Overview

Gender

male

Knut Fredrik Idestam (28 October 1838, Tyrväntö, Grand Duchy of Finland – 8 April 1916, Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland) was a Finnish mining engineer and businessman, best known as a founder of Nokia.

In May 1865, Idestam obtained a permit to construct a groundwood paper mill at Tampere, Finland. The mill began operations in 1866. In 1871, Idestam and Leo Mechelin founded Nokia Ltd. and moved the company's operations to the city of Nokia, Finland.

He was buried in the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.