IONA opens a new office in London, UK
Founded in Finland with offices in the Philippines, IONA - a digital commerce consultancy - is expanding its international presence with a new office in London. Home to one of the largest digital economies in Europe, London has a reputation as a global trendsetter in digital commerce.
"We already have customers and partners in London, so it makes sense for us to have a presence there. With our own office there, we will have a solid foundation for expanding into the wider international market," says Mikko Mantila, CEO of IONA.
IONA creates solutions that others can't
IONA is a digital commerce company that provides modular and vendor-independent ecommerce solutions. Their mission is to eliminate high license fees and burdensome software upgrades.
"IONA creates solutions that others can't. We're often asked to help businesses find solutions that provide better customer experiences while also being able to scale on demand. Monolithic ecommerce solutions are inflexible and don't always meet customer needs. We help ambitious brands grow and expand internationally. For example, the team built the online store for HMD Global, a manufacturer of smartphones under the Nokia brand, in just a few months," says Jason Coppin, Managing Partner of IONA London.
Mikko Mantila. Photographer: Meeri Utri
Strong growth is expected to continue
IONA began operations in 2019 and has experienced annual growth of 50% in turnover. In 2022, sales totalled EUR 2.6 million. The company has employees in Helsinki, London, and the Philippines, where it has focused its software development activities.
The COVID-19 pandemic kicked off IONA's growth, which is expected to remain strong as the need for new forms and channels continues to grow in digital commerce. IONA has extensive expertise in supply chain and logistics, as well as payment systems, sales and marketing, brand development and operational management. The future evolution of ecommerce requires all of these skills.
Breaking down traditional monoliths
“We are breaking down traditional approaches because monolithic solutions no longer meet the requirements for a great customer experience and the needs of ambitious companies seeking online growth. We integrate the best available technologies into our customers' businesses. Headless technology enables creative and customisable solutions. This way, we can take the customer experience to the next level, regardless of the channel and platform," Mikko Mantila explains IONA's approach.
In addition to Nokia Phones, IONA has worked with clients and brands such as Alamy, Kesko, Yumove, Fortum, Icare, Elisa, Kuoma, and Ponsse. The business models and technology platforms developed by IONA enhance the speed, security, and scalability of online services.