Summary
Highlights
Diego, an electronic engineer from Tuluá, Colombia, recounts his journey from sanding furniture to becoming a technology entrepreneur in Denmark. He shares how he came to Denmark for a family wedding and was so impressed by the quality of life that he decided to stay, despite having a stable job in Colombia. Today, he owns his own company and is a partner in another Danish enterprise.
Diego describes how he found a scholarship opportunity at Hack Your Future, an institution in Copenhagen, through an advertisement in English that he translated. The program helps people become software developers quickly. Despite knowing very little English, he dedicated himself to learning the language in two months and passed the admission test, becoming one of 15 students selected from numerous applicants across Europe.
Before completing his scholarship, Diego applied for jobs and was hired by a software development company in Copenhagen. He highlights the importance of motivation over extensive experience in Danish companies. He worked on a project for a music school, developing a web page and an IoT application that allowed school clients to find directions and open doors after verifying their membership.
After two years, Diego's contract with the software company ended, leaving him unemployed with a newborn son. In a stroke of luck, he was contacted by IKEA to develop an intelligent shower. He was hired for his unique blend of software and hardware knowledge, and his innovative approach to problem-solving, exemplified by his university project of an automated oven built with recycled materials.
Diego explains the intelligent features of the shower he helped design for IKEA. The shower conserves water by recirculating it. It uses a sensor system to analyze the water's cleanliness; if the water is clear, it's recirculated, but if it's dirty or soaped, it's filtered or drained accordingly. The shower also features voice commands for temperature control and other functionalities. The project involved an international team of specialists for two and a half years, and the product is currently in production in China.
After the IKEA project, Diego found it easier to secure new employment due to his specialized skills. He worked for Cloud Factory, a Microsoft partner in Denmark, developing applications and functionalities for their cloud services platform. He also explains how having a Danish son allowed him to change his visa status from a temporary work permit to a family reunification residence, providing more stability.
Diego's entrepreneurial journey began unexpectedly when a company needed a custom electronic switch and couldn't pay him directly without him having a registered business. This led him to create his own company, focusing on developing prototypes and invent new devices for clients. He shows examples of his work, including a device to measure the durability of concrete for a multinational company.
Diego also co-founded Necux, a company with Danish partners, which developed an AI-driven platform for social workers and pedagogues. This platform streamlines documentation and reporting by recording voice inputs from professionals throughout their day and generating detailed, professional reports using artificial intelligence. This significantly reduces stress and workload for social workers.
Diego describes his daily life in Herning, Denmark, as normal—working, playing soccer, and spending time with his son. He highlights the high quality of life and safety in Denmark, despite the high cost of living and taxes. He reflects on how the discipline he learned in his youth, pursuing a dream of becoming a baseball player, has been instrumental in his current success and constant pursuit of new technological creations.