SL5 Sebastian – Founder: Some careers start conventionally in an office; mine took a slightly unusual turn – practically past the zoo.
Admittedly, the photo here is current, but the connection to zoos and unconventional paths is a recurring theme.
Even my very first full-time permanent position as a software developer back in 2000, at the then newly founded IT company Kinokasse.de AG in Heidelberg, was offered to me by Dr. Alexander Finkeissen (Board Member) during a meeting in front of the local zoo – a direct recruitment after previous collaboration. Sometimes the most interesting paths lie off the beaten track.
This early experience in the dynamic environment of a startup and the necessity of constantly acquiring new technologies (back then Perl, MySQL, JavaScript; today PHP, Symfony, Docker, Cloud technologies, Python, JavaScript… etc.) shape my approach to this day. As a Graduate Computer Scientist (Diplom-Informatiker FH) with over 30 years of experience in IT, I have experienced firsthand and actively shaped the evolution of the web and software from its beginnings to modern architectures.
Founding SL5.de in 2001 [formerly L-CiP.com] was the next logical step for me to implement my vision: developing tailor-made, efficient, and sustainable IT solutions for demanding challenges, supporting companies with intelligent software, and realizing innovative web applications that truly make a difference.
Why the name SL5? More than just a number. As a passionate chess player (correspondence chess rating > 2000), I know that success relies on diversity. “SL” is our Software Lab – the workshop for thinking and development. The “5” stands for the five different types of pieces in chess – from the solidly advancing pawn ♟ to the flexible queen ♛. Each piece masters challenges in its own way ♝♞♜ and they all work together. This strategic mindset and the flexible application of various solution paths is the heart of SL5.
My approach involves deep technical understanding combined with pragmatic problem-solving, an eye for detail, strategic foresight, and creative thinking. My goal for our clients is not just to write code, but to create robust, scalable, and maintainable systems that optimally support their business processes, to develop digital products that inspire and function effectively, and to translate complex problems into elegant technical solutions.
And even though I mostly navigate the digital “zoo” of software development today – the joy of puzzling, finding the best strategy, and sometimes taking unconventional paths has remained.
When I’m not tinkering with new solutions, I continue to devote time to chess or enjoy nature.
