Vaisala

About Vaisala

Ever wonder how we get the data to predict the weather, optimize a data center, or even explore other planets? For nearly a century, one company has been at the forefront of measuring the world around us: Vaisala. It provides the instruments and intelligence that make the invisible visible, helping industries and nations take action on climate and operate more efficiently. The story begins in Finland in 1931, when a professor of meteorology named Vilho Väisälä came across a fallen radiosonde—a weather balloon's instrument package. His verdict: "A fine idea, poorly implemented." This sparked a drive to create something better. After perfecting his own design, Professor Väisälä founded the company "Mittari Oy" in 1936, starting production in the basement of a Helsinki apartment building. That same year, he shipped his first order to a prestigious client: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). From the outset, the company had a global mindset. It was renamed Vaisala in 1955, and its reputation for precision grew. Key milestones followed, including the development of the world's first thin-film humidity sensor in the 1970s, a technology that became an industry standard. The company went public on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1994, fueling further expansion. Today, Vaisala is a global leader in its field, with its technology used in over 150 countries and even on Mars, where its sensors provide crucial data from the planet's surface. Through a series of strategic acquisitions, the company has expanded from its hardware roots into data services and software, now offering AI-driven weather intelligence. With a relentless focus on innovation, Vaisala continues to build on its legacy, developing tools to help the world address the pressing challenges of climate change.