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Vaisala 90 years – Startup since 1936

Corporate

In 2026, Vaisala celebrates its 90th anniversary. For nine decades, we have been turning curious ideas into bold measurements and real-world impact for the planet.

Our story begins in 1936, when Professor Vilho Väisälä invented his first radiosonde and sold it to MIT. That moment sparked a legacy of world-leading measurement and a startup spirit that still drives us today.

Since then, innovation has been at the core of Vaisala. Raised by curiosity and driven by purpose, we build breakthrough measurement technologies that shape industries and save lives. We think like a startup, act like a pioneer, and deliver like a global leader.

Over the decades, our innovations have set new standards: from HUMICAP, the world's first thin-film capacitive humidity sensor, to automated aviation weather systems. Our technologies help explore Mars, protect critical power infrastructure, and optimize wind energy with LiDAR. We safeguard conditions for the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and power digital services that turn complex data into decisions that matter.

Our impact spans a wide range of business areas, from advanced industrial measurements to weather and environmental intelligence and digital services. Vaisala Industrial Measurements helps customers secure critical industrial processes and the quality of the environments we all depend on. Xweather turns our measurement expertise into real-time, hyperlocal weather and environmental intelligence that supports data-driven decisions. Our Weather, Energy and Environment business, where it all began 90 years ago, continues to deliver the trusted instruments, systems, and services that weather and climate observation depend on.

Our 90th anniversary celebrates everyone who has contributed to Vaisala's journey, from the visionaries who laid the foundation, to everyone shaping the company today. With a pioneering mindset, unwavering commitment, and a spirit of curiosity, Vaisala continues to shape a safer, smarter, and more sustainable world for the next 90 years and beyond, taking every measure for the planet.

Anniversary moments from our offices

Vaisala’s 90-year journey lives through our people and locations across the globe. From our roots in Finland to teams working on every continent, each office brings its own culture, expertise, and energy to our shared mission. These anniversary moments and photos from around the world showcase how our global Vaisala community has come together to celebrate the past, embrace the present, and build the future, one measurement at a time.