Winners Founder of the Year 3rd Category - Pirkko T. Kyllönen - Niklas Hedin - Mikael Kretz & Håkan Paulsson

Niklas Hedin - founder of Centiro and Pirkko T. Kyllönen - founder of Språkservice Sverige received the Growth Rings in Gold, and Mikael Kretz and Håkan Paulsson - founder of Qgroup received the Growth Rings in Silver for the Founder of the Year 2021 award.

The founders were awarded at the Founders’ Gala held at Stockholm City Hall on September 16. Winning founders received the Founder of the Year award in category 3 for their successful company building.

In the 3rd category of Founder of the Year active main founders participate with at least a 20% ownership interest in a Swedish company with more than SEK 3 million in profit for the year and approximately SEK 100 - 500 million in turnover based on financial results in 2020.

During the day the finalists had introduced themselves and their companies to a jury of qualified founders.The Founder of the Year award is part of the Founders Awards by Founders Alliance.

Founder of the Year Gold was awarded to Pirkko T. Kyllönen - Språkservice Sverige
Språkservice Sverige works to create conditions for many people to understand and be understood, whether it is from text to text or communication between people in authorities, private companies and other organizations. With more than 25 years of experience, Språkservice has developed quality-assured and efficient processes as well as a broad network of over 3,500 active interpreters and translators in more than 200 languages throughout Sweden. Since the start Språkservice has actively worked to break down language barriers and contribute to an inclusive society that supports integration. They also work together with FC Rosengård to create conditions for a more equal society promoting the courage to believe in one’s dreams.

The jury's motivation for Pirkko T. Kyllönen
“An entrepreneur with high integrity and a strong belief to change a whole industry and make it easier for everyone to communicate by turning down barriers and building bridges. Tonight's winner makes a real difference for people.”

Founder of the Year Gold was awarded to Niklas Hedin - Centiro
Centiro is a tech company that connects, empowers, and makes delivery networks available and smarter for marquee brands. All types of goods get delivered on time in over 200 countries thanks to Centiro technology. Centiro has created a human-centric and award-winning culture and believes businesses are a key driving force in striving towards a sustainable future. Centiro exists to be part of the solution for better commerce and a better world, and the initiatives they participate in range in impact from the near local community to global scale. Centiro contributes and participates with economic resources in several initiatives helping those in need and together building and contributing to a society everyone desires to be part of.

The jury's motivation for Niklas Hedin
“Determined to build a company /an organisation that is best for the co-worker and best for the customer, the gold winner has created an innovative global company with a unique business model. The next Swedish unicorn.”

Founder of the Year Silver was awarded to Mikael Kretz o Håkan Paulsson - Qgroup
Qgroup is a multi-branding, high end IT consulting service company with competence ranging from embedded development, e-commerce, big data, QA to full stack programming. Qgroups more than 500 hand-picked stars are located in 8 countries from the US to India, and the company believes in giving back to society by supporting people organizations and participating in events like the Marathon des Sable and Mongolian Bike challenge to collect money. They care about endangered animals on our globe working with WWF to help animals that need our support. In projects with ClimateFirst they remove tobacco plantations, restore rainforest and help farmers to change their income streams.

The jury of Founder of the Year’s 3rd Category is comprised of the following founders: Chairman of the jury - Sofi Franzén - Eventyr; Corina Papadopoulou - Fontana Foods; Pontus Frithiof - Pontus Group; Mattias Andersson - Antura and Thomas Blendow - Blendow Group.

The Growth Rings
What all founders have in common is that they themselves are a seed that grows into a successful company. Just like trees in a forest, founders are the most important organism in the ecosystem that creates growth in the world.

The symbol that pays tribute to these successful founders we call The Growth Rings.

“It starts as a seed in the founder’s mind. For it to grow strong, patience is required and real perseverance. During a company's development, strong years with good conditions alternate with meagre and tough years without development. The Founders Awards annual growth rings symbolize this story”

Learn more about Founders Alliance here

Before using the pictures, please contact Nina Hahn at Founders Alliance, nina.hahn@foundersalliance.com