience and strong knowledge of digital business. He has accumulated experience in the financial industry as CEO of Mandatum Bank and Sampo Bank and in digital businesses via board roles at Elisa, Rovio and Sanoma, among others.”
Invesdor, a Fintech company known for its equity crowdfunding service, develops digital solutions for the financing needs of SMEs and public companies. In 2016, the average transaction size on Invesdor’s platform doubled to €612,000. Capital invested during the year also doubled to €14.7 million.
Invesdor, which is currently active in Finland, Norway, Denmark and the UK, is expected to expand into Sweden this year. Invesdor has raised approximately €3 million in funding, most of which has been raised through its own digital fundraising platform.