| Firstbeat has developed an innovative heart rate variability based analysis technology for measurement of stress, recovery and exercise. Our software products can be applied to improve performance and well-being in sports and at work. We provide information that is rich in detail about exercise monitoring, stress assessment and recovery. | |
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Our products provide valuable information about the impact of lifestyle on physiology. This information is used to deliver occupational health and performance consultation services. In competitive sports, our products are used as coaching tools. We also collaborate with exercise instrument manufacturers to include Firstbeat heartbeat analysis technology in advanced heart rate monitors. Altogether millions of individuals have already used our heartbeat analysis solutions! We employ 25+ specialists in physiology, sports technology, well-being servicesand programming. Our products are based on a unique combination of physiology, mathematical modeling and understanding of behavioral change. Providing concrete and understandable feedback on physiological measurements is one of our expertise areas. |
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Our team >>
Our story >>
Our mission >>
Our team |
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Joni Kettunen, Ph.D., CEO, Co-Founder Mr. Kettunen has pioneered our physiological monitoring applications from both research and commercial points of view. His aim is to lead Firstbeat towards providing solutions for managing our everyday lifestyle and well-being. In his vision, personalized and targeted use of technology can be the edge that makes the difference. Before founding Firstbeat, Mr. Kettunen conducted research in several Universities in the areas of psychophysiology, behavioral medicine, autonomic nervous system function and stress quantification. |
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Veli-Pekka Kurunmäki, B.Sc., Sports Performance Products, Exercise Physiologist Mr. Kurunmäki is in charge of our work in the competitive sports arena with the world’s leading teams and athletes. He has studied exercise physiology at the University of Jyväskylä and has personal experience in both coaching and competitive sports. Mr. Kurunmäki has several years of experience in the application of heart rate variability based tools in competitive sports. |
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Tiina Hoffman, M.Sc., Exercise Physiologist Ms. Hoffman is involved in training our international customers for well-being and performance services. She has a B.Sc. degree from the University of Alaska and an M.Sc. degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Jyväskylä. She is a former cross-country skiing coach at the University of Alaska and has also worked in academic research in heart rate variability field studies. Ms. Hoffman has gained significant experience in the principles of delivering quality heartbeat measurement based services in the corporate wellness sector. |
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Aki Pulkkinen, M.Sc., Product Manager, Exercise Physiologist Mr. Pulkkinen is developing physiological content to our consumer products and is in charge of physiology in our product development. He has not only gained extensive experience in physiological modeling, but also in the design of physiologically solid products with meaningful impact on exercise and lifestyle. Mr. Pulkkinen has received a Master's degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Jyväskylä and he is one of the founding members of Firstbeat. |
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Juho Tuppurainen, M.Sc., Business Director, Corporate Wellness Mr. Tuppurainen is responsible for developing our occupational health and corporate wellness business in Finland. He has been working in the field of wellness and performance services already since 2002. Through this work, Mr. Tuppurainen has gained significant understanding in the commercial application of physiological measurement based services in the corporate world. He has a Master's degree in business management. |
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Aku Kalajo, M.Sc., Director, R&D Mr. Kalajo has been directing software development at Firstbeat since 2004. The basic principle behind R&D is to provide answers to the specialized needs that our sports and corporate customers have in quantifying performance and well-being through physiological measurements. Before joining Firstbeat, Mr. Kalajo worked in several expert and management positions in ICT companies. He has a Master's degree in software production management. |
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Sami Saalasti, Ph.D., CTO Mr. Saalasti is responsible for the mathematical modeling and technical development of our algorithms for different platforms. He has extensive background and experience in the development of heartbeat analysis technology. Mr. Saalasti received his Ph.D. in 2003 on the application of novel algorithms into heartbeat measurement and modeling of body functions. |
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Erkki Saarikoski, M.Sc. (Tech.), Board member Mr. Saarikoski has a long history in wellness and fitness products and consumer products at Firstbeat, where he is now acting as a board member. Before joining Firstbeat in 2003, he worked in several international sales and marketing positions in North America, Australia, Spain and South America. |
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Heikki Rusko, Ph.D., Professor, Exercise Physiology, FACSM Professor Rusko is well-known especially for his research on athlete overtraining and recovery and more generally for his applied physiological research. He was the founding director of the Research Institute for Olympic Sports in Finland and a Professor in Sports Technology and Exercise Physiology at the University of Jyväskylä. He is also a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. In addition, he has been invited to write a training book for the International Olympic Committee and was also a member of the Finnish Olympic Committee. Professor Rusko is one of the founding members of Firstbeat. |
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At Firstbeat, we have more than 25 experts in physiology, sports technology, service production and programming to work with you.
Our story |
Firstbeat was founded in 2002. Our background is at multidisciplinary research that combines state-of-the-art knowledge in physiology, mathematical modeling and behavioral research.
Professor Rusko has been conducting research on athlete overtraining from the beginning of the 1990s at the Research Institute for Olympic Sports. Since then there have been several multidisciplinary projects aiming at assessing whether stress and recovery could be assessed in a practical manner in everyday life. Part of this work was to adapt methods and concepts previously developed for athlete monitoring for work assessments. The research also included clinical validation studies on quantification of autonomic nervous system function through heart rate variability (HRV) based methods. The results indicated that body functions and stress can be assessed with indirect, HRV based methods.
Since its foundation Firstbeat has been developing novel heart beat based analysis that would allow increased accuracy in real-life measurements wherein it is not possible or practical to use laboratory equipments. Our development is based on innovative combination of mathematical modeling and algorithm development with physiological research. We have deployed large measurement data bases including both laboratory and field measurements. The aim of the physiological modeling has been to develop our products according to sound physiological principles, which is the foundation for best accuracy and applicability.
The first consumer sports product that included Firstbeat heart beat analysis technology was launched in 2004. Suunto t6 heart rate monitor included Firstbeat heart rate variability based model on body functions, including for example oxygen consumption, EPOC, energy consumption and training effect calculation. Today there are several advanced sports instruments in the market that provide analysis results based on Firstbeat analysis, including Garmin and Suunto heart rate monitors.
We have been working in occupational health and corporate wellness services already since 2004. Our first software product for professional use launched in 2004 and included reporting of stress, recovery and exercise parameters. At the beginning the solutions were used mostly for measurement and research, whereas today most emphasis is on scalable and commercially applicable service models. We are privileged to work with our partners to help in delivering quality services to corporate customers.
The background of Firstbeat is in sports sciences and our products have been always used in competitive sports. We launched a specialized analysis and reporting software for elite sports in 2006 (Firstbeat SPORTS). As of today 200+ teams and training centers throughout the world are using our products professionally to deliver superior performance, including sports such as football, ice hockey, motor sports, basketball, tennis, skiing, and rugby, golf, swimming, skating, sailing and rowing.
Firstbeat has received considerably recognition for its innovations and development, including National Innovation Prize of Finland in 2004 and distinguished position as one of the most potential small technology companies. Since today, we have analyzed more than 1 000 billion heart beats, through which we have already made impact on creating wellbeing and performance.
Mission |
Promotion of a healthy lifestyle is a global challenge. For example, according to WHO, 78% of health care costs in EU are caused by personal lifestyle choices. This is our chance to make a difference: we can significantly improve our well-being and performance by making changes to how we exercise, recover and manage our stress.
In the long run, those employees, individuals and athletes who learn to stay in balance in terms of stress, recovery and exercise will be the most successful. Research has already shown that making changes in lifestyle can be very effective in improving well-being and performance.
Our mission is to provide meaningful physiological information that helps people to improve their well-being and performance. Information from personal measurements brings more accuracy, motivation and focus for making daily choices and lifestyle changes. We want to deliver real results that become visible and measurable in life quality and performance, but also in financial terms.
As a company, we are committed to working with partners that share our mission to develop wellness and performance in a sustainable manner, whether in competitive sports, personal fitness or the corporate world.
