Hey there, I'm Michael.

My mission for the past years has been to help large and small companies from different industries apply digital technologies faster and develop products resulting in happier, better-served customers.
Michael Schmitt - Creative Technologist

15+ years working on innovation projects

I'm a creative and communicative entrepreneurial mind with a technical background, analytical thinking, and a strong affinity for design. With over 15 years of experience in startups and innovation projects, I have advanced expertise in developing innovative products and digital business models. As founder, CEO, and CTO, I have firsthand startup knowledge. Besides my passion for new technologies, I thrive in collaborative environments, working effectively as a team member and leader.

Part art, part math, part technology.

With my background in engineering and marketing, I have an equal footing in the creative and technological realms.

Ideation & strategy

A digital strategy is essential to taking advantage of the growing opportunities of new technologies. I have more than answers to digital questions. I lead companies from vision to application of new technologies, resulting in more robust digital capabilities ranging from efficient processes to customer exploration.

Research & data analysis

It's easy to come up with an idea. But it has no meaning until it has been expanded from a single thought into the most critical sub-pieces that describe how the business/products/service will work and ultimately become a reality. I'll help you explore and validate the most crucial assumptions with data audits or expert interviews.

Information architecture & UX

The information architecture of a digital product most influences the user experience, whether through dashboard navigation, menus, or blog categories. I help you with journey maps, touchpoints, jobs-to-be-done analyses, sitemaps, wireframes, or mockups.

Visual design & prototyping

A beautiful mockup or screen design without confronting users is simply art. For this reason, I help you design the visual appeal of a feature, interaction, or product and carry out user tests on concepts and prototypes. The version with the best performance wins – no egos, no guesses, just data.

Demand testing & experimentation

When you validate your assumptions, you reduce risks early on. That is why I prefer validated learning to opinions and conventions. Many small experiments lead to a better understanding of the context or a user's emotion. I conduct demand tests, like landing pages or fake door tests, to determine if users desire your feature or product.

Application & API development

Whether it's a single feature, an application, or an API, I love to work with state-of-the-art technology and build on existing tools and frameworks. The modules are adapted to the project at hand or tailor-made. This way, creative technologies can be created for any budget and developed to the highest quality.

Code & performance optimization

There is a point in any project when the focus shifts from exploration to quality increase. I am experienced in optimizing an application's technological architecture. This includes loading time improvements, code splitting, and restructuring a codebase into separate modules, component libraries, or microservices.

Automation & documentation

Process automation is critical in developing digital products to reduce costs or address resource constraints. Be it implementing automated communication measures, self-service onboarding, or providing documentation. I help you automate your workflows, centralize information, and reduce the requirement for input from people.

Tools I like to work with

Slack, Linear.app, G Suite, Notion, Spark, Spotify, Coffee, Excel, Miro, Figma, Keynote, GitHub, VScode, iTerm, Javascript, TypeScript, React.js, React Native, Redux, Jotai, Git, Node.js, Next.js, Vite, AWS, GCP, Temporal, Vercel, Cloudflare, GraphQL, MJML, TailwindCSS, MongoDB, PostGres, Supabase, CSSmodules, styled-components, OpenAI, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Intercom, Hotjar, Zapier, Lean Startup, Design Sprints, …

What others say about working with me.

Michael and his team have successfully relaunched our website to an online portal for customers, employees, and partners. The all-round support and know-how were absolutely impressive - from data audit, workshops to the ideal information architecture, a great design and the implementation of various tools. Even with short-term projects, they always go the „extra mile“ for us - they not only deliver, but also get involved to develop the optimal solution for us in the shortest possible time. A partner who stands for quality and with whom it is a pleasure to work!
Lilo Fee Koppe
Lilo Fee Koppe
Director Marketing & Communications, Felss Group GmbH
Competent, very committed and reliable, thank you very much for everything.
Martin Reich
Martin Reich
Chief Executive Officer, Foconn GmbH

Background in Engineering, Marketing, and Technology

I am a tech lead at Aidium, a sales automation solution for mortgage professionals. However, this is just one of many hats I've worn in the last decade. Previously, I've co-owned an agency, founded a start-up, and worked as a project manager and digital consultant. My academic education began in engineering. I hold a German Engineer's degree from the University of Applied Würzburg-Schweinfurt since 2012. 2015 I completed my Master's in Marketing & Innovation from Steinbeis School of Management and Innovation, Berlin. 2018, I studied artificial intelligence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge.

2022 - today: VP of Engineering

Aidium

2019 - 2022: Freelance Tech Lead

Freelance

2018 - 2019: Founder & Chief Technology Officer

SIGMUND TALKS

2017 - 2018: Agency Owner & Creative Technologist

Gravitales GmbH

2015 - 2017: Digital Consultant & Web Developer

mii ventures GmbH

2012 - 2014: Research Associate & Project Manager

SKZ
Interviews, talks & publications

Are you seeking a partner to merge big-picture thinking with detail-oriented execution?

I develop technology solutions for start-ups, companies, or agencies and accompany software and innovation projects from the idea to market launch and beyond. If you seek someone who can transform developmental needs into intuitive, practical, and user-friendly digital experiences, get in touch.