Hellon’s evolution over the years encapsulates our enduring commitment to pioneering the future of innovation and delivering true value for tomorrow's world.

Since 2009, Hellon has evolved from a small visionary team into a leader in the innovation category, grounded in service design and client-centric innovation. Enhanced by global research capabilities and unique method development, we took a significant leap in 2017 by incorporating AI tools into our innovation workflows. In 2022, we strategically pivoted towards technology development and deployment, which included investing in Graend by Hellon.

Our journey so far has been remarkable. Throughout the years, we have assisted major businesses with significant changes, earning the trust of leading brands and industry giants such as Vodafone, Unicef, Yara, OP Bank, PepsiCo, and Hyundai. We have grown to a team of over 100 experts based in London, Helsinki, and Oulu, successfully executing more than 1,000 projects, creating impact across over 20 countries.

Today, after winning five SDN Global Service Design Awards and three Fast Company Innovation By Design Awards, we can proudly claim our status among the world’s most-awarded innovation consultancies, driving change, impact, and true value.

Our mission extends beyond current boundaries, aiding our clients in visualizing and navigating towards a future of true value creation and positive transformation. In recognition of this commitment, Fast Company honored us with the title "The Surprising Middle-Man" when presenting Hellon with the prestigious Global Innovation by Design Award in New York, October 2023. This title reflects our role as a systemic innovation accelerator, transforming entire value chains in complex business environments.

As in our previous blog, where I contemplated the Future Trends of Innovation and how Hellon's Strategy is preparing for them, today's business landscape is filled with intricate challenges, characterized by complex "wicked" problems, increasing volatility, and the rapid evolution of technology. Our approach, deeply systemic, customer-focused, and agile, is meticulously crafted to empower businesses to excel in these dynamic conditions.

At the core of Hellon's unique offering are our three service pillars: Define, Build, Scale & Transform. We are committed to providing holistic innovation solutions, whether enhancing existing services or pioneering new business ventures.

Our distinct edge in the industry is captured in our proprietary Hellon CTI platform, which is a harmonious blend of Culture, Technology, and Impact. The CTI platform is where our ethos comes to life:

• Culture: At Hellon, we foster a culture of relentless commitment to solving our clients' challenges. This ethos, 'dare to care,' is woven into the fabric of our company and across all employee experiences. It is a culture where each team member is empowered to contribute wholeheartedly to client solutions.

• Technology: Pioneering in AI-augmented innovation workflows since 2017, Hellon stands ahead of the curve in Generative AI. Our in-house developed AI tools and algorithms enable our consultants to scale their capabilities and achieve unparalleled performance. This technological prowess is not just about leading the race; it's about redefining it.

• Impact: We don’t just ideate; we realize. Our design system and workflows are engineered to create and deliver substantial, measurable impact. By integrating customer value creation and net-positive impact into every project, we ensure that our solutions are not only innovative but also transformative and sustainable.

The year 2023 was a record-breaking growth year for Hellon, demonstrating our right competencies and positioning to assist our clients with the significant transformations and value creation that lie ahead in these challenging and dynamic markets.

As we embrace our renewed brand, we continue with the same passion and commitment that have characterized our journey since day one. Our ambition remains to be the global benchmark in impactful innovation, continually "Enabling New Horizons" for our clients worldwide. Looking forward to 2024 and our development roadmap, it is fair to say we are well on our way to achieving our ambitious goals.

I am filled with pride for our team and our accomplishments. In these challenging economic times, it is an honor to be the chosen partner of industry-leading clients, known for delivering substantial results and impactful change.

Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. Together, let's continue to explore and enable new horizons.

Infinite horizons, infinite possibilities!

Jaakko Wäänänen Founder