I take digital products to market on time and to a high standard — as a freelance product owner, project lead or technical lead. More than eight years in complex IT projects, from fintech to digital health. And when it matters, I work in the implementation myself.
Maximilian Berktold
Project Lead · Architect
Selected clients & engagements
From enterprise to startup — including regulated banking environments.
BMW Allianz Union Investment GLS Bank Lufthansa MediaMarkt VisualVest Eventim Duravest Memodio Smaboo
01 · Who I am
My name is Maximilian Berktold. For more than eight years I have been taking digital products to market — as a freelance product owner, IT project lead and software architect. That combination is rare: someone who handles roadmaps and stakeholders as confidently as architecture and code.
I started in application development at Siemens Energy. I then specialized in mobile platforms, built Germany's largest Flutter course with more than 10,000 graduates, and led teams in enterprises and startups alike. Since 2021 I have been responsible for the architecture and technical project leadership of a multi-tenant investment platform at VisualVest, a Union Investment Group company, in a regulated banking environment.
My standard as a project lead: everyone on the project looks in the same direction and understands the vision. I carry that clarity through every level — from the backlog through the architecture to the release. You get someone who takes ownership, makes decisions with the business consequences in mind, and rolls up their sleeves during implementation.
Maximilian
Founder · OpenSphere Software
Currently
Lead Dev & Architect @ VisualVest
02 · In numbers
03 · What I do
Depending on phase and need, I take on project leadership, architecture or development — individually or combined. In every case you get clear communication, reliable planning and a product that ships.
I steer your project from requirements to release: roadmap, backlog, prioritization, stakeholders — and a team pulling in the same direction. Also available as an interim product owner, including regulated environments with compliance and security requirements.
I design systems that hold up under growth — and lead the teams that build them. From multi-tenant platforms to mobile architecture: standards, reviews, security and a technical roadmap that lasts.
When it counts, I work in the code myself — mobile, backend integration, CI/CD. That is what separates my planning from pure methodology: if you can ship, you plan realistically.
04 · Selected work
A cross-section of fintech, industrial, consumer and education work. Click a project for the full view.
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05 · Entrepreneurship
I don't just build for clients. As a founder I take my own products from vision to production — which is why I know first-hand how entrepreneurial decisions are made and what time-to-market really means.
Event and ticketing platform, led from prototype to production: product vision, roadmap, building and leading the engineering team, and the strategic partnership with Eventim.
Three digital health products owned end-to-end — from market analysis and product design through MVP scoping to launch. B2C apps and a B2B platform on shared data infrastructure.
06 · Sharing knowledge
Talk at the Google office in Munich on Flutter architecture and scaling mobile platforms.
More than 40 hours of video on Udemy, over 10,000 graduates — in German and English.
A hands-on book about starting out as a freelancer, published on Amazon.
Tailored workshops on architecture and development processes — for companies across Germany.
07 · Pledge
A share of our revenue goes to Phoenix Shelter, an animal welfare organization that urgently needs support.
“Animals cannot stand up for themselves — so we do it for them. And you can too. Every contribution helps.”
External link · donations go directly to the organization
08 · Working together
I work remotely by default, bill transparently based on actual time spent, and report regularly on progress and risks. No fixed-price packages, no hidden costs — terms at a glance:
Interim · part-time or full-time
For whom · Companies that need their project delivered reliably
Retainer · strategic & hands-on
For whom · Teams that need structure, standards and hands-on delivery
On-site or remote · 1–3 days
For whom · Engineering teams that want to level up faster
All rates exclusive of VAT. Billed monthly, based on actual time spent. Travel expenses by arrangement.
Tell me briefly what you are building and where you stand. You will get an honest assessment within 24 hours — even if that means telling you I'm not the right fit.
09 · Frequently asked
Solo. You work directly with me — no account manager, no layers in between. If your project needs more capacity, I build a reliable team and lead it.
Yes. Product ownership, project leadership and technical leadership can be booked independently. The technical depth remains your advantage: I understand what happens in the code and plan realistically because of it.
Remote by default. I'm happy to run workshops, kickoffs and key meetings on-site — across the DACH region and the EU.
Scrum or Kanban, depending on context. Jira, Confluence and Azure DevOps in day-to-day project work; technically I am at home in Flutter/Dart, API design and CI/CD.
Based on actual time spent, billed monthly, with no hidden costs. Project leadership and product ownership from €135/h, architecture and development from €110/h — all rates exclusive of VAT.
You talk directly to the person who bears the responsibility. You get project leadership and technical expertise in one person instead of spread across several roles. And you don't pay an agency margin.
A no-obligation intro call, followed by a written assessment with a proposed approach. Depending on my availability, I can usually start within two to four weeks — for running projects I ramp up alongside day-to-day operations.
10 · Contact
Tell me what you are planning — from a first concept to a running project that needs support. I reply personally with an honest assessment.
Prefer async? Send me your brief with timeline and budget by email — I will reply with a concrete assessment.
Phone
+49 176 42013486