In conversation with ... Cloudflight | Wirtschaft Innovation Linz

In conversation with ... Cloudflight Austria GmbH

From a Garage Startup to an IT Partner for All of Europe: Cloudflight and Software Development in Linz

What began in 2005 as a small startup in a garage in Linz is now a software service provider operating across Europe with locations in Austria, Germany, Poland, Romania, and Switzerland. Cloudflight Austria GmbH develops customized software solutions for clients across a wide range of industries—and employs around 100 experts at its Linz location alone.

Patrick Kastl (Department of Economy and Innovation, City of Linz) spoke with Maria Kolanek (Location Lead, Cloudflight Linz) and Stefan Starke (Vice President of Data).

Passion for technology, team spirit, and sustainable collaboration

Kastl: “To start, we’d like to get to know your company a little better. What does Cloudflight stand for? What is your company philosophy?”

Starke: “Cloudflight is distinguished by a team of tech enthusiasts who live and breathe software development and are constantly expanding their knowledge. The collective expertise gained from hundreds of projects and current trends flows directly into our work with our clients. Our goal is to improve processes, build complex systems, and provide support wherever software expertise is needed. In doing so, we work closely with our clients to understand their requirements and develop tailored solutions.”

Kolanek: “One of our founder’s mottos is: ‘A catalyst does not burn itself.’ Software development can be a fast-paced and demanding business—agile responsiveness is essential. Nevertheless, this dynamism should not come at the expense of people. We place great value on a healthy corporate culture, a strong team spirit, and ensuring that our employees are truly thriving.”

Starke: “In addition, we place great emphasis on long-term, strategic partnerships with our clients. Thanks to our broad technological capabilities, we can provide support over many years. Being close to our clients is particularly important to us—which is why we specifically choose locations near our clients. In Linz, a major industrial hub, we have already collaborated with a large number of companies. In Austria, Linz and Vienna are our largest locations.”

From a garage startup to an international software service provider

Kastl: “Can you give me a basic overview of how the company got started, and what kinds of products or services you offer?”

Kolanek: “The company was founded in Linz in 2005 under the name Catalyst—and it was indeed a classic garage startup, just like the ones you hear about in those well-known startup stories. The two visionary founders, Christoph Steindl and Christian Federspiel, already had extensive experience in software development when they took the plunge into self-employment. Growth followed, along with new locations throughout Austria—and in 2019, the sale of the company and the rebranding to its current name, Cloudflight.”

Starke: “The two founders’ vision was clear: to bring together the top 1% of Austrian software developers. A team that learns from one another, grows together—and develops the best solutions in collaboration with clients from a wide range of industries.”

The Cloudflight Coding Contest

Kastl: “How do you still manage to attract that top 1% of IT talent to your company, even today, despite the fierce competition?”

Starke: “That’s why we launched the Cloudflight Coding Contest in 2007. What began in Linz with just a few participants is now a Europe-wide event with over 5,000 enthusiasts—and is well-known throughout the software community. Our goal is for every HTL graduate in Austria to participate at least once. To that end, we invest heavily and also offer the competition in a customized format directly at schools. Cloudflight sees itself as a trailblazer for the careers of young software developers. But the goal isn’t just to find talent—it’s to retain it. Challenging projects, an open culture, and a strong sense of community make Cloudflight a place where software developers can grow and thrive in the long term.”

Project-based business instead of a product focus: Solutions for all industries

Kastl: “That’s a very exciting approach—not only providing yourselves with future colleagues but also helping the local community. Aside from your involvement in the IT community, what products and projects are you currently working on?”

Kolanek: “What sets us apart: We don’t build products for the mass market. We immerse ourselves in our clients’ worlds—and develop solutions that precisely address their challenges. And we do this across industries—whether for the European Space Agency (ESA) or the University of Vienna.”

Starke: “A great example from our project work is our collaboration with the Austrian Ski Association, specifically the biathlon division. We developed an app that allows coaches to display athletes’ shooting patterns live on a tablet during competitions. This way, you can immediately see if the shots have a tendency—for example, toward the upper left or lower right—and provide specific feedback so adjustments can be made for the next attempt. For us, this is the best proof: the right software solution creates real added value—whether in sports, industry, or science.”

Excellent IT training, customer focus, and open communication

Kastl: “What a great project—and such a niche-specific one, too. Let’s talk briefly about the Linz location itself. What do you appreciate about this location?”

Kolanek: “Linz is in a unique position. We have excellent universities in the city, as well as the Hagenberg University of Applied Sciences right nearby, offering top-notch education in a wide range of IT fields. That’s where we find the skilled professionals who work for us. But just as important are the customers that this industrial hub naturally attracts.”

Starke: “What’s also unique here is the open atmosphere—completely free of competitive thinking. For example, we’re a member of the Digital Mile Linz, where exchange takes place on an equal footing. Even with companies that might at first glance be seen as competitors, we learn from one another and work well together. This exchange happens on many levels—at meetups, hackathons, and other events where software developers come together, share ideas, and work on technical challenges together.”

Kastl: “Thank you both very much for the fascinating conversation about custom software solutions ‘made in Linz’ and the behind-the-scenes look at Cloudflight!”

More about Cloudflight Linz

Disclaimer: English content translated with AI assistance.

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