Kim Weckström

Kim Weckström (born 1952) is a Finnish journalist/writer turned serial entrepreneur. He launched his first venture - an alternative newsmonthly City-lehti1 in 1985, which is still successfully published in all major cities in Finland. He published two acclaimed novels during his early years as an academic and journalist, but later, in his forties, became a full time media- and technology entrepreneur.

In 1994, Weckström launched Talentum Oyj's trade-publication which rapidly established itself as the leading voice for marketing communcations industry in Finland Markkinointi&Mainonta 2. In 1996, he co-founded one of the first Internet agencies The Works Finland with Alex Nieminen. The company was acquired in 1997 by Icon Medialab. In the same year, he co-founded, sponsored by Talentum Oyj and its CEO Harri RoschierSatama Interactive which rapidly became the largest Internet Agency in Finland. Satama Interactive survived the turn of the century and was acquired in 2007 by Trainer's House. Between 1999 and 2005, Weckström worked as an associate partner of e-Strategy Advisors 3 in London. In 2007, Weckström co-founded Avaus Consulting4.

Altogether Weckström has been the founder or co-founder of nine companies, many of them sold to major players in the Media or Technology industries. At the present, Weckström is an angel investor in Dopplr and a partner at Avaus Consulting Oy.

Early Career and Education

Kim Weckström started out in academia as an assistant professor in Communication Studies at the University of Helsinki and Åbo Akademi. Kim Weckström is an alumnus of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Tampere. Weckström left his last academic position in 1992 to become a full time entrepreneur. He was also a post-graduate student at the Sorbonne in 1979-1980 and at Macalester College/The World Press Institute 5 in 1983.

Obsessions

Weckström is an avid classic yacht sailor in the 8 Metre Class with his yacht Vågspel FIN-6, designed by Birger Slotte and built by Wilenius Båtvarv in 1943 6. He is also passionate about old wooden houses, one of which he inhabits himself with his family and a dog.

Bibliography

  • Trägrottan 1984 (“The Wooden Cave); 1984, ISBN 951-30-6131-0
  • Sista sommaren 1995 (The Last Summer)'', 1996; 1997, ISBN 951-31-1008-7

Cinema

  • Ursula 7 1986 (Based in the Wooden Cave) Directed by Jaakko Pyhälä)

References

fi:Kim Weckström sv:Kim Weckström