Silen’s journey began with a simple conviction: silence is not a luxury, but a necessity for focus, creativity, and well-being. What started as an idea in Estonia has grown into the world’s leading provider of office pods and privacy solutions, trusted by companies in more than 60 countries — including many from the Fortune 500.
The roots of Silen go back to Wallenium, a company co-founded b yEndrus Arge, Henri Rüüsak, and Sparry Kivilo that specialized in partition walls and office fit-outs. With 18 years of experience in workplace design, Arge had long understood how the physical environment shapes productivity. On a more personal level, he grew up on a noisy street, which left him with a lifelong appreciation for quiet. “Since then I have valued silence and the possibility to focus without distractions,” he recalls.
The breakthrough came in the mid-2010’s when Finnish clients began asking for soundproof “cubes” made from Wallenium’s partitions. Arge and his team saw the opportunity to go further. While recovering from illness in 2017, he sketched what a modern office pod could be: modular, mobile, and inviting. In 2018, Silen launched its first product range, marking the company’s entry into the global office pod market.
Redefining the Workplace
At Silen, innovation begins with listening. The company’s guiding principle has always been that great solutions come from understanding the real needs of people who use workplaces — employees seeking focus, companies managing space, and architects designing environments. Every new product starts with the question: what problem needs solving, and how can Silen address it in the smartest way?
This approach has shaped the company from the start. Silen’s pods introduced features that soon became industry benchmarks: modularity, casters for mobility, and market-leading acoustic performance. Over time, these solutions have proven especially valuable as offices evolve and shared spaces become the norm. Today, Silen offers the widest selection of office pods on the market — from solo booths to team spaces — all adaptable to diverse and changing workplace needs.
Recognition and Global Reach
This commitment to innovation has earned Silen global recognition. Its Silen Mind Spa relaxation booth won the NeoCon Innovation Award in 2021. A year later, the Silen Hybrid — the world’s first ADA/EAA-compliant wheelchair-accessible pod — became the first product to receive the NeoCon Business Innovation Award. Additional honors followed, including the Archiproducts Design Award in 2023 and the Best of NeoCon Business Impact Award in 2024.
Estonia has also celebrated Silen’s achievements: in 2023, the company was named Exporter of the Year by the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS). The Entrepreneurship Award itself is jointly organized by the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency and the Estonian Employers’ Confederation.
Innovation with Responsibility
For Silen, sustainability begins with the product. Every pod is built to last more than 20 years and adapt to changing needs. Modular, relocatable, and easy to refresh with new finishes, they are designed to evolve rather than be replaced. Materials and partners are chosen responsibly to ensure lasting quality.
This philosophy extends to Silen’s own operations. The factory runs entirely on renewable energy, while efficiency measures and waste reduction keep the company’s footprint small.
Silen also brings the circular economy to life through Silen Rent: pods move from one customer to the next, refurbished each time, reducing the need for new manufacturing.
For Silen, sustainability is not a slogan but a design principle — products that endure, operations that respect the planet, and services that promote reuse. The result is workplaces that deliver silence and focus while minimizing environmental impact, proving that good design can be both human-centered and planet-conscious.
A Global Mission, Rooted in Estonia
Today, Silen operates through more than 300 resellers worldwide, with a strong presence on six continents and showrooms in Chicago and London. Yet its headquarters and production remain proudly in Estonia, where the company continues to refine the balance between silence, design, and innovation.
Silen’s journey shows how far companies can go when they stay close to user needs and dare to experiment. By combining bold design choices with relentless focus on real workplace problems, the company has not only broken into the global market but also helped businesses create environments that support well-being, productivity, and smarter use of space.
In just a few years, Silen has proven that silence, once a personal longing on a noisy street, has grown into a global movement shaping the future of work.
