Proventus took a further step into the world of design-led companies in 1992 with the acquisition of Finnish company Artek that had been marketing furniture, textiles, etc. designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto.

A partnership with Konstfack, then based at Valhallavägen 191, Stockholm, was started in 1994, in memory of an exhibition of Aalto furniture that was held in the college’s “Vita Havet” conference room thirty years earlier. The project involved the departments of graphic design, furniture and interior design, as well as textiles with Professors Tom Hedqvist, Love Arbén and Gunila Axén. Primarily students in further education were invited to create a free collection of interior design objects, including furniture, textiles, lighting, that they personally would like to have – independent in character but still able to complement the classic Artek range.

The first step was a field trip to Artek in Helsinki to gain a first-hand impression of the enterprise and its classic history. The graphic designers contributed in the form of posters, catalogues, etc. The result was chairs, cabinets, tables, benches, lights, mats and bins. Italian design magazine Interni published a seven-page article on Konstfack in March 1996 that included a presentation of the Artek project.

Interest in finding new concepts for the future led to a dialogue with Finnish company Snowcrash that had been formed by four young Finnish designers, Teppo Asikainen, Timo Salli, Ilkka Suppanen and Ilkka Terho. Their mission statement included making advanced materials and performing engineering research to create designs of the future. They were able to develop radical concepts to a certain extent when Proventus acquired Snowcrash in 1999, which also facilitated the much-acclaimed presentation of their first collection at Salone del Mobile in Milan in 1999. In the early 2000s, Artek entered into a partnership with British designer Tom Dixon who brought new colour strength to Aalto furniture, which included producing the iconic Stool 60 in different colours. The move shocked many but was a big advance in tackling sustainable development. Proventus and Tom Dixon formed a joint company, Design Research Ltd, in 2004. The cooperation continued until June 2015.