MW Group, through its subsidiary MW Forest Sense, has acquired a majority stake in Finnish geodata company Arbonaut, with plans to take full ownership by January 2025. This acquisition cements a two-year partnership where MW Group held a minority stake in the company. As part of the transition, all MW Forest Sense services will be sold under the Arbonaut brand, and Jari Kinnunen, currently Chief Sales Officer at Arbonaut, will assume the role of CEO. This announcement was made today by MW Group.

Founded over three decades ago, Arbonaut is renowned for its expertise in geoinformation technology and its applications in forestry, environmental monitoring, and disaster management. Its distinguished client base includes Finland’s Metsähallitus, the Finnish Forest Center, and leading Swedish forestry organizations such as Allmänningsskogarna and Bergvik Skog Öst. Beyond Scandinavia, Arbonaut operates in other parts of Europe and globally, showcasing its capability to deliver solutions for sustainable forest management and critical natural resource monitoring.

The acquisition aligns with MW Group’s strategy to consolidate companies with dual-use capabilities, enhancing its services for both civilian and military applications. Mikael Karlsson, CEO and founder of MW Group, praised the acquisition, stating, "We are proud to fully welcome Arbonaut to our family after two years of being a minority owner. Under Tuomo Kauranne’s leadership, Arbonaut has developed into an exceptional leading technology company with strong expertise and innovative solutions. This merger will strengthen our combined ability to deliver high-quality services to both MW Group’s and Arbonaut’s clients."

Tuomo Kauranne, founder of Arbonaut, expressed confidence in the company’s future under MW Group, highlighting its strengthened financial stability and ability to take on larger projects. He noted, “Arbonaut’s strong technical competence, global reach, and highly motivated staff will greatly benefit from the solid finances and proven business acumen of its new owners. This transition will empower Arbonaut to take on larger projects and strengthen its presence in the Nordic market.”

Sixten Sunabacka, Chair of the Arbonaut Board and co-owner of MW Forest Sense, emphasized the broader implications of the merger. “Arbonaut is a global leader in forest digitalization, delivering added customer value through advanced forest information and customized solutions, what we call forest intelligence. The acquisition of Arbonaut enhances our ability to serve our clients with forest intelligence for sustainable management of a critical natural resource and opens significant opportunities to strengthen other nationally critical sectors with sophisticated geodata solutions,” he stated.