Pio's founders, Magne Hatteland and Simen Aarseth, bring decades of experience to the leadership team. Magne has spent over 10 years selling, marketing, and meeting with AutoStore™ customers around the world, and Simen brings his vast experience in product development and brand strategy to the table.

Together, they were tasked to find the next big stage for AutoStore, and after thorough research, the idea for Pio was hatched.

From its inception, Pio was designed to be a bastion for smaller brands that want to remain independent further into their growth cycle, where they would previously struggle to keep costs down or meet customer expectations.

"We believe in diversity and the full range of human expression. We want to see a thousand of different ways of making a product. Not just 5 or 10", says Magne Hatteland.

Based on their shared passions for technology, culture, and entrepreneurship, Pio aims to realize their aspiration to make a difference for independent brands. Creating change that would not only benefit these brands, but ultimately contribute to more freedom of choice for us as consumers.