Aki studied electronics and signal processing at Tampere University of Technology (now Tampere University). Before joining Simucube full-time, he worked at the university\u2019s electronics department as a research assistant and later as an electronics designer in a company manufacturing , where he worked on testing and lifetime testers.<\/p>\n
His background in industrial-grade electronics would later prove to be highly valuable.<\/p>\n
Discovering Simucube in its early days<\/strong><\/h3>\nAki first became familiar with the company \u2014 then known as Granite Devices \u2014 through its founder, Tero, whom he met at his previous workplace. During this time, the company was focusing on industrial motor controllers. While still working full-time elsewhere, Aki began contributing to small freelance projects related to electronics, product images, and graphics.<\/p>\n
One of those projects would become something much bigger which would lead to Granite Devices\u2019 first step to sim racing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the early projects was the original SimuCUBE 1 product. It was essentially the first step toward our own simulator products and the beginning of the external brand<\/em>,\u201d Aki remembers.<\/p>\nAs projects increased, the decision became clear. In 2017, after freelancing since around 2015, Aki joined the company full-time as its third employee.<\/p>\n
What Aki sees as the reason for him to leave his day job and join this small company relates to the interest he had towards new challenges and opportunities. He explains: \u201cThe challenges were completely different. There was no repetition. We designed electronics for industrial-level devices, but in an entirely new context. It was interesting and full of possibilities.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nWhen everyone did everything<\/strong><\/h3>\nDuring Aki\u2019s first years at the company, with only three employees, roles were anything but rigid.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone did what they could. Sometimes even things they didn\u2019t yet know how to do \u2014 and then we learned<\/em>,\u201d Aki laughs.<\/p>\nBecause the company was building something entirely new, requirements were not always precisely defined at the beginning. Often, the real needs became clearer during the process itself. That made outsourcing difficult, so much of the work had to be done in-house.<\/p>\n
Today, when working as a Senior Hardware Engineer, Aki sees both continuity and change.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe focus on employee satisfaction has always been there. Since the beginning, we\u2019ve experimented with different ways to support well-being. Being employee-owned means there\u2019s no external pressure and we have the freedom to try things.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nAs the company has grown, roles have naturally become more specialized.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen there were only a few of us, you had to know a bit of everything. Now the job descriptions are narrower. You don\u2019t have to know everything anymore.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nDesigning the core of Simucube products as Senior Hardware Engineer<\/strong><\/h3>\nOver the years, Aki\u2019s responsibilities have included electronics, mechanics, and even graphic design. As the company has grown, his focus has increasingly centered on electronics design.<\/p>\n
Among the major projects he has contributed to are:<\/p>\n
\n- All three Simucube wheelbase versions<\/li>\n
- ActivePedal Ultimate which was the first active sim racing pedal on the market<\/li>\n
- Simucube LightBridge wireless data transmission<\/li>\n
- Simucube Link Wheel Module<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These projects form the backbone of Simucube\u2019s Link Platform.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving fairly free hands to design my areas of responsibility the way I see best. We don\u2019t stretch pennies unnecessarily \u2014 we invest in durability and longevity<\/em>,\u201d Aki explains.<\/p>\nFreedom and responsibility in practice<\/strong><\/h3>\nAt Simucube, self-direction is not just a phrase, it is part of everyday life.<\/p>\n
Aki explains that in product development projects, he has largely been able to make key technical decisions based on his own expertise in hardware engineering.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of what we do is new. There isn\u2019t a predefined way things must be done. The products are fully our own, and people\u2019s professional skills are trusted.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nThe goal is always to find the right balance between reasonable cost and reliability.<\/p>\n
Building products that last<\/strong><\/h3>\nIf there is one theme that consistently emerges in Aki\u2019s story, it is longevity.<\/p>\n
Simucube products are designed with the same philosophy as industrial equipment: they must function reliably for years.<\/p>\n
In sim racing, that long lifecycle stands out and at Simucube that\u2019s expanded to the whole experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just about the physical product anymore. It\u2019s about the whole experience. When a customer invests in a premium product, they\u2019re also buying peace of mind. We don\u2019t leave them alone if something doesn\u2019t work.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nCustomer-centric thinking has always been a core principle, designing durable devices and ensuring customers feel supported.<\/p>\n
One particularly memorable moment for Aki was the release of the original Simucube 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt went from the first drawings on paper to almost production-ready in about three months, which is very short in product development.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nNow, nearly ten years later, some of those first units are still in use around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s something you can be proud of<\/em>,\u201d Aki says.<\/p>\nA culture of trust and experimentation<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe culture, as he describes it, aims to be open and inclusive. And being fully employee-owned makes a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are no external owners at Simucube. The owners are close to everyday work, not distant figures somewhere else.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nAs a shareholder himself, Aki feels it affects his perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think about things differently. It gives additional motivation. When you\u2019re an owner, you see decisions from a broader angle.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nKeeping both employees and customers first<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen asked what values are visible in Simucube\u2019s daily life, Senior Hardware Engineer Aki summarizes them simply:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe aim to keep both employees and customers satisfied and put them first.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nFrom three people doing everything themselves to a globally recognized sim racing brand, Aki Korhonen has witnessed, and helped build, the entire journey. And at the heart of it all remains the same principle that guided the industrial motor controller design to company\u2019s very first sim racing product Simucube 1: build it to last<\/em>.<\/p>\nMeet our crew<\/h3>\n
Senior Software Developer Lassi H\u00e4m\u00e4l\u00e4inen<\/a><\/p>\nHead of R&D Vesa Saastamoinen<\/a><\/p>\nPeople Lead Susanna Lisma<\/a><\/p>\nSales Manager Antti Salonen<\/a><\/p>\nSupply Chain Manager Ville Strandman<\/a><\/p>\nVisual Brand Manager Freddie Curtis<\/a><\/p>\nProgram Manager\u00a0Thomas Richter<\/a><\/p>\nKey Account Manager Maria-Teresa Lahti<\/a><\/p>\nProject Engineer Markus Nuuja<\/a><\/p>\nDirector of Supply Chain Management Tuula Stenberg<\/a><\/p>\nJunior Hardware Engineer Emil Puhakka<\/a><\/p>\nReady for your dream job?<\/h3>\n
As projects increased, the decision became clear. In 2017, after freelancing since around 2015, Aki joined the company full-time as its third employee.<\/p>\n
What Aki sees as the reason for him to leave his day job and join this small company relates to the interest he had towards new challenges and opportunities. He explains: \u201cThe challenges were completely different. There was no repetition. We designed electronics for industrial-level devices, but in an entirely new context. It was interesting and full of possibilities.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n During Aki\u2019s first years at the company, with only three employees, roles were anything but rigid.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone did what they could. Sometimes even things they didn\u2019t yet know how to do \u2014 and then we learned<\/em>,\u201d Aki laughs.<\/p>\n Because the company was building something entirely new, requirements were not always precisely defined at the beginning. Often, the real needs became clearer during the process itself. That made outsourcing difficult, so much of the work had to be done in-house.<\/p>\n Today, when working as a Senior Hardware Engineer, Aki sees both continuity and change.<\/p>\n \u201cThe focus on employee satisfaction has always been there. Since the beginning, we\u2019ve experimented with different ways to support well-being. Being employee-owned means there\u2019s no external pressure and we have the freedom to try things.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n As the company has grown, roles have naturally become more specialized.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen there were only a few of us, you had to know a bit of everything. Now the job descriptions are narrower. You don\u2019t have to know everything anymore.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Over the years, Aki\u2019s responsibilities have included electronics, mechanics, and even graphic design. As the company has grown, his focus has increasingly centered on electronics design.<\/p>\n Among the major projects he has contributed to are:<\/p>\n These projects form the backbone of Simucube\u2019s Link Platform.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving fairly free hands to design my areas of responsibility the way I see best. We don\u2019t stretch pennies unnecessarily \u2014 we invest in durability and longevity<\/em>,\u201d Aki explains.<\/p>\n At Simucube, self-direction is not just a phrase, it is part of everyday life.<\/p>\n Aki explains that in product development projects, he has largely been able to make key technical decisions based on his own expertise in hardware engineering.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of what we do is new. There isn\u2019t a predefined way things must be done. The products are fully our own, and people\u2019s professional skills are trusted.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The goal is always to find the right balance between reasonable cost and reliability.<\/p>\n If there is one theme that consistently emerges in Aki\u2019s story, it is longevity.<\/p>\n Simucube products are designed with the same philosophy as industrial equipment: they must function reliably for years.<\/p>\n In sim racing, that long lifecycle stands out and at Simucube that\u2019s expanded to the whole experience.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just about the physical product anymore. It\u2019s about the whole experience. When a customer invests in a premium product, they\u2019re also buying peace of mind. We don\u2019t leave them alone if something doesn\u2019t work.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Customer-centric thinking has always been a core principle, designing durable devices and ensuring customers feel supported.<\/p>\n One particularly memorable moment for Aki was the release of the original Simucube 1.<\/p>\n \u201cIt went from the first drawings on paper to almost production-ready in about three months, which is very short in product development.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Now, nearly ten years later, some of those first units are still in use around the world.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something you can be proud of<\/em>,\u201d Aki says.<\/p>\n The culture, as he describes it, aims to be open and inclusive. And being fully employee-owned makes a difference.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are no external owners at Simucube. The owners are close to everyday work, not distant figures somewhere else.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n As a shareholder himself, Aki feels it affects his perspective.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think about things differently. It gives additional motivation. When you\u2019re an owner, you see decisions from a broader angle.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n When asked what values are visible in Simucube\u2019s daily life, Senior Hardware Engineer Aki summarizes them simply:<\/p>\n \u201cWe aim to keep both employees and customers satisfied and put them first.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n From three people doing everything themselves to a globally recognized sim racing brand, Aki Korhonen has witnessed, and helped build, the entire journey. And at the heart of it all remains the same principle that guided the industrial motor controller design to company\u2019s very first sim racing product Simucube 1: build it to last<\/em>.<\/p>\n Senior Software Developer Lassi H\u00e4m\u00e4l\u00e4inen<\/a><\/p>\n Head of R&D Vesa Saastamoinen<\/a><\/p>\n People Lead Susanna Lisma<\/a><\/p>\n Sales Manager Antti Salonen<\/a><\/p>\n Supply Chain Manager Ville Strandman<\/a><\/p>\n Visual Brand Manager Freddie Curtis<\/a><\/p>\n Program Manager\u00a0Thomas Richter<\/a><\/p>\n Key Account Manager Maria-Teresa Lahti<\/a><\/p>\n Project Engineer Markus Nuuja<\/a><\/p>\n Director of Supply Chain Management Tuula Stenberg<\/a><\/p>\n Junior Hardware Engineer Emil Puhakka<\/a><\/p>\nWhen everyone did everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Designing the core of Simucube products as Senior Hardware Engineer<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Freedom and responsibility in practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Building products that last<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A culture of trust and experimentation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Keeping both employees and customers first<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Meet our crew<\/h3>\n
Ready for your dream job?<\/h3>\n
![\"Read](\"https:\/\/hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com\/cta\/default\/26595485\/interactive-233925582053.png\")
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