Proekspert celebrated its 30th anniversary!
In April, Proekspert celebrated its 30th anniversary.
On April 6, 1993, a small team of engineers and developers founded the IT company Proekspert. Already with its first projects, Proekspert differed from the so-called classic software companies in that solutions were created not only for computers but also for smart devices. For example, control systems were programmed for bioreactors, payment machines, and industrial production lines. Recently, Proekspert celebrated 30 years of growth with an inspirational seminar and a party with our employees, alumni, and core customers.
The early 1990s was a period of uncertainty in the business landscape. Proekspert’s founding member Vambola Kotkas recalls: “We saw an opportunity in the newly independent Estonian market, grabbed it, and started a software development company. We had ideas to offer, and customers started to appear who needed software solutions.” Vambola still works at Proekspert and contributes his knowledge and experience to development, and advises his colleagues on a daily basis.
Proekspert’s CEO, Triin Sepp, believes the company has survived thanks to its high-level engineering culture. “Before I joined Proekspert, I already knew it was a company of very high-level engineers,” she says. “When I faced a difficult problem in my first startup, I asked Proekspert for help, because I knew I would get a solution from them. To this day, we prioritize the high level of knowledge and critical thinking of our motivated engineers.”
Over time, Proekspert has been involved in many exciting projects. For example, it developed a bank card, Raekaart, for its first major customer. As one of Europe’s first smart card projects, it was well ahead of its time. The Raekaart project led to the creation of the Estonian Bank Card Center system. Currently, 90 percent of Proekspert’s customers are located outside Estonia. Proekspert employs over 160 people and has offices in four cities across Estonia: Tallinn, Kuressaare, Pärnu, and Tartu.
Celebrating the people of Proekspert
We had an amazing party celebrating 30 years of innovation and us, the people of Proekspert! A company’s success is heavily dependent on the people who work for it. Without the right people, it’s nearly impossible to build a successful company. Each and everyone working here has been the building block of creating the Proekspert we all know today.
Here are the winners of the employee recognition awards!
Best Team Player: Kadri Daljajev
Kadri always takes others into account. She’s an open communicator, always supports equality in the workplace, and is a warm and open team member. Her capability to self-organize is admirable. Tasks and projects get finished and finalized whenever she’s on the team. She is super well organized and knows what she’s doing. She has a vision and a plan in place on how to achieve the set goals. She has been really helpful in everything she does for the people in this company. Her attention to detail and willingness to help is outstanding!
Growth Driver: Tiina Kalju
Tiina thinks strategically and is super goal oriented. She has the best interest of Proekspert in mind in whatever she does. She takes on great responsibility and is extremely professional. Tiina is a very good communicator and her projects run smoothly and are completed on time. We are extremely proud to have her with us in Proekspert.
Getting Things Done: Kerli Bender
Whatever you approach Kerli with is – poof – done! Kerli is very systematic and always ready to contribute and help in whatever project you approach her with. She is the heart and soul of the Tartu office and she gets things done with a broad smile on her face. She’s someone on whom you can rely, because you always know that things will be taken care of with the highest care and quality.
Newcomer of the Year: Katrina van der Valk
Katrina joined and started to enrich our culture with lots of new and great things. Her approach is to think about how to do things smarter, not harder! In her new position she is so well adjusted and really wants to make a difference in Pro life. Katrina is always ready to listen to people and make them feel happy. She is constantly positive and usually acts within minutes! She is always energized, always joyful. We see her take action and get it done.
Mood Booster: Karli Ling
We don’t know anybody who doesn’t love the presence of Karli. He is in the office every day, making rounds to talk to everybody, inviting everybody for lunch and so on. And he’s always in a positive mood! He is always there, always joins people together, and is someone who’s easy to talk to and fun to be around. The office would not be the same without you, Karli. You are a true mood booster!
Most Avid Learner: Priit Meos
Priit didn’t hesitate even a second when he joined a new team, a new domain, and took on a new language. He was very eager to learn everything, asked questions a lot, shared findings with others. He has a lot of valuable insights to give back to the team. He picks things up quickly and he is a valuable asset to the Proekspert team!
Most Proactive: Risto Rõõmus
Risto has taken on a large number of tasks in the last year. Certainly, some of them have been challenging. Despite the workload, it appears that nothing important has been overlooked or left undone. Risto has a great ability to almost always discover new points of view and observations. He talks about his own joys and problems, he is straightforward, and he is interested about other people’s doings. He always cares and tries hard to make people happy. Risto notices mood changes in the team and takes action accordingly. It seems like Risto is everywhere, doing everything and saying “no” to no one.
Best Performer: Eric Johann Istal
Eric gets things done, gets the RIGHT things done, and gets them done RIGHT. Whatever negative thoughts you had before running into Eric – you can be sure things will look better afterwards. Eric is a true superstar. He is insanely thorough in everything he does, and he does things very well!
Iron Pillar of Proekspert: Ilmar Pralla
Ilmar is so good in his role! And even better: he’s a great person to be around. He’s smart and efficient but at the same time has awesome humor. He is the gray cardinal who makes Pro operate as a company. He takes ownership of and guards the strategy of the company, making sure the rest of us follow it, too. He holds the vision and puts together the goals. He also plans our finances, leads our legal team, our internal operations, and jumps hands-on into negotiations and critical stuff when needed. His advice is based on strong analytical- and critical thinking, and it’s valuable for making the right decisions in the company! You are the Iron Pillar, Ilmar!
The first ten years of Proekspert
For those with a keen interest in our history, the author Sass Henno has written a work of fiction about the first ten years of Proekspert. The story begins in 1981, when two eventual founders of the company meet, Raivo Vilu and Andrus Suitsu. The story is set against the backdrop of Estonia’s early IT successes.
Download the book in PDF or EPUB.
Warning: the book is readable only by those possessing the superpower to read Estonian.
