11 Questions for Oliver Otto – Personal & Professional
1) Oliver, do you remember the moment when you knew: “I will become a computer scientist”?
There wasn’t a single dramatic moment with a big bang. It was more of a quiet, growing awareness. From early on, I was fascinated by understanding things: Why does something work, and why sometimes it doesn’t? For me, computer science was never just about programming, but about thinking in systems. Logic, structure, creativity, and the feeling of turning something complex into something manageable.
What still drives me today is that moment when an idea becomes a working system that genuinely helps people. When software is not an end in itself, but a tool. This interplay between technology and real value captured me early on, and it has never let go.
2) How did the Genese story begin in the very early days in Bremen?
Genese did not emerge from a business plan, but from a very concrete need. We saw that certain workflows, especially in the IP domain, were unnecessarily complex, error-prone, or simply outdated. So we started making them better.
👉 https://genese.de
Bremen played a bigger role than one might think. This Hanseatic mindset—down-to-earth, pragmatic, solution-oriented—shaped us. Less talk, more action. Deliver first, then optimize. That’s exactly how the early phase felt: little theory, lots of practice, and a lot of learning in the real market.
3) What was typical of your daily work in the early years, and what might have been a bit crazy?
Everyday life was defined by improvisation at a high level of ambition. You do many things at once, often for the first time, and still aim to be professional. There were days when everything felt equally important: customers, development, organization, and the future.
In hindsight, these were precisely the phases where we learned the most. Not everything was efficient, some things were chaotic, but it was honest. Long nights discussing details, wrestling with solutions, discarding approaches, and starting over. Today, these are the stories you smile about. Back then, they were simply part of the journey.
4) What made Genese successful at its core—both professionally and personally?
Professionally, it was clearly depth. IP management is not an area where surface-level knowledge gets you far. Deadlines, documents, procedures, responsibilities—everything must be precise, transparent, and reliable. Half-baked solutions immediately come back to haunt you.
On a personal level, it was trust within the team. Products are not created by lone warriors, but by people who take responsibility and can rely on one another. Over the years, I’ve learned this: good software matters, but a strong team is decisive.
5) How did your role change—from a “doer” to a managing director who builds structures?
In the beginning, you are everywhere by necessity. You code, talk to customers, take care of organization, and make decisions minute by minute. At some point, you realize that if everything runs through you, the company becomes slow and dependent.
This shift in role is not easy. You have to learn to delegate, to trust, and to build structures that function without your constant presence. Today, I work much more on the company than in the company. My goal is to create conditions in which good work is possible—sustainably and at scale.
6) How important is your technical background today in your role as CEO?
Very important. Even though I no longer develop on a daily basis, my technical background helps enormously. I can assess complexity, evaluate architectural decisions, and realistically gauge risks.
Above all, it helps with translation—between technology, domain expertise, and economic requirements. Many problems arise precisely at these interfaces. There, I don’t act as a developer, but as someone who understands both worlds.
7) And then TimeSpin: why start another company—and with such a different look and feel?
TimeSpin emerged from a personal frustration. Time is relevant to everyone, yet many time-tracking systems feel like control, pressure, or bureaucracy. I wanted to create something that feels lighter—more intuitive, more human.
👉 https://www.timespin.net
The idea of making time tangible through a physical interaction was unusual at first. But that was exactly what intrigued me. TimeSpin is product development at its core: thinking an idea through to the end, testing it, discarding it, improving it—until it truly works in everyday life.
8) What distinguishes product development at Genese from that at TimeSpin?
Genese is the long-distance run. Stability, domain expertise, and trust built over many years. Decisions often have long-term impact and must be made very carefully.
TimeSpin is more experimental. Faster feedback, shorter iterations, more courage to try things out. Both require different mindsets—and that’s exactly what makes it exciting for me. The common denominator, however, is always the same: user value decides.
9) How do you handle responsibility toward employees, customers, and the company?
Responsibility grows with the company. It’s no longer just about ideas or products, but about livelihoods, jobs, and trust. I take this responsibility very consciously.
That also means not postponing decisions, addressing uncomfortable topics, and thinking long-term—even when something speaks against it in the short term. For me, entrepreneurship is not an end in itself, but a commitment.
10) What were important learning moments or mistakes that shaped you?
There were many. One of the most important was understanding that growth doesn’t just mean “more,” but “different.” Different processes, different communication, different priorities.
I learned that focus is a huge competitive advantage, especially in a niche. Not trying to do everything, but doing the right things. And accepting that not every good idea has to be implemented.
11) What drives you—even after many years of entrepreneurship—to keep going?
That feeling that something still wants to emerge. That there are better solutions, clearer products, smarter processes. I enjoy turning thoughts into reality.
There is also the responsibility for what we have built. Passion, to me, is not abstract—it shows itself in persistence, reflection, and continuous improvement. As long as I feel that I can create something meaningful, I remain curious and motivated.
Closing Thoughts
When I look back at the early days in Bremen, I don’t first think of individual projects or milestones. I think of that special founder’s feeling: creating a lot out of very little. That feeling has remained. The tasks have grown, the responsibility too—but the drive is the same.
Bremen, January 18, 2026
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