Francesco is from Cagliari and is one of 8 siblings. Growing up on Sardinia he didn’t get the chance to travel much when he was younger so naturally he enjoys the mobility that came with living in Berlin all the more.
Not everything you learn in school is really necessary
He studied Computer Science and – as his final thesis – designed the website of his school. During his time at school however, instead of studying stuff that he didn’t find interesting or useful for his future, he learned a lot of things he DID find useful on the side: How to use Photoshop, how to make basic websites or how to create videogames. In 2005, when he was only 17, he created an indie game community where he is still administrator.
Thanks to his devotion to learning, he was soon able create some small websites and graphic material for local businesses in his hometown to gain some financial independence from his family. He also worked for a local non-profit cultural association, where he was responsible for graphic design, development and administration for the website for four years.
Without any German and only basic knowledge of English, he ventured to Berlin
As a graduation gift, he received a Nikon DSLR from his friends, since photography has always been one of his hobbies. A few months after his university degree, his brother Giuseppe, who already lived in Berlin, asked him, if he wanted to work with his roommate, Thomas. Thomas had just started to conceptualize his idea and needed a tech-guy and co-founder to realize his idea.
It took one year to go online during which Francesco and Thomas lived together and worked every day without any breaks. He spoke neither English nor German and it was his first time away from his family and friends.
But now he is really happy with his accomplishments and the best part about it is that he can say now that at the age of 23 he founded a company and is already CTO.