5. Niklas Nukari
25 CEO Takuullecom Oy (Autolle.com)
The idea for Niklas Nukari’s multi-million-dollar business germinated during a sales career that involved endless hours on the road. By the time the young entrepreneur launched the online used-car enterprise Autolle.com, he knew it had to challenge the existing model in which customers visited dealerships and literally kicked tires before making a purchase. Nukari’s game-changing approach focuses on providing digital services for buyers and sellers – and for the most part, delivers cars directly to the customer’s front door. Close cooperation with car inspection firms, who provide the product for the business, ensures that Nukari can avoid the cost of standing stock, unlike traditional second-hand car dealers. The young businessman established the company in 2014 at the tender age of 21. Two years later at the end of 2016, the firm had already stacked up revenues of over EUR 24m, a remarkable achievement in a market dominated by big used-car players as well as authorized dealers for major global vehicle brands.
Since its inception, Autolle.com has gone on to serve customers in Russia and Estonia in addition to Finland. However, Nukari’s goal is to operate across Europe by the 2020s. It’s no wonder that the Federation of Finnish Enterprises named Nukari Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017.