Wirepas is a leading IoT connectivity company that provides ultra-resilient and infinitely scalable mesh networks for large-scale industrial and commercial deployments. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Wirepas founder and CEO Teppo Hemiä to learn more about the company.
Teppo Hemiä ’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? How did the idea for the company come together? Hemiä said:
“The industrial world faced a major challenge: how to connect thousands, or even millions, of devices reliably and cost-effectively. This was the problem we set out to solve.”
“It all began in 2000 as a research project at the University of Tampere. By 2010, the project had evolved into Wirepas, a company providing complete networks for building and construction monitoring, with devices and a customer interface. I joined in 2014 and shifted the focus on the unique value of our resilient mesh network. Since then, we’ve honed in on offering the network as software for demanding industrial and enterprise deployments. We are also the key contributor to the world’s only non-cellular 5G connectivity standard NR+ and have the first implementation of it, Wirepas 5G Mesh, available on the market already.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Hemiä explained:
“We offer an ultra-resilient decentralized wireless mesh connectivity. Unlike other connectivity technologies, it is built ground up for industrial and commercial IoT deployments demanding scale and reliability in challenging and changing environments. Its de-centralized architecture makes it self-healing where the nodes find the optimal routes autonomously.”
“Our technology comes in three radio profiles to suit the different demands of different use cases: 5G Mesh, Mesh 2.4GHz and Mesh Sub-GHz.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Hemiä and the team face in building the company? Hemiä acknowledged:
“One of the biggest challenges in IoT is the complexity of large-scale deployments. Many existing connectivity alternatives, such as cellular or traditional mesh networks, fall short in terms of scalability, reliability, and cost-efficiency, especially for massive IoT projects like smart metering and industrial monitoring. They were not designed for large-scale local networks when created. These established technologies create hurdles for industries looking for more resilient and scalable options.”
Evolution Of Wirepas’ Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Hemiä noted:
“In addition to the telecom protocol core, we offer full device to cloud SW offering to our customers. It includes device management as well as network diagnostics and analytics.”
“Additionally, we have embraced open standards, becoming the first to implement the non-cellular 5G standard, NR+, with our Wirepas 5G Mesh. This shift has positioned us at the forefront of future-proof connectivity solutions. The evolution of our software has always been driven by real-world needs.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Hemiä cited:
“In 2015, a Nordic supplier of smart grid and smart metering technology, put our technology to use in Oslo, Norway, to create what’s still the world’s largest single mesh network: more than a million smart meters in a single network, with a 99.99% reliability level.”
“By 2017 we reach the landmark of having 2 million devices with our software deployed in the field and in 2018 together with our partner Haltian we built the largest IoT sensor network in the world, creating smart washrooms with 100 000 sensors in one network.”
“Today, our technology connects 12 million devices worldwide, with an unmatched 99.99% reliability level and a new device being connected every few seconds. We are also seeing the NR+ standard pick up pace with several leading industrial players.”
Customer Success Stories
When asking Hemiä about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“One example is Schaeffler, a leading global supplier to the industrial and automotive sectors who has deployed a machine condition monitoring solution using Wirepas. Their system provides a cost-effective and scalable way to monitor machinery performance, including vibration and temperature, across large industrial sites. Wirepas’ technology enabled Schaeffler to reduce operational costs, improve maintenance efficiency, and detect issues early without the need for additional infrastructure. The system’s self-healing network, with 99.99% reliability, allowed for seamless expansion, making it ideal for large-scale industrial IoT applications. For more details, the full case is here. And for more examples, visit here.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Hemiä affirmed:
“Wirepas stands out with its unique, ultra-resilient mesh technology that enables infinitely scalable, ultra-reliable IoT deployments without the need for complex infrastructure. Unlike traditional networks that rely on a centralized structure, Wirepas’ decentralized system allows each device to connect directly with its neighbors, ensuring seamless connectivity across millions of devices. This is ideal for challenging environments like industrial or large-scale commercial applications.”
“In addition, Wirepas invests in a team of experts that partners can rely on. These experts provide deep, specialized knowledge to ensure that the connectivity solution is truly fit for purpose and offer guidance from planning through deployment, guaranteeing smooth and successful implementations. This is key as most large-scale IoT deployments today face serious challenges.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Hemiä pointed out:
“We aim to grow on to become the primary industrial IoT connectivity choice on the market for the selected verticals of smart metering, smart buildings and smart tracking. Our highest focus areas currently are to support the ambitious Indian energy transition with robust smart electricity metering networks and smart building infrastructure transition in CSA-Matter to get rid of wiring with NR+.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Hemiä concluded:
“The first and the tenth million connected devices were milestones that gave us pride and energy. Can’t wait for the 100 million connected milestone, that should happen faster than the first 10 million!”
