Former Rovio Execs Launch Agency

A group of former Rovio employees have launched the new brand licensing agency, 5th Wave Brands, which will focus on creating and executing global licensing programs for mobile games and entertainment brands.

The founders of the company are ex-Rovio Entertainment employees Heikki Laaninen, Khalid Bur and Mari Turhanen. Rovio’s former senior vice president of brand marketing, Ville Heijari, also joins as a board member.

5th Wave has already signed three mobile game brands: “Badland,” this year’s Apple

Design Award-winning game created by Frogmind; “Hill Climb Racing,” the most downloaded racing game ever, created by Fingersoft; and “Ruzzle,” the No. 1 casual word game on Android and iOS developed by MAG Interactive.

Deals for the brands have already been signed and will be announced soon.

The new agency has successfully raised seed funding and currently operates from Helsinki, Finland, with an eye on global expansion.

"The mobile entertainment revolution is just in the beginning, and it will fundamentally change the way people consume entertainment,” says Laaninen, managing director, 5th Wave Brands. “Mobile brands can instantly gain fans all over the world, which enables huge global licensing opportunities."