Illusian Founder Office

Ten years of building real-world impact together. A decade ago, Mikko Kodisoja and Ilkka Paananen founded their personal foundations and Me-säätiö | We Foundation to improve the social and mental well-being of children, youth, and families. Since then, the work has reached more than two million people, from classrooms to community houses, ice rinks, and online spaces where young people find support. Together, the three foundations have distributed €45 million in funding to initiatives that create measurable change. Projects like Nuorten yrittäjyys ja talous NYT - JA Finland, which has taught close to 600,000 sixth graders how society and business work; Sekasin Kollektiivi Discord, where 182,000 young people have exchanged 33 million messages about mental health; and Herizon, which has helped over 900 educated immigrant women find jobs in Finland, generating €34 million in income and €13 million in taxes every year. At the community house Meltsi, families have shared 62,400 cups of coffee, celebrated 180 birthdays, and played more than 500 football matches. 76% of the kids say their well-being has improved, and 73% feel they belong. What these ten years have shown us is simple: when you invest early, measure honestly, and care deeply, real change follows. On Friday, we gathered at Fireframe Studios to celebrate that journey. Mustafe Muuse reminded us that inclusion begins with simple acts of care. Jenni Haukio spoke about the power of literacy and hope and Noor Assad about raising unheard voices. The night ended with a powerful performance by Hassan Maikal that filled the room with energy and emotion. The lesson was simple and strong: when we open doors for children and youth, we open them for everyone. Here’s to the next decade of building with heart and ambition! 📷 Pasi Salminen

Coding is for everyone – especially for those who never thought it was for them. On October 30, we’re opening our doors for a vibe coding workshop together with Slush, Kvanted, and Wave Ventures. You’ll hear Linda Liukas share how coding can be a creative superpower, and join Mari Luukkainen for a hands-on vibe coding session where curiosity matters more than experience. No need to be a developer. No prior knowledge required. Just bring your ideas, and we’ll show you how code can bring them to life. 📍 Thursday, October 30, Helsinki 💻 Register here: luma.com/ktlovp9y Spots are limited, so move fast. Let’s make something together.

See you on TV.

Excited to see Huuva open their doors to the community in this next chapter! From a pandemic-born idea to scaling restaurants with the speed and ambition usually reserved for software companies, the team has built something people truly love.

Big fans of the Ovido team. Sharp, grounded, experienced, and building something that actually makes sense for the real world. Can’t wait to follow the journey!

New unicorn alert: Linear just announced their Series C led by Accel. The team has always done things differently. Profitable, product-obsessed, and focused on long-term quality over shortcuts, they’ve quietly built one of the most respected tools in modern software development. Today, over 15,000 teams (like OpenAI, Cash App, Ramp, Scale AI, and Boom) use Linear to work with more clarity and speed. As Karri, co-founder and CEO of Linear, puts it: "I could write the usual post about how excited we are for what’s next — but I won’t. The truth is, not much changes after a raise. We go back to building. Same goals, just with more fuel and sharper focus to keep solving real problems for our customers." More from Karri in the comments. Back to building indeed!

Last week was something special. We brought our community together for We Fest, a family festival to mark the 10-year anniversary of the foundations of Ilkka Paananen, Mikko Kodisoja, and Me-säätiö | We Foundation. It was a celebration for our community, by our community. For a decade, we’ve worked to support the social and mental well-being of children, youth, and families. The past ten years have taught us a lot. We've combined a startup mindset with nonprofit work, and it's shown us how much potential there is when you build with heart and operate with ambition. Some things we’ve learned along the way: 🌸 Tech can scale impact. Nonprofits can work with the same efficiency and focus as startups. 🌸 Prevention matters. The biggest change comes when you tackle root causes, not just symptoms. 🌸 Real impact is measurable. Good vibes are nice, but outcomes matter more. 🌸 Scaling is important, but it starts on the ground. People, communities, and everyday support make the difference. 🌸 Failure is part of the process. You learn by trying. We Fest reminded us why we started. Families from the community houses we support joined in, and it felt like a full-circle moment. What a party, and what a decade. Next up: we're doubling down on impact tech and community-led initiatives that support social and mental well-being. Thank you to everyone who came, contributed, volunteered, performed, or just shared a moment with us. You made the day what it was! Photos: Ella Kiviniemi