This year marks ten years since the founding of Youpret, and it is a great moment to reflect on our journey toward becoming one of Finland’s leading providers of interpreting services. From the very beginning,innovative language technology, the use of automation, artificial intelligence and data, and a human-centered approach have been at the core of our operations. This blog brings together key elements from Youpret’s ten-year journey that have helped us reach our current position as a significant promoter of integration.
From Shark Tank to a nationwide interpreting service
Youpret was founded in 2016, when Ali Giray, a refugee from Turkey came to Finland and saw firsthand how everyday life can become difficult due to even the smallest issues when there is no shared language. Ali wanted to make interpreting services more accessible and reliable to those who need them.
Recognizing the need for a solution like Youpret, Ali discussed the idea with experienced business expert Teemu Purmosen. Teemu suggested involving Heikki Vepsäläisen to explore the technological side, and through Heikki, a fourth founder, Pekka Nurmela, joined the development work.
Youpret founders Teemu, Ali, Pekka and Heikki
In 2018, the founders brought their idea to the Shark Tank (Leijonan luola) TV program, where investor Kim Väisänen saw the potential of the service and joined to accelerate its development. Technological progress and the growing need for accessible interpreting and language services enabled the North Karelian company to expand rapidly across Finland.
Persistent work toward becoming one of Finland’s leading providers of interpreting services has paid off. Today, Youpret serves a wide range of sectors: Kela, healthcare, education, employment, immigration and integration services as well as the private sector — where remote interpreting and language services are an essential part of smooth daily operations and equal access to services.
Within just a few years,
<a href= "https://www.youpret.com/en/
app"class="text-primary">Youpret-teknologiahas grown into a solution used by over 10 000 customers across Finland. Our interpreter network has expanded to include more than 1 000 professional interpreters, and our office team consists of around 30 experts serving both customers and interpreters, while also developing technology, communications, sustainability efforts, sales, billing, and procurement processes.
Technological development over the years
As technology and artificial intelligence have developed rapidly, Youpret’s language technology has been at the forefront from the very beginning. All of Youpret’s technological solutions have been developed entirely in-house, allowing us to adapt and expand them rapidly according to the needs of our customers and interpreter network. Our controlled growth has also gained recognition: Youpret has been listed in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 Finland for two consecutive years.
Alongside technological innovation, we have expanded the services we offer to provide increasingly comprehensive interpreting services, remote interpreting solutions, written translations and various language servicesthat make our customers’ daily operations easier. Special thanks go to our extensive interpreter network — they perform essential work every day to promote equality, equity, and accessibility of services.
An important milestone in Youpret’s growth has been international expansion. Youpret Iceland brings modern remote interpreting services to Iceland, where the demand for accessible language services is rapidly increasing. We have also expanded to Estonia through Youpret Estonia Expanding internationally demonstrates that Youpret’s technology and service concept work beyond Finland and that our goal of better, more accessible interpreting truly matters everywhere.
Ten years of human-centered and sustainable operations
From the very beginning, it was clear that Youpret aims to be the most sustainable company in the interpreting industry. Interpreting services are vital for people in vulnerable positions in society. Therefore, the first step toward sustainable business was to define clear values and operating principles. These same values — integrity, cost-efficiency and transparency — have guided our operations from the start and continue to do so today.
For us, integrity means openness, fairness, and trust. We take our customers into account in our daily work and ensure the well-being of our interpreters. We actively communicate current matters and collect feedback from both interpreters and customers after every interpreting assignment. This openness is also reflected in our newsletters, remote trainings, the News section of the Youpret app and regular satisfaction surveys.
Cost-efficiencyis achieved through effective technology, automation, and a smooth ordering process. The customer only needs to place an order — our system handles interpreter matching, reporting, and billing. There are no unnecessary recurring costs in our service, allowing customers to focus on what truly matters: enabling clear and equal communication for their non-native-speaking clients.
Transparency guides everything we do. Our service integrates easily into various systems and use cases, and we provide customers, interpreters, and partners with clear visibility into costs and reporting. For example, we openly show the total cost of each assignment and how it is divided between the interpreter and Youpret.
In 2024, the Youpret app was awarded the KotoTeko recognition by the Finnish Refugee Council, acknowledging its positive societal impact. At the end of 2024, we also took a significant step forward in our sustainability journey by obtaining B Corp certification. We believe responsibility is demonstrated through actions. By opening our operations to external evaluation, we have gained valuable insights into our strengths and areas for improvement. While B Corp certification is just one step in our journey, we are proud to be the first B Corp-certified language service company in the Nordic countries.
The future of the interpreting industry
Over the past decade, the interpreting industry has undergone significant transformation. This change is driven not only by rapid technological and AI advancements but also by broader societal shifts. Increasing migration, geopolitical crises, and cost pressures in the public sector have all shaped the industry, pushing it to find new, more efficient, and more accessible ways to deliver services.
The development of language technology has opened entirely new possibilities, such as AI-assisted interpreting. At the same time, these innovations raise an important question: when can you use AI and when do you need a human interpreter? Right now the direction is clear — technology supports interpreters but does not replace them, especially in situations requiring accuracy and cultural understanding.
At the same time, accessibility has become central. Customers expect services to be fast, clear, and easy to use. Cost structures are also evolving: prices vary, competition is increasing, and service providers are expected to operate transparently and responsibly.
From Youpret’s perspective, the future is clear: interpreters’ expertise and technology should not be seen as alternatives, but as complementary elements. The goal is to build services that help people understand one another — faster, more accurately, and more fairly.
These ten years have been filled with learning, growth, and meaningful encounters. A warm thank you to all our customers, interpreters, and partners. Let’s continue working together toward equal communication and mutual understanding for the next ten years!
Vilppu Leinonen
Marketing Coordinator
vilppu.leinonen@youpret.com
LinkedIn
Vilppu has completed a master's degree in English language and translation at the University of Eastern Finland and works in Youpret's marketing team. He has also become familiar with Youpret's customer service. In his free time, Vilppu plays football and other sports.