This month, we had the pleasure of speaking with Jyrki Koivuharju, founder of TechLane, Inc. and a committed member of Florida’s Nordic business community. With decades of experience in international business, cost control, and strategic management, Jyrki’s journey from small-town Finland to the heart of American entrepreneurship is a testament to persistence and cross-cultural connection. Through TechLane, he supports Scandinavian startups as they enter and establish themselves in the U.S. market. In addition to his work with TechLane, Jyrki plays an active role in both the Swedish-American and Finnish-American communities through his position as a board member at Finlandia House.
Jyrki’s career path has been anything but linear, yet each chapter has laid the foundation for his current mission: to open doors for Nordic tech innovators and ensure they have the tools, network, and strategic support to thrive in North America.
Jyrki’s journey began in Lappeenranta, Finland, where he studied industrial engineering at Lappeenranta University of Technology. As part of his degree, international work experience was required. Initially, he planned to go to Germany, but when floods disrupted his assignment, he had to quickly find a new placement. Through the Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales (AIESEC) program, he secured a role as a cost controller at a construction company in Seattle. It was an unexpected turn, but a fantastic start to Jyrki’s professional career. In Seattle, his career progressed rapidly, and within just a few months, he was promoted to production manager. Over time, he took on increasing responsibilities and gained hands-on experience in nearly every aspect of the business. He describes these five years as the most educational of his career, “like getting 20 years of experience in just five.”
The time in Seattle was formative, but it was a later opportunity with a Finnish-owned company in Florida that enabled Jyrki to secure a green card and establish deeper roots in the U.S. It was during this period that he fully embraced the American entrepreneurial mindset, one that strongly aligned with his own values. As he puts it, “You can do anything if you just decide to.”
Jyrki’s next chapter began in 2000, when he moved to Florida to join Finnish Granite Group, the largest countertop manufacturing company in South Florida. With a strong background in cost control and broad operational experience from his time in Seattle, he stepped into the role of production manager and quickly became an integral part of the business. Over time, Jyrki rose to the position of President, overseeing more than 60 employees and managing both production and sales operations. After 15 years of leadership, he decided to pursue a new venture and founded his own construction company, Birch Construction, which he continues to run today.
Drawing on his deep industry knowledge and strong network, Jyrki launched TechLane six to seven years ago to support Scandinavian startups looking to establish themselves in the U.S. market. “I had so many friends and contacts trying to figure out how to enter the American market, and I realized there was a real need for local, experienced guidance”.
At its core, TechLane helps companies with market research, deal-making, finding early customers, investors, and establishing strategic relationships. Jyrki always begins each engagement with a clear contract that outlines U.S. territory rights and goals. He sets up trade show meetings, locates buyers, and ensures that clients, often engineering-heavy but sales-light, have the commercial support they need to succeed.
A standout example of TechLane’s impact is its collaboration with Infiniteq Ltd., a Finnish technology company founded by a Finnish-Nepalese team. Their flagship product, IRobo, is a next-generation automation platform that replaces manual, repetitive testing tasks with intelligent robotic execution. By simulating real user interactions, such as pressing buttons, turning knobs, and navigating interfaces, IRobo delivers precise and repeatable software and hardware testing across a wide range of devices. TechLane has played a central role in bringing this innovation to the U.S. market by facilitating strategic partnerships, connecting with investors, and driving hands-on market development.
Based in Tampere, Finland, Infiniteq Ltd. is at the forefront of automated device testing with its flagship product, IRobo. This cutting-edge platform features a physical robotic arm that interacts with devices by pressing buttons, turning knobs, and navigating touchscreens, just as a human user would. Powered by advanced machine vision algorithms, IRobo verifies functionality with remarkable precision and delivers detailed insights into system behavior. Designed for flexibility, it can be integrated at any stage of a device’s development, from early ideation and R&D to final production, making it an invaluable tool for quality assurance across industries. By streamlining testing processes and enhancing reliability, IRobo enables companies to reduce costs and save time without sacrificing accuracy. With TechLane leading its U.S. expansion, IRobo is now gaining traction in sectors such as electronics, healthcare, defense, aviation, finance, and beyond.
Beyond his business ventures, Jyrki plays a vital role in the Finnish and broader Nordic community in Florida. As President of Finlandia House, he has been instrumental in revitalizing the organization. “I had always visited, but I felt it was becoming a bit closed off,” he explains. When the opportunity to take the lead arose, he stepped in, spearheading renovations and launching community-building initiatives to ensure that Finlandia House remained a vibrant and relevant cultural hub.
Jyrki is also actively involved with the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce (SACC) Florida, where he recognizes the importance of staying connected. “It’s a powerful network of people who are doing meaningful things,” he says. “Being part of it has helped me better support my clients, and it is simply a great community to be part of.”
For Jyrki, the decision to remain in the U.S. was not just a professional one, it was deeply personal. “In Finland, I sometimes felt boxed in, but here in the U.S., it felt like anything was possible if you truly committed to it.”
That sense of possibility continues to drive him today. Whether helping startups test new software or guiding companies through complex market entry strategies, Jyrki brings a rare combination of technical insight, business acumen, and unwavering motivation. “You can make it if you want to, that’s what I truly believe.”
Visit www.infiniteqsystems.com for more information.