Shared ambition, shared values: The story behind Witted and Software Sauna
2025 became a turning point for Software Sauna. As part of Witted, we are redefining how nearshore software services are delivered, blending Nordic reach with talented, agile teams.
Beyond corporate restructuring lies a deeper story: shared values, fresh ambition, and what this union really means for clients, consultants, and future growth.
We sat down with Witted’s Head of Commercial Operations, Sampo Pasanen, to explore what motivated the merger and why now feels like the right time to combine forces.
In August 2025, Witted Megacorp signed an agreement to purchase Software Sauna. The purpose of the acquisition is to bring Software Sauna into Witted’s group structure and align operations, sales, and delivery under one organization.
You can read the full announcement here:
Witted Megacorp has signed an agreement to purchase Software Sauna
From market chaos to calm opportunity
The world of IT services has been challenging lately. According to Sampo, after the 2021 surge driven by pandemic demand many companies faced turbulence, demand shifted, and markets cooled. But he believes the tides are turning again.
“Now we’re seeing more stability,” Sampo tells us.
In markets such as Norway, demand is showing signs of recovery. Even Finland, slower to rebound, is beginning to stir.
For Witted and by extension Software Sauna, this is not about returning to boom times. It is about building lasting, sustainable success. There is steady growth in consultant placements, stable client demand, and predictable delivery.
“We’ve been able to steadily increase the number of consultants working for our clients,” he notes.
That measured progress matters more than flashy growth. In uncertain times, stability is often the strongest asset.
What made Software Sauna stand out
The quality, the know-how, attitude, and technical skills of Sauna consultants are excellent.
When Sampo first evaluated Software Sauna, what impressed him most was not cost or scale. It was character, quality, and consistency. Even when many firms retrenched or scaled down, Software Sauna kept growing, and moved upstream instead of down.
“The quality, the know-how, attitude, and technical skills of Sauna consultants are excellent,” he says plainly.
For clients that translated into more than just code delivery. Sauna consultants became full team members contributing to design, architecture, and execution. Often, they worked on modern tech stacks and acted like in-house developers.
Despite market pressures, many clients continued engaging Sauna talent. Not because it was more affordable, but because it delivered real value.
“It’s not like we are just buying something because it’s more affordable. People are buying high-quality products at a competitive price,” Sampo explains.
That reputation for reliability and competence made Sauna a natural fit as a partner for Witted.
A merger built on complementary strengths
Mergers can be complicated. But this union feels different. Instead of absorbing or taking over, Witted and Sauna are combining strengths.
On one side stands Sauna with technical talent, delivery agility, and established client relationships. On the other side stands Witted with a mature sales process, Nordic market reach, and strategic account management capabilities.
Sampo outlines the dual vision clearly. Sauna will continue working with its existing and new clients independently, while at the same time becoming a core part of Witted’s joint offering, delivering near-shore talent to Witted’s broader Nordic customer base.
We don’t need magic tricks. We just need to do our job really well.
He does not promise meteoric growth. Instead, there is realistic optimism.
“I expect that at the end of next year we’ll see that Software Sauna has contributed significantly both in independent operations and through joint sales,” he says.
The goal is not inflated numbers, but a business foundation that lasts.
“We don’t need magic tricks. We just need to do our job really well,” he adds.
With that mindset, the stage is set for steady, quality-driven growth in 2026 and beyond.
Building the engine: sales, consistency, integration
Sampo’s mission in his CCO role is clear. He aims to evolve Witted’s previously mostly inbound-driven growth into a mature, disciplined sales engine. That shift demanded structure, process, and clarity.
Over recent years, Witted ramped up account management, intensified outreach, and improved proposal workflows, transitioning from reactive to proactive.
Now with Software Sauna onboard, the engine gets a boost. The merged entity aims to offer clients a unified set of services: software development, consulting, and potentially marketing support. All under a single brand with a wide reach.
Clients should expect smoother engagement, consistent quality, and the convenience of a one-stop shop for service delivery.
Shared culture: The real glue behind the deal
Business logic aside, for Sampo, culture is the real foundation. Witted and Sauna share more than capabilities. They share ambition, drive, and a commitment to doing right by clients and each other.
“There’s this genuine willingness to help each other out,” Sampo reflects.
That philosophy applies not only to colleagues but to clients. The focus is not on billing hours. The focus is on meaningful results. It’s a mindset rooted in partnership, not transactions.
He believes this alignment will make the integration not only smoother but stronger.
