About

Manuel Bogner CTO & Technology Leader

25+ years in technology, from writing my first lines of code to leading enterprise-scale architecture and certified engineering organizations.

The Professional Journey

2017 - Present

Chief Technology Officer

CTO at OpenResearch since 2017. Transformed a small tech team into a certified, multi-country engineering organization, delivering capital-efficient growth and enterprise-grade compliance.

Current Focus

Built and led distributed engineering organizations of 30+ engineers across 3 countries, delivering enterprise platforms used by millions.

  • Scaled revenue 17x (from <€200K to €3.5M) while growing headcount only 3x (12 to 36)
  • Achieved ISO 27001, 9001, and 14001 certifications; built an ISO-compliant BCMS for NIS2 readiness
  • Led cross-border engineering organization across 3 countries with full P&L accountability
Major Role

Architecting for all citizens in the Austrian public sector.

  • Systems serving all Austrian citizens through the national social insurance infrastructure
  • Organized and governed a portfolio of ~600 projects within the enterprise architecture team
  • Defined technology standards for mission-critical systems in a highly regulated environment
2012

Enterprise & Lead Architecture

Lead Software Architect and Enterprise Architect at ITSV (Austrian Social Insurance), defining technology standards for the national social insurance system, leading complex architecture projects in highly regulated environments.

2005

Engineering & Leadership

Started at Geizhals.at (Austria's largest price comparison platform), rising to Lead System Administration from 2009, later expanding into Project Management and Java Development. Ran a freelance software development business from 2008 to 2012 in parallel, plus R&D work at Siemens.

Foundation

Running high-traffic infrastructure and leading teams at one of the DACH region's top tech platforms.

  • Geizhals.at served 1.5-2 million unique visitors per day as Austria's largest price comparison platform
  • Led system administration with a lean team of 2-3 engineers, later expanding into PM and development
  • Ran a freelance software development business (2008-2012) in parallel, building client projects independently
  • R&D work at Siemens broadening technical depth
Academic

Studying computer science and software engineering while contributing as tutor and teaching assistant.

  • Software Engineering and Internet Computing at TU Wien
  • Tutor and teaching assistant in multiple courses alongside studies
2004

TU Wien

Studied Computer Engineering (Technische Informatik) followed by Software Engineering and Internet Computing at TU Wien. Worked as a tutor and teaching assistant in various courses during my studies.

1996

Genesis

The journey began with the first lines of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript during the dawn of the internet, followed by Turbo Pascal, then C and C++.

Milestone

Self-taught from the start, building websites and learning systems programming before it was a career.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Fractional CTO?
A Fractional CTO provides executive-level technology leadership on a part-time or contract basis. I offer fractional CTO services for scaling teams, platforms, and product organizations, bringing 25+ years of experience without the commitment of a full-time hire.
What certifications do you hold?
I hold multiple professional certifications including: Certified Professional for Software Architecture (CPSA) from iSAQB, Certified Project Manager (CPM) from pma, Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM) from Scrum Alliance. I have also achieved 3 ISO certifications (ISO 27001, 9001, and 14001) for my organization.
What is your approach to enterprise architecture?
My approach to enterprise architecture focuses on designing complex systems that are robust, scalable, and resilient. My strategic pillars include cloud-native design, legacy modernization, and API-first strategy, combined with engineering leadership at scale and digital transformation initiatives.
Where are you based?
I am based in Vienna, Austria, at Biberstraße 9/10, 1010 Vienna. I serve clients across Europe, providing technology advisory, fractional CTO, and engineering leadership services.
What industries have you worked in?
I have worked across a range of industries including railway, automotive, public sector healthcare and insurance, cloud infrastructure, and shared mobility.

Interested in working together?

Whether you need strategic technology leadership, architecture guidance, or engineering mentorship, I'd love to hear about your challenges.

Get in Touch