How did Pinja become a leading partner for industrial digital transformation?

From startup to pioneer: Building Finland’s first browser-based solutions

Founded in 1990 under the name Protacon, the company began as an early specialist in software development and digital services. By the mid-1990s, its portfolio already included web platforms, browser-based applications, and tailored software solutions.

At a time when the internet was still new, the company emerged as one of the pioneers of browser-based solutions in Finland. It was among the first in the country to offer online payment services and developed software for industrial automation, particularly for the paper and energy industries.

This decade laid the groundwork: scalable products, industrial use cases, and a strong belief in software as a driver of efficiency.

Nationwide expansion and industrial focus

As the customer base grew, the company sharpened its focus on browser-based solutions for selected industries. Operations expanded nationwide, and reproducible software products were developed for automotive, service, and manufacturing companies.

The business evolved from project-based work into industrially produced services, supported by data centers and standardized delivery models. By the end of the decade, the client portfolio included several internationally operating manufacturing companies — a clear sign that the solutions were built to scale.

Rapid growth through strategic acquisition and expertise

The 2010s marked a period of rapid expansion. Through organic growth and acquisitions, the company grew from an SMB into a large enterprise. Turnover tripled, and the number of employees more than doubled.

The SaaS offering expanded significantly, establishing a leading position in Finland for the digitalisation of industrial sectors. Software deployments increased across borders, while acquisitions added new capabilities in reporting, analytics, and data warehousing.

Ownership and governance also evolved. The founders sold the company to MB-Rahastot, management structures were renewed, and seven acquisitions in the latter part of the decade accelerated growth. At the same time, the company divested its own data center operations to focus fully on software and public cloud services.

A new name and a sharper focus

With the start of its fourth decade, the company entered a new chapter. In 2020, it rebranded as Pinja, reflecting a clearer strategic direction and a unified identity.

Growth continued through targeted acquisitions that strengthened Pinja’s expertise in industrial AI, analytics, and knowledge management. At the same time, the company sharpened its focus by exiting industrial planning services, choosing to concentrate fully on software and cloud-based solutions.

Norvestor became the new majority owner in May 2021, supporting Pinja’s next phase of international growth. At this time the company served customers in more than 30 countries.

The era of unified industrial intelligence

In 2026, Pinja introduces Pinja Fusion — an AI-powered SaaS platform designed to connect every stage of industrial operations into one seamless flow.

Pinja Fusion replaces fragmented systems with modular, industry-specific Cloud subscriptions, all running on a shared data foundation. Embedded AI enables planning, prediction, diagnostics, and assistance capabilities that go beyond human capabilities.

This strategic shift positions Pinja as a leading partner for unified industrial execution, supporting complex operations across 30+ countries.

Explore Pinja Fusion