Read this article to learn about ILkka Paananen’s net worth, age, height, girlfriend/wife, family, early life, education, career, wiki & More.
Ilkka Paananen was born on June 16, 1978, in Finland. He is most recognized for co-founding and leading the video game studio Supercell.
Hay Day, Clash of Clans, and Clash Royale are among the popular mobile games created by Ilkka Paananen.
He and Carl Manneh are both CEOs of well-known video gaming firms. Before launching Supercell, he worked as an executive for various companies, including Digital Chocolate and Summa.
ILkka Paananen Wiki / Bio
| Quick Bio | |
| Real Name | ILkka Paananen |
| Known as | ILkka Paananen |
| Hometown | Finland |
| Age | 46 years old |
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Profession | Entrepreneur |
| Religion | Christian |
| Net Worth | $1.5 billion |
Birthday, Age & Zodiac Sign
ILkka Paananen’s birthday is on 16th June. He is 46 years old as of 2025. ILkka’s zodiac sign is Gemini.
| Birthdate | 16th June |
| Day of Birth | Tuesday |
| Year of Birth | 1978 |
| Birth Sign | Gemini |
| Birth Sign Duality | Pasive |
| Birth Sign Modality & Element | Cardinal & Water |
| Opposite Sign | Leo |
Height, Weight & Physical Stats
The height of ILkka Paananen is 5 feet 3 inches and weighs around 72 kg or 160 lbs approx. His eye color is Brown and his hair color is also Brown.
| Height | 5 feet 3 inch |
| Weight | 72 kg or 160 lb |
| Hair Color | N/A |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Tattoo | No |
Early Life and Education
Ilkka Paananen was born on 16 June 1978 in Kauhajoki, Finland to parents who were teachers.
Not much else is publicly known about his family except that one of his younger brothers Juha Paananen is also an entrepreneur who founded a mobile gaming startup called Nonstop Games.
Ilkka graduated from Helsinki University of Technology with a Master’s degree in Science.
| Family Information | |
| Mother Name | N/A |
| Father Name | N/A |
| Siblings | N/A |
| Relative(s) Name | N/A |
The Rise of Supercell
In 2010, Paananen established Supercell along with several other founders. Based in Helsinki, Supercell started out developing games for Apple’s iOS platform.
Their first big hit was this combat strategy game called Clash of Clans in 2012. Man, that game blew up. It was topping charts and making bank from people buying extras in the game.
Riding high off Clash of Clans, Ilkka and Supercell put out Hay Day in 2012 and Boom Beach in 2014. Millions of people all over the world downloaded those games.
But it was the Clash Royale release in 2016 that really cemented Supercell as a mobile gaming boss. That multiplayer real-time strategy game mashed up card collecting and tower defense. Crazy addictive. Within a year, Clash Royale was pulling in over billion.
Other Supercell games like Brawl Stars also caught on with their patient style of developing games.
Nowadays, Supercell’s got over 100 million active users playing their games for billions of minutes every single day. They’re raking in something like .5 million daily.
You gotta give Ilkka and the team tons of credit for Supercell’s wild success. He built a culture where people can be creative and innovative.
Ilkka also made smart money moves, like selling most of Supercell to SoftBank and Tencent for multi-billion dollar valuations.
Supercell’s now worth over billion, making it the first tech “decacorn” in Europe. Ilkka’s still the CEO, guiding the strategy there.
ILkka Paananen Net Worth
As the CEO and co-founder of Supercell, Paananen owns substantial equity in the gaming unicorn. While his exact stake is not known, it is estimated to be between 15-20%.
In 2016, when Supercell was acquired by a consortium led by Tencent at a $10.2 billion valuation, Paananen’s net worth jumped exponentially. His riches have steadily grown in the years since as Supercell’s games continue minting money.
As of 2025, Ilkka Paananen’s net worth is estimated to be around $1.5 billion. This makes him one of Finland and Europe’s richest entrepreneurs under the age of 50.
Paananen has invested some of his wealth back into the Finnish startup ecosystem. He is an active angel investor and supports various funds that back Nordic startups.
| Net Worth | $1.5 billion |
| Annual Salary | N/A |
| Source of income | Entrepreneur |
| Last Updated | 2025 |
Some FAQ’s related to ILkka Paananen
| How old is ILkka Paananen? |
| 46 |
| What is the name of ILkka‘s Wife? |
| N/A |
| Favourites |
| What is ILkka’s favourite color? |
| Purple |
| What is ILkka‘s favorite hobby? |
| Photography |
| What are ILkka‘s favorite foods? |
| Twinkies & Hominy Girts |
| What is ILkka‘s favorite food habit? |
| Non-vegetarian |
Other Details About Ilkka Paananen
- Paananen is married with no children. He prefers keeping his personal life very private.
- Known to be humble and down-to-earth despite his billionaire status. Credits his team for Supercell’s success.
- Has a passion for gaming and interactive entertainment from a young age. His first computer was a Commodore 64.
- Considered a quiet, thoughtful, and strategic leader who takes a long-term view. Avoids hype and focuses on substance.
- Ranked #16 on Forbes’ 2019 list of the wealthiest people in Finland, with a net worth of $1.6 billion.
- Received the CEO of the Year award at the Nordic Digital Awards 2017.
- Fluent in both Finnish and English. Frequently travels between Supercell’s offices in Helsinki and San Francisco.
- Started investing in other gaming firms after Supercell’s buyout, to help mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs.
- Known for his informal dressing style – rarely wears suits or formal wear.
- Big on company culture and provides lavish benefits like free meals to employees. Supercell’s office has a slide, music room, and nap pods.
Social Media Information
If you are a fan of ILkka Paananen, you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He is active on his social media profiles.
| N/A | |
| https://twitter.com/ipaananen | |
| https://www.instagram.com/ilkkaandclash |
Awesome game