Meet the SensorFu team - Joonas Castren
In our latest Team Spotlight, we sit down with Joonas, who leads our sales and partner operations in Sweden. With a career that spans from early days in programming to extensive experience in industrial business development, Joonas brings a unique blend of technical depth and market expertise to the Nordic region.
In this interview, he discusses the transition from “the industry” to the front lines of OT security, the importance of continuous customer support, and why he occasionally swaps network monitoring for hang gliding and the quiet of the Swedish forests.
What’s your role at the company, and what does a typical day look like for you?
I am responsible for sales and customer accounts in Sweden. This essentially means that as soon as a deal or a customer is within Swedish borders, it is my responsibility to initiate and drive sales activities—especially regarding our existing customers, as they are our best opportunity for further business. A company competing on a playing field with larger brands is always more dependent on good reviews from its customers. That’s why our clients should receive the best possible support to ensure they get maximum value from SensorFu and our product.
Managing our Partners is also part of my role. Maintaining a continuous dialogue where our product stays high on their agenda is very much in our interest. A typical day is a balance between strategic forward drive and handling whatever tasks pop up from the aforementioned groups. In other words, I might plan to contact certain customers within a specific timeframe, but unplanned meetings with existing clients often arise that can lead to unexpected upsells. As I mentioned, that’s the great part—when sales work is done well, business leads to more business. No two days are the same.
How did you get started in your career, and what led you to this company?
I started my career in programming after my military service, which feels like a very long time ago now. I was deeply rooted in the technical side for about four years. After that, I went back to school and have since worked with sales and business development in various forms, primarily within electronics and embedded systems solutions. However, the technical foundation I built during my early years gave me a deeper interest in software, which is obviously a major part of electronics. I’ve often kept an eye on the cybersecurity industry as a whole; whenever a “breach” is highlighted in the media, it catches my interest in a specific way. When I got the opportunity through mutual contacts to discuss the role of managing the Swedish market for SensorFu, it felt like an excellent opportunity to pursue something that had been latent in my mind for many years.
How would you describe SensorFu company culture and how does it differ from other places you’ve worked?
Early in my career, I was a programmer at fast-paced startups where everyone inspired each other and nothing was impossible. After my relatively short time at SensorFu, I recognize that same feeling. SensorFu feels like a “mature startup,” if I may use that comparison. There is plenty of structure without it feeling confined or sluggish, which can sometimes happen at large corporations. The aura of the culture breathes competence and momentum.
What motivated you to get involved in cybersecurity?
SensorFu operates in the OT world, which is “The Industry.” In many ways, the industry is my home base; it’s where the customers I’ve worked with throughout my career are found. I have seen the digitalization journey of traditional industry and the challenges it brings. The need for security in industrial digitalization is enormous and, of course, challenging. When there is a challenge that feels this vital and obvious, it is easy to stay motivated to solve the task.
What’s a project or achievement you’re particularly proud of?
Due to my short time at SensorFu, I haven’t had the chance to perform miracles here just yet. But generally, I am proud of having been part of developing products for customers that became true milestones for them. When customers continue to buy your services despite fierce competition, it is proof of work well done—especially when you have a delivery organization that sees the purpose and continues to work innovatively.
What’s your favorite way to “unplug” and recharge after a day of being constantly connected?
I actually leave my phone at home quite often when I go out into the forest with my dog. Especially during the weekends, when I can treat myself to longer walks deep into the woods where you are literally offline. I also have a hobby: hang gliding. When I’m in the air, there is 100% focus on flying and being present in the moment.
If you weren’t working in cybersecurity, what would your “dream job” be?
I am someone with a great interest in outdoor activities and prefer to be physically active whenever I get the chance. Combine that with my technical interest and a fascination with large infrastructure, particularly in energy. I feel a certain draw toward the idea of climbing around in wind farms to keep them operational or working with giant hydroelectric plants. Something about the scale of these facilities and their contribution to our daily lives makes me feel like I’d enjoy being a part of it.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out in this industry what would it be?
This would be general advice regardless of the specific industry. Just looking at a service like LinkedIn signals the importance of being “linked.” I would like to emphasize the importance of being linked with high-quality colleagues. Work on your network, but focus on quality over quantity. Something that successful entrepreneurs constantly highlight is the importance of being able to deliver as a team. In other words, surround yourself with people who can contribute to your delivery. Therefore, your own engagement is vital so that those around you want to help you. If you are solution-oriented, interested, and involved, the network comes automatically.
