From a Son’s Concern to a Global Vision: The Story of 9Solutions
Great innovations are often born from genuine need rather than corporate strategy. For 9Solutions, the journey began in 2008 when co-founder Sami Herrala sought a way to ensure his father’s safety while living alone on a farm in Lappajärvi. What started as a personal quest for peace of mind has evolved over 15 years into an industry-leading ecosystem. Today, 9Solutions supports over 1,300 healthcare organizations, balancing cutting-edge wireless technology with a singular, human-centric goal: making dignified aging and efficient care possible for everyone.
It is often said that the world’s best innovations are born from a genuine customer need. While it may sound like a cliché, for our company, it is the absolute truth.
The story of 9Solutions began in the summer of 2008. Following the passing of his mother, our CEO and co-founder, Sami Herrala, was looking for a way to ensure the safety of his father, who had remained living alone on his farm in Lappajärvi. Sami felt a deep need to know how his father was doing, leading him to explore the possibilities of remote monitoring.
Sami reached out to a prominent Oulu-based technology influencer, Martti Karppinen, and together they began to develop a business idea. Finally, in May 2009, they founded the company alongside Sami’s former colleagues, Teemu Sivonen and Jari Kylmänen. The team possessed invaluable expertise in wireless technologies, as well as the design and implementation of electronic devices—skills that have been the backbone of 9Solutions.
Over the years, the original idea for a wireless positioning and alarm device has refined into a comprehensive solution. It secures the lives of the elderly in their own homes and assists healthcare professionals and relatives in caring for their clients and loved ones.
In just over a decade, 9Solutions has grown into Finland’s leading provider of locating safety and communication systems, as well as intelligent care solutions. Today, the 9Solutions system is used by more than 1,300 healthcare organizations across hospitals, assisted living facilities, and home care.
Our Vision Our vision is to support society in solving the challenges posed by an aging population. We provide the most advanced technological solutions to support safe, high-quality care and enable dignified aging. For caregivers, our value proposition is to make work easier and free up time for actual bedside care by automating routine tasks. For the elderly, we strive to offer the opportunity for a safe and independent life.
In recent years, our company has grown at an annual rate of 50%, and in 2018, we established a subsidiary in Sweden. Our goal is to continue growing, particularly internationally. Over the last two years, our staff has doubled, and 9Solutions currently employs over 50 top-tier experts across various fields.
As the population ages, the safety, health, and care of the elderly are issues that closely affect an increasing number of us. This is a challenge that no one can solve alone. We want to thank our incredible team, as well as all the customers and partners who share this vision and have made this journey possible.