Supercell was founded in 2010 in Espoo, Finland, by six people: Ilkka Paananen, Mikko Kodisoja, Visa Forstén, Lassi Leppinen, Petri Styrman and Niko Derome. Paananen is the company's CEO. Mikko Kodisoja started the studio with him, and the other four had all known each other through earlier work.
The six names come from the company's history on Wikipedia. This profile covers who they are, where the studio came from and why the model became a reference point for European founders. It is part of our Founders coverage.
The six Supercell founders
- Ilkka Paananen became CEO of the Finnish mobile-game company Sumea in 2000 and still leads Supercell.
- Mikko Kodisoja co-founded Sumea in 1999 and, with Paananen, put up the first €250,000 of own money for Supercell.
- Lassi Leppinen was chief programmer at Sumea and later at Digital Chocolate.
- Visa Forstén, Petri Styrman and Niko Derome complete the founding team; public sources give far less detail on their earlier roles, so we do not attribute titles to them.
Wikipedia gives 14 May 2010 as the founding date; the year, 2010, is not in doubt.
Where the team came from
Several founders worked together before Supercell. Sumea was a Finnish mobile-game studio that Digital Chocolate acquired in 2004, and Paananen later ran Digital Chocolate's European operations, according to Wikipedia. Supercell started in the Niittykumpu district of Espoo and is now headquartered in Helsinki, according to Wikipedia; the company's own website lists its games and offices.
Early funding included the founders' own €250,000 and a €400,000 loan from Tekes, the Finnish technology funding agency, per Wikipedia, followed by €750,000 of seed funding that October. That kind of public support is part of the wider Nordic startup picture we track in Studios.
The "cells" model
Supercell is known for building games in small, largely autonomous teams it calls cells. Wikipedia describes cells of roughly five to seven people. Paananen has described the manager's role as getting the best possible team together and creating an environment that does not slow it down, in an interview with PocketGamer.biz.
The model has evolved. In 2022 Paananen said the company had treated small teams as a rule for too long and that team size should now depend on the game and its stage, as reported by Game World Observer. The cell idea itself remained.
Games and ownership
The studio's best-known titles are Hay Day and Clash of Clans (both 2012), Boom Beach (2014), Clash Royale (2016) and Brawl Stars (2018). Its current lineup is listed on the Supercell site.
Ownership has changed twice, and Paananen stayed CEO throughout:
- 2013: SoftBank and GungHo acquired a 51% stake.
- 2016: A consortium led by Tencent agreed to buy SoftBank's stake in a deal reported at about $8.6 billion, as covered by Game Informer. Paananen said at the time that Supercell would stay operationally independent.
Reported stake percentages differ between outlets (roughly 81% to 84%), so we give no exact figure; Wikipedia says Tencent later raised its share of the holding vehicle to 51.2% in 2019. We also do not publish founders' personal wealth, because no reliable public figure exists.
Why it matters for Europe's startup scene
Supercell is one of the clearest examples of a European company reaching global scale from a small home market, and a frequent reference point for Finnish startups. For comparison with other ecosystems, see our list of Estonian unicorns and the profile of Lovable's founders. Dates for Helsinki's startup events are in the Europe conference calendar.
Facts on this page are drawn from the sources linked above and were checked in October 2026 (Wikipedia, press reports and the company site). Roles and ownership can change.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Supercell?
Ilkka Paananen, Mikko Kodisoja, Visa Forstén, Lassi Leppinen, Petri Styrman and Niko Derome founded Supercell in Finland in 2010.
When was Supercell founded?
In 2010. Wikipedia gives 14 May 2010; some company-data sources say June 2010.
Who is Supercell's CEO?
Ilkka Paananen, a co-founder, has led the company since its founding.
Who owns Supercell?
A consortium led by Tencent bought a majority in 2016. Supercell has said it operates independently.
