Aitoware Becomes Strategic Partner for the Football Division of Tampere Ilves ry
Aitoware and the Football Division of Tampere Ilves ry have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at supporting the club’s 2025–2030 strategy, covering all levels, from junior teams in the Futisliiga all the way to the top-tier men’s and women’s league teams.
Ilves Football is one of Finland’s largest and most recognized football organizations, with a strong community presence, a history of developing top-level players, and an ambition to become the best football club in Finland and reach the top of the Nordic region. Its 2025–2030 strategy emphasizes community spirit, ambition, continuous development, and excellence both on and off the pitch.
Aitoware’s founder and CEO, Harri J. Salomaa, will work closely with the club’s leadership and key stakeholders as the lead strategy facilitator and advisor. His role covers the design and execution of the strategy process as well as providing guidance on leveraging artificial intelligence within the organization.
Salomaa brings over 30 years of international experience in business and technology leadership. He has lived and worked for more than 20 years in the United States and Germany, leading global strategy processes, scaling businesses, and delivering major digital transformations, always with a human-centered, collaborative approach.
“I have been an Ilves supporter since birth; hockey and football have been part of my life since childhood in the Kumpula neighborhood of Tampere. In the early 2000s, I served as team manager for Ilves’ A-junior ice hockey team under head coach Mikko Mäkelä. It’s a great privilege to now combine my Ilves roots with my international expertise in strategy and technology to help develop the club,” says Salomaa.
Heikki Tarvainen, Chair of the Ilves Football Division, adds:
“Harri’s expertise in facilitating strategic processes and in the application of AI brings significant value to us. This collaboration helps ensure our strategy process is implemented effectively and that we can move Ilves forward in line with our ambitions.”
Through this partnership, Salomaa will support Ilves Football in:
Facilitating and implementing the strategy process
Developing leadership and organizational capabilities
Strengthening player development and coaching competitiveness
Leveraging AI solutions to enhance training, communications, community engagement, and financial performance
The Ilves Football Division’s strategy emphasizes community spirit, ambition, and continuous development. Salomaa’s role is to ensure these values are translated into concrete actions and measurable results in the club’s day-to-day operations.