Meet the Asteroidians: Mika Tuoma, Asteroid CEO & Co-Founder, 20 years in tech
Asteroid is building an inspiring workplace for experienced software engineers, and helping businesses and society level up their digital game. Every Asteroidian is a co-owner of the company and this blog series introduces them one by one.
Nice to meet you Mika Tuoma, Co-Founder and CEO of Asteroid! Let’s start easy: why did you start Asteroid?
My old colleague and friend, Eero Kurkela, and I had been discussing starting our own company for a while, and in 2021, the stars were finally aligned. We felt we had what it takes to build one of the best technology partners in Finland and create a dream workplace for ourselves and everyone joining us.
We were passionate about setting new standards for the consulting industry, our customers, and our employees. Asteroid’s core values and the underlying model, which are rooted in utmost fairness and equal co-ownership of the company, were instrumental in making this happen and filled a significant gap we saw in the Finnish consulting market.
Combined with our careers, complementary expertise, and networks, we had a great pitch. At that time, we also began fruitful discussions with an ecosystem of IT consultancies that shared our values. The timing was perfect.
Our hypothesis was quickly proven correct when we hired the first Asteroidians, and more people began gravitating towards Asteroid. The same happened with our customers, who recognized our value, our team’s dedication, and our high-level expertise. When the entire organization upholds the company’s core values, everything becomes much easier.
We’re deeply committed to building an inspiring and equitable workplace, with mutual decision-making at the heart of our culture – not forgetting thriving customer relationships. This commitment has paid off: in 2023 Asteroid grew by 130% in a tough market and recently we made Talented's Developer’s Top 50 workplaces 2024 list.
How did you get into IT and technology?
Like many of my peers, I got into computers and gaming in secondary school, so around the age of 13. Later IRC channels and their communities as well as the Assembly festival got me even more involved, not to mention the hook Quake 1 had on me. Looking back on those years it was very natural for me to spend time with computers, dreaming about making a career out of it someday.
After high school, my focus for further studies was primarily on two options: the Helsinki University of Technology and the University of Helsinki. I chose the latter, and it was a pleasant surprise to see many of my friends also start their studies at these institutions. Business School was also on my radar as a solid alternative.
In the end, I was drawn to computer science, with minors in industrial engineering and management, and something else completely: art history. After the abstract problem-solving in computer science and business studies, diving into art history was an eye-opener of a different sort. It also changed how I see Helsinki — my home city — its beautiful architecture, and its rich history.
My curiosity has often driven me to explore widely and I’d encourage everyone to dip their toes outside their professional realm and familiar surroundings. Doing so can often lead to discovering surprising connections and deepening one’s understanding of the world while making new friends!
Töölö by night
What kind of jobs did you have before Asteroid?
Building networks on IRC proved super valuable after high school when I met a friend who introduced me to Posti, the Finnish Postal Services. My journey there started in their Electronic Messaging Solutions as an application specialist, which eventually led me to their global service desk.
In these roles, I learned a great deal about B2B & B2C transaction business, electronic invoicing, UNIX, and most importantly, teamwork and great customer service. Working at Posti and later at Elma and Itella Information due to mergers and acquisitions was a great starting point for my career alongside my studies.
In 2012, I joined an IT and design consultancy called SC5 as a software developer. They were known for pioneering HTML5 application development and modern cloud applications. The dynamic startup environment and working in multidisciplinary teams, such as the outstanding digital development team at Veikkaus, taught me a lot about consulting and software development.
Over the years, my interest in the business side of things grew, which I fully realized when I started working at Reaktor in 2018. My responsibilities in business development there included sales and account management across both public and private sectors, promoting team well-being, and leading business development in cloud and managed services.
Working alongside pioneering companies and people has been incredibly rewarding, teaching me invaluable lessons.
How do you relax and unwind?
Transitioning from work to leisure, I find that doing sports or spending time in good company is important for maintaining my well-being and staying in good condition.
Given the mentally intensive nature of our work, balancing it out with physical activity is important for me. I go to the gym and enjoy walking, biking, playing squash or tennis, not to mention the occasional round of golf or skiing.
Beyond physical activities, unwinding with good music or watching a great TV series helps me relax. My interest in space and sci-fi, as you may have read in the origin story of Asteroid, often influences my viewing choices. A screen gem tip: The Expanse is a great TV series if you are also fascinated by efforts to broaden humanity's horizons and deepen our understanding of the universe.
Word on the street is you're a bit of a handyman as well!
Oh, absolutely! I sometimes dabble in occasional renovation projects in my apartment, located in a century-old building here in Helsinki. These projects often start small, but let's be honest, they have a mysterious way of growing like a snowball rolling downhill.
In business, I’ve learned that shipping beats perfection, yet in my personal projects, I often find myself leaning towards perfectionism – particularly when it involves preserving the charm of the old, like painstakingly restoring beautiful antique doors. It’s not always super relaxing, to be honest, but it allows me to learn and apply new skills, offering a refreshing change of pace from my day job.
However, as they say, all’s well that end’s well – or at least, ends with the doors still on their hinges and me in one piece! Seeing the results of my handiwork is always incredibly rewarding.
I've always enjoyed working with my hands. When I was younger, one of my hobbies was driving RC cars at the Helsinki Miniracing Club. Assembling the cars from small parts and learning about different materials and electronics to enhance their performance was incredibly fascinating.
Looking back, this early hobby played a significant role in nurturing my interest in technical intricacies and laid the foundation for my love of hands-on projects.
DIY projects
Besides YouTube for renovation tutorials, which sources of information do you follow?
Yes, I cannot overstate the importance of YouTube for DIY endeavors!
Beyond that, I follow many information sources to stay informed and broaden my perspectives. Naturally, this encompasses both Finnish and international media. My go-to podcasts, such as Huberman Lab and The Diary of a CEO, feature exceptional guests and explore a wide range of topics, from leadership and cutting-edge research to psychology and more. I’ve also recently subscribed to Masterclass, which provides inspiring lessons from experts in various fields.
I also try to stay on top of the latest trends and innovations, especially in tech and organizational theory, by following relevant media and influencers, as well as reading books. Certain podcasts, along with social media, have become invaluable sources of information, providing a rich mix of professional insights and industry news.
Back to work: What things do you look for when hiring new Asteroidians?
When hiring new Asteroidians, it’s of course important to have a senior expert’s skillset and diverse projects under your belt, but equally important are your social and communication skills. It’s not about being extroverted or super social, by no means, but rather about embodying the mindset of a 'trusted advisor' – particularly for our customers.
Our ideal candidates are not just task performers; they are holistic thinkers, advisors, and community builders. We're creating a workplace where everyone contributes to decision-making and fosters a positive environment, focusing on collective success rather than just personal gain.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
Discussing life and philosophy with the renowned Finnish philosopher Esa Saarinen would undoubtedly be a fascinating and enriching experience. I’ve followed his lectures on Philosophy and system thinking on YouTube and they’ve given me a lot of inspiration.
In this blog series, we ask Asteroid colleagues' insights on the interviewee as a colleague.
Eero Kurkela: What kind of co-founder has Mika been for you?
In one word: first-class! I’ve known Mika for decades, so we had a great basis for co-founding. However, it’s surprising how much we keep learning about each other — and ourselves, no doubt — during this journey.
As a person, Mika is trustworthy, committed, capable of deep reflection, and has impeccable attention to detail when needed. He’s very driven and makes things happen, but he still manages to keep things in balance thanks to his humane perspective.
We aim for a healthy overlap of our roles in certain essential duties, and complementary responsibilities and viewpoints in others. For example, Mika is well-networked and he does a great job sharing Asteroid’s story with the people and networks to whom it can make a big difference – and vice versa. At the same time, there’s common ground in our values and in the ways we operate. This has been a great asset to us as co-founders.
The article was written in collaboration with a partner of Asteroid.