Startup story: IRIS Casting Ecosystem X Tehnopol Startup Incubator

Each year, dozens of high-potential startups develop their product or service in Tehnopol Startup Incubator’s main program and special accelerators. One of these special accelerators is the Film and Multimedia Accelerator, which focuses on developing digital solutions that support the multimedia, virtual and augmented reality, storytelling platforms, and other tools for the film industry and the creative sector. The startup IRIS Casting Ecosystem is participating in the accelerator.

Casting is like “headhunting” and running creative job interviews with actors and other performers to see how well they fit a role. During casting, we search for potentially suitable candidates for roles in a film or other (audio)visual production, check their availability, and then ask them to perform a scene that is based on the work being created. Increasingly, this happens as a self-tape – the actor records the scene themselves using the given text and instructions, and sends the recording to the casting team for evaluation. Globally, more than 100 million self-tapes are made each year, and over $1.5 billion is already spent on different tools that support casting.

IRIS Casting Ecosystem is an internationally scalable SaaS platform that digitalises and automates the entire casting process – from preparing role descriptions and scenes, and finding suitable performers, to filming self-tapes, collecting them, analysing them, communicating, and reaching final decisions. Their goal is to turn today’s fragmented workflow into one smooth and transparent system where casting, production, the director, the actor, and the agent work in the same environment and with the same information.

The founders are Ronja Kissa, a casting director with 15 years of experience and the owner of two casting companies in Helsinki and Tallinn, and Mika Pajunen, a producer with long-term international experience in commercials and feature films.

How did the idea to build your startup come about?

Casting often happens at the very end of a project workflow – it’s always urgent and everything should have been done “yesterday.” After COVID, as casting became largely digital and schedules got even tighter, the pace started to feel unrealistic for many.

Ronja Kissa (on the photo): “For years I kept thinking there must be a better way – one where great professionals don’t burn out and where doing casting feels more human, creative and fun. In the summer of 2025, after an especially intense period, I sat down for coffee with producer Mika Pajunen at Hietalahti Market Square in Helsinki. We started talking about an imaginary ‘future casting world’ – and suddenly it didn’t feel like a fantasy anymore, but something we could actually build.”

What have been the biggest challenges/failures and the biggest wins so far?

“Our biggest win is that we’ve moved from an idea to building the MVP – the hardest step is always turning a dream into real action. The key challenge is keeping confidence and “thrive” in tougher moments, so we don’t sit back to “see how it goes”, but keep moving, solving, and getting it done. Everything else – including funding – is solvable, but if the inner belief and momentum fade, it’s game over.”

What sets SyncHub apart from competitors?

“Like Apple in consumer tech, IRIS focuses on the whole experience and usability – not just a list of features. We’re building a human-centred casting ecosystem where technology serves and supports creativity, making the entire process from director to actor clearer, calmer, more supportive, and more inspiring. IRIS isn’t just software – it’s a new way of working that helps people do better work, not burn out faster.”

Why Tehnopol’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator?

“The biggest advantage of the incubator is that it gives a clear overall structure of the key activities needed to get the project moving. It’s also an ideal opportunity to take the time for 100% focus and commitment. And of course, it’s motivating to know that the project has stood out and was selected into the incubator.“

Where do you see your startup in 1 year? And in 5 years?

“One year from now, IRIS will be genuinely helping people in the casting industry. Our platform will already be used by the first casting teams and actors who feel the process is clearer, more supportive, and less exhausting. We will have built a tool that doesn’t rush creativity, but gives it space – and helps great professionals do their work better. Five years from now, IRIS will be a known name in the casting world – a natural part of the workflow in Europe and beyond. We will be recognised as a platform that combines technology with humanity: where actors feel seen, casting teams feel supported, and creativity doesn’t get crushed by speed. We want IRIS to become a new standard that makes the industry healthier, more transparent, and more sustainable.“

Who will be the next Estonian unicorn?

“Most likely the next Estonian unicorn will emerge from deep tech – particularly in health or defence technology. In general it would be fascinating to see a company successfully combine gaming with deep tech research, turning the world’s largest entertainment industry into a scalable scientific and commercial platform.“

Which books/podcasts/publications and people in your field do you follow and recommend to other early-stage founders?

Ronja Kissa: “I recommend reading books that teach time management and planning. I’m a mother of two and, besides the startup, I also run my own company – and if I didn’t plan and ask myself before every task, ‘Is this important right now?’, I wouldn’t get anything done.”

Mika Pajunen: “A solid, practical, and comprehensive quick-read introduction to the startup world is The Startup Handbook by Jyri Engeström and Timo Ahopelto of Life Line Ventures (early backers of Oura, ICEYE, and others). The book provides clear step-by-step guidance, concrete real-world examples, exposes common pitfalls, and serves as a valuable checklist even for those already navigating the startup journey.

Applications for Tehnopol’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator are open until March 4. We don’t just support technology-based ideas – we connect you with experts in the field, providing direct access to key figures in the film industry, the market, and investors. This creates a unique opportunity to develop your product or service in a sector where innovation and creativity meet high technology. Read more and submit your application here!

The activities of Tehnopol Startup Incubator’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator are funded by the European Union.