Lasse Rousi Appointed CEO of Axitare
Lasse Rousi has been appointed as the new CEO of Axitare. He will begin in the role at the beginning of January. Axitare's founder and current CEO Jukka Penttinen will continue with the company as a significant shareholder, focusing on future growth initiatives and technology development.
For the past six years, Lasse has served as CEO of Medixine, a Finnish health technology company that has rapidly expanded internationally. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its operations to several international markets, including a successful entry into the United States. Prior to this Rousi has played key roles in developing various healthcare information systems and digital services, both in startup environments and in large organizations.
"Axitare is at an exceptionally interesting stage, where technological innovations, strong business growth, and clear international potential converge. Finnish customers have played, and continue to play, a major role in the continuous development of the service. I am excited join Axitare’s skilled team and to drive the next phase of growth. Jukka has done tremendous job in building Axitare, and this solid foundation provides an excellent platform for future success stories," says Lasse Rousi.
Ville Koskenvuo from Vaaka Partners continues: "Lasse brings to Axitare an exceptionally broad experience in health technology and international business growth. He is exactly the right person to take Axitare to the next level - both in Finland and in new markets."
Economic pressure in the public sector continues to increase as the population ages. At the same time, more and more people want to live in their own homes for as long as possible. The trend is similar in many European countries and creates a strong demand for solutions that help people live safely in their own homes longer. Demand for medication dispensing robots and remote care is growing rapidly both in Finland and elsewhere in Europe – and Axitare is at the forefront of this development.
Axitare, a Finnish developer of medication dispensing automation and services, has grown strongly in recent years, achieving 74% growth rate in 2024. Last spring, Axitare welcomed Vaaka Partners as its new principal owner. The goal of this collaboration is to accelerate Axitare's international growth and introduce its innovative solutions to new markets.
Axitare: Axitare is a Finnish company founded in 2016 that focuses on medical devices and software, specializing in automatic medication dispensing robots for elderly people living at home. Axitare's innovative solutions aim to improve medication adherence and the quality of life for elderly people through user-friendly technology and remote monitoring. Axitare currently operates in Finland and Denmark, serving over 5,000 users.
Vaaka Partners: Vaaka Partners is an ambitious private equity firm that helps medium-sized Finnish and Swedish companies grow into business champions. Vaaka's portfolio includes companies such as Framery, Medbase, Nordic Healthcare Group, and Aurilo. The company manages approximately €0.6 billion in capital funds. Vaaka's approach combines strategic and operational expertise with trust-based collaboration to realize new growth opportunities. The largest investors in Vaaka's funds are leading pension funds.
