Team

kana-alanen-silko-dog

Kana Alanen: Founder & Creative Director

Dog equipment designer Kana, the co-founder of Silko Dog, is a true collar wizard. Since 2009, she has been building a career in dog equipment as a craftsman and designer for her own companies, Kanashop and Kana Collection. From the very beginning, she has drawn inspiration for her designs from her own rescue dogs, Annie and Helios, as well as the now deceased Princess, who started it all.

Kanashop and Kana Collection are known for their stylish, safe and functional gear, with a special focus on padding and reflectors. Kana has a deep understanding of the ergonomics of dog gear and a passion for perfect quality – qualities that are invaluable to Silko Dog’s product development. At Silko Dog, Kana is primarily responsible for product design, branding and marketing.

A versatile personality, Kana is also known as a Finnish artist, TV, radio and event host, and animal welfare advocate. She has co-founded Dog Force One, which helps abandoned animals mainly in Spain.

Piia Järvenpää: Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Piia Järvenpää, one of Silko Dog's founders, brings extensive and valuable operational and business development expertise from the international IT industry to the company. Her strong background in supply chain management, logistics and strategic planning is crucial in creating efficient processes and partnerships at Silko Dog.

Piia's deep love for animals and entrepreneurial spirit are also evident in her active involvement and founding membership in Dog Force One. She has had her own rescue dog from Spain, Golfo, since 2010. Piia's organizational skills and business acumen are key to building a scalable and sustainable Silko Dog. At Silko Dog, Piia is primarily responsible for operations, sales and business development.

The Power of Friendship: At the Heart of Silko Dog

Piia and Kana's friendship began back in 2007, when a shared hobby of pet rats brought them together. From this unusual starting point, a deep and lasting friendship was ignited, fueled by their shared love for animals and their well-being. This mutual passion also led them to become active in Dog Force One, where they worked together to rescue and help animals.

Over the years, through friendship and shared values, their complementary skills – Kana’s creative vision and knowledge of the animal world, and Piia’s operational and strategic skills – found a natural channel in the founding of Silko Dog. Their friendship is the heart of Silko Dog and serves as a strong foundation for the company’s values and development.