Ulrich Walder is the CEO at AIONAV Systems AG. The AIONAV app technology revolutionises the technical basis of mobile applications by systematically separating the content, including the design, from the functionality of an app.
Ulrich enjoyed studied as a civil engineer at the renowned ETH Zurich and worked afterwards for eight years in the research and development of new computational methods for structural analysis. This resulted in a thesis and the computer programme FLASH (Finite Element Analysis of Shells), which quickly found worldwide application and led to the founding of his first company.
Today, the company, Walder & Trüeb Engineering AG, is still a leader in all applications of building informatics, whether for engineers, architects or facility managers.Since new IT applications, for example CAD systems or extensive facility management applications, not only facilitated existing work processes, but also changed entire professional profiles, Ulrich was involved in the technical committees of professional associations, e.g. as a founding member of the Swiss chapter of the IFMA (International Facility Management Association).
Ulrich gained his practical leadership experience during his more than 30 years of service in the Swiss Armed Forces. First as a militia officer, and finally as commander of a combat division during three years in a full-time job which was tough but extremely instructive. Training created in him the awareness that the economic success of a company depends not only on the ability and commitment of its management and employees, but that the security and political stability of a country are important prerequisites for which true leaders must also commit themselves.
Ulrich says, “After my military leadership assignment, I was able to do this for 12 years as a professor of building informatics at the Graz University of Technology in Austria. The establishment of an institute with 12 staff members allowed me to turn to new interests in research. Their commercialization led to the foundation of AIONAV Systems AG.”
Below are the highlights of the interview conducted between World’s Leaders and Ulrich Walder.
Describe AIONAV Systems AG’s offerings that address the needs of your customers.
AIONAV Systems AG develops new basic technologies for autonomous indoor navigation and for creating, publishing and applying mobile applications for smartphones and tablets. The company has received numerous nominations and awards in both areas.
AIONAV Systems has set itself the goal of developing a new technology and associated products for creating, publishing and updating mobile apps. After more than 30 man-years of programming, the AIONAV app technology is now successfully on the market. It allows the creation of sophisticated apps without programming, in free design and the publication of the apps, or their content in the app stores or directly within existing, so-called cover apps.
What are the challenges you and your team at AIONAV Systems AG come across in your day-to-day operations?
The development of a new basic technology is very time-consuming and expensive. It is also never complete, since the surrounding systems are also constantly being updated (operating systems, programming languages, libraries, etc.).
New user groups are a constant challenge, e.g. during the Covid epidemic, from healthcare institutions or very large organisations such as the Swiss Army, having high requirements for security or for the individual design of their apps.
What people, what books, what life factors have influenced and impacted you?
My teachers at the ETH, Professors Bruno Thürlimann, Edoardo Anderheggen, and Christian Menn, not only shaped me with their outstanding technical skills, but in particular taught me scientific discipline and foresight. As a member of Rotary, I find my ethical principles in business ideally reflected in the Four-Way Test.
True to Winston Chrchill’s phrase: “Only those who look far back can look far forward”, I am intensively engaged in the history of science, especially architectural theory.
Taking into consideration, the current pandemic and its impact on global economies, how are you driving your organisation to sustain operations and ensure the safety of your employees at the same time?
The problem for the company is not so much on the inside (home office, all employees are vaccinated), but in the connection to research partners and customers. Direct customer contact is often necessary to create trust in a new technology. Economically, the damage caused by the pandemic is, of course, very large. The demand for mobile applications has totally collapsed in areas like tourism or events. In general, the environment for innovations has become more difficult.
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives AIONAV Systems AG.
The most important incentive in all my professional activities has always been that knowledge should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic possibilities, origin or other social circumstances. Democratization of IT development is a special concern of AIONAV Systems. All popular solutions in the IT world today lead to monopolies and dangerous dependencies. Improvements to what is already there will not result in real progress.That is why we always seek and find fundamentally new, forward-looking solutions for IT tasks.
Where do you envision yourself being in the long run, and what are your future goals for AIONAV Systems AG?
The goal is to make the AIONAV app technology a worldwide standard for app development. Furthermore, app development should be easy and affordable for everyone. The dependence on two monopolists has to be reduced.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs?
Successful management is based on a solid education and the will to face new challenges through continuous training and the courage to explore new paths.
The most important thing is not only professional, social and ethical commitment, but the willingness to take responsibility for everything one undertakes. Last but not least, whatever you do, do it with joy and cheerful serenity.
