Koje Studio – creativity, entrepreneurship, and friendship in one package

A simple Instagram post during the 2020 pandemic unexpectedly sparked the beginning of Koje Studio — a thriving student-led design company. Antti Hevosmaa from Kouvola campus couldn’t have imagined that just months later, he would be building a business together with Nikita Sushko, a student of international business.

Koje Studio is a joint venture between two students from different fields, combining design, technology, art, and entrepreneurship. Its roots go back to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Hevosmaa sought ways to bring a sense of humane interaction into lonely moments.

— I was on my own in my small apartment in Kouvola and started wondering if a piece of interior design could somehow “keep me company”, Antti recalls. — That’s when the first “Cycloop” was born, and that’s how it all started.

After a Singaporean influencer featured the prototype in a video, it quickly started spreading on social media — and messages began pouring in from around the world. This unexpected boost became the starting point for the company. Soon after, Antti decided to officially establish the business — and around the same time, his path crossed with Nikita’s.

Shared harmony emerges from unexpected places

The founders of Koje Studio met by chance at the Paja workspace on the Kouvola campus. Antti’s friend was giving Nikita a tour of the facilities, and that’s when the idea of working together first started to take shape.

– At first, we talked about music and music events. Then Antti told me about his project, which had already gained attention on social media, Nikita recalls.

Although their backgrounds – cultures, fields of study, and experiences – are different, they quickly discovered shared values and common interests. Both emphasize that while they do have differences, it’s their similar outlook on life and shared passion for culture, creativity, and free thinking that truly connects them.

– We see the world in a very similar way, Antti says. Values, intuition, a shared vision – that’s what built our trust.

Studies and business side by side

Koje Studio didn’t emerge out of nowhere. Their studies provided both support and resources. Both Antti and Nikita used the company as the focus of their theses from different angles, which also gave their creative work a scientific foundation.

— We both wrote our theses around Koje, and through that we gained a deeper understanding of our own activities, Nikita explains.

Their studies also offered practical support: spaces, courses, and networks. The Paja workshop space in particular played a key role in the early stages of Koje. The first prototypes were built there, and it became their physical base of operations.

— Without these facilities, we probably would’ve just sat in each other’s apartments and done things half-heartedly. The school gave us the right kind of atmosphere and environment to experiment and grow, says Antti.

Entrepreneurship as a way of working

For Antti and Nikita, entrepreneurship is first and foremost a way of life—built on passion, collaboration, and continuous learning.

— Of course, there was stress in the beginning, especially with bureaucracy. But otherwise, it felt more like a state of flow than constant pressure, Antti says. “I do this because I want to do this.”

Koje has never been just a business — it has from the start also been a testing ground, a community, and a creative movement. Mistakes are a part of the learning process.  Neither of them felt a particular need to fear failure while studying.

— We didn’t think, “Oh no, we’re making a mistake.” It was more like, “Let’s see what happens and learn from it”, Nikita says.

The school’s role as a meeting place

Both entrepreneurs feel they have gained a lot from Xamk — especially opportunities, contacts, and physical resources. At the same time, they also point out areas for improvement.

— It feels like students from different fields don’t meet enough. We met completely by chance, even though we study at the same school. That feels a bit odd, Nikita reflects.

— It would be great to have more shared platforms or events where designers, engineers, business students, and others could meet and maybe find common projects, Antti adds.

Next steps

Koje Studio has several major events lined up in its calendar. The company will be participating in, among others, the Habitare 2025 fair, where new products and prototypes will be showcased.

— Events are always turning points for us. That’s where we find new partners, networks, and ideas, Nikita explains.

— Both of us dream of Koje being part of the Finnish/Nordic design phenomenon, Antti describes.

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