In this interview, Ossi Tiainen, Partner at NGP Capital, shares his vision of Alaian and how it helps startups by connecting them with top telecom companies and strategic partners to drive innovation and growth.

What does Alaian mean to you?

Joining Alaian means learning, collaborating, and building impactful partnerships within the telecom ecosystem. As a venture capital firm backed by Nokia, we bring a unique perspective on investing in transformative technologies that shape the future of telecommunications and beyond. This alliance provides us with a valuable platform to exchange insights, discover cutting-edge solutions, and support the growth of emerging companies with potential to redefine connectivity, automation, and digital transformation.

How would you define Alaian in one word?

Ecosystem. Alaian fosters a dynamic network where large corporates and startups collaborate, share insights, and drive innovation together.

What does your telco contribute to the overall alliance?

As a financial VC with corporate backing, we specialize in identifying and investing in new technologies and ambitious entrepreneurs. We will hope to contribute by sharing market insights, connecting relevant startups with members, and exploring co-investment opportunities. Our portfolio companies, spanning areas like AI, edge cloud, and industrial technology, can offer valuable insights and solutions to the telecom industry.

Highlight a key telco technology for you today

Our investment thesis focuses on the convergence of physical and digital worlds. We see exciting opportunities across industries, from telco to manufacturing, and even space. We have recently invested in topics such as autonomous robotics, low-earth-orbit navigation satellites, and AI-enabled asset monitoring – all of which are highly relevant for telco.

Why is it so important to innovate, and what role does innovation plays in your company?

As an investor with a corporate partner, our role is to focus on future horizons – in other words, what are the new trends and technologies that enable growth for enterprises, and how enterprises can be better and more efficient. Since telecommunications is a foundational service, our focus cuts across a wide range of industries. We believe startups will be a key driver for change and innovation in telecommunications.

What does an alliance like this offer the entrepreneurial ecosystem? 

Alaian provides startups with access to leading telecom companies, potential customers, and strategic partners who can help them scale. This type of ecosystem accelerates innovation and market adoption.

What would you say to startups who want to be part of the alliance? 

Alaian is a unique opportunity to engage with industry leaders, gain market access, and refine your technology with real-world applications. Alaian members have a reach of more than 1.5 billion consumers globally. If you are building a solution that can transform telecom or adjacent industries, this alliance can be a powerful platform for growth and collaboration.