Interview with Markus Hannes Winter

CEO Oroox

How did you get into this industry as a successful entrepreneur, how did everything start?

I started to develop software at a young age and did this in the commercial sector from 1991. Since then I have been fascinated by new technologies. After a 10-year break, I decided in 2014 to use the new possibilities - especially the Internet - to look for a way to develop an easily understandable technology that can be used comprehensively in industry and production. In this analysis - together with outstanding technicians - we came across new possibilities to act graphically on the browser in a research project. Oroox, a symbiosis of web, graphics and business data, was created in collaboration with specialists from the gaming industry.

If we imagine you as a young programmer, apart from your curiosity, what makes you an entrepreneur? What drives you forward?

It is probably the urge to create something extraordinary. This connected with the corresponding inventive talent. For me, this has no primary monetary driving force, but I am fascinated by technology. I always move between attempt, success and failure. Under the maxim "Trial and Error", concepts are developed followed by implementations that attract attention on the market. Today Oroox is such a success story.

As an investor, on the other hand, around 200 business plans landed on my desk every year, and I read every single one. But only a handful of them flew. In Europe, the culture of failure is not widespread, but for innovation you have to fail sometimes.

How important is the fun factor, would you also do something that makes no fun?

The greatest fun is to pursue Oroox concepts with innovative companies that can subsequently disrupt an entire industry. Working permanently on new ideas and inventions is also a lot of fun for me. Only with this joy can throwbacks be processed positively. Often I push too far ahead and set myself very visionary goals. Everyone has the opportunity to make the world a little more better or influence the change positively.

You seem to be very relaxed about all this. But what makes you restless, what worries you?

I have few fears. Implementing visions means having courage at the same time. However, I am very emotionally bound to my plans. My thoughts circle 24 hours around the further development of the product. For me, Oroox is like raising my own child.

What inspires you?

The thought that everyone will be able to create his own product in the simplest way in the future. What people draw on Oroox is tested for feasibility in the same breath. People are supported in their designs with artificial intelligence and as a result an individual product is produced fully automatically by machines. Giving people this opportunity is my main inspiration. What we develop behind the scenes is simply fascinating.

How does this affect your company, how is that reflected in Oroox?

I am currently focusing my activities on Oroox. Every day I'm inspired by the conversations with interested parties or customers. I transfer this inspiration into the inventive spirit of the company and try to create something new. Oroox is constantly inventing new things, mostly at the limits of what is possible. We therefore enter into research partnerships with some companies. So far we have always been successful. Market leaders are approaching us to disrupt entire markets with new business models. And a little anecdote: I had a Oroox presentation at a European market leader. After 30 minutes the owner got up, knocked on the table and stopped the presentation. I was briefly shocked and asked what I was doing wrong. He said literally: "What I see here is changing our entire industry. I want that