A Growth Company Was Utterly Charmed by UNITY Tampere – "We have to return here!"

Vishal Chatrath, the CEO of a growing technology company, works at uWork Tampere whenever he is not on a business trip. Vishal, who fell in love with Lake Pyhäjärvi, also convinced his colleagues that UNITY Tampere is a truly unique place.

Vishal Chatrath had good luck. He happens to live in the neighbourhood of Pyynikin Trikoo and noticed immediately when the premises of UNITY were being built – including uWork.

"I eagerly followed the completion of uWork from the inner courtyard of Trikoo. I was definitely one of the first, if not the first person, to start working here," Vishal says.

Vishal's own company, QuantrolOx, of which he is the CEO, operates from Espoo and Oxford. For a busy knowledge worker, finding a quality remote work environment in Tampere, especially in the same building where he lives, was a true gift.

"I travel a lot for work, usually a few days each week, but whenever I am working in Tampere, it's at uWork."

The relaxing effect of Pyynikki

Originally from India, Vishal first lived in Finland for a few years in the early 2000s and returned from Cambridge in 2021 when QuantrolOx was founded. He had prior work experience at companies like Nokia and early-stage technology firms.

QuantrolOx is a Finnish-British spinout of the University of Oxford, and it focuses on automating the control of naturally unstable quantum computers. As a young and growing company, QuantrolOx keeps Vishal busy.

"I spend an average of 3–4 hours per day on the phone. Almost always, it's video calls, so having a reliable internet connection at uWork is essential for business. It's also crucial to have enough quiet spaces to speak undisturbed," Vishal praises.

"Pyynikki is a relaxing and peaceful environment. After lunch, you can go for a walk to the shores of Lake Pyhäjärvi, sit down, look at the lake, and get inspired. There aren't many places like this in the world, not even in Finland!"

The cold lake attracted people

Last May, Vishal had the opportunity to invite the entire QuantrolOx team to explore the possibilities of UNITY Tampere when the company gathered to plan their operations together.

"Our team is scattered all over the world, so a few times a year, we meet as a whole group for several days, work together, and spend some relaxed leisure time together. It was easy to come here, as the airport is nearby, and some people conveniently arrived by train from Helsinki," Vishal explains.

The eighteen-member team of QuantrolOx stayed in the studio apartments of UNITY Tampere and made the most of all the services and opportunities in the area.

"Many of us enjoy sports, and in the morning, it was easy to go for a jog on the ridge or take a quick swim before breakfast. The lake attracted people all the time, which surprised me a bit. The water was still very cold in May, around 4-5 degrees Celsius!"

A place to return to

In the evenings, the team headed to Tampere city centre for a shared dinner or drinks. The highlight of the multi-day gathering was a joint sauna evening at the panoramic sauna of UNITY, with pizzas and beers on the terrace.

"For many, it was a completely new experience to sauna and swim in such settings. UNITY Tampere provided us with new perspectives, and all the facilities, from saunas to meeting rooms, and the surrounding sports and leisure opportunities, worked perfectly for us."

Because UNITY Tampere also allows families to join the company retreat and work in a peaceful and beautiful environment, the QuantrolOx team decided they will return.

"We have held similar events in countless different places, and this was the first time people wanted to come back to the same location. There's something special about this place."