Anna Kato Ipsen

MSc in Software Development (renamed Computer Science). IT Architect at Linkfire.

WHO?

My name is Anna, I’m 27 and from Copenhagen. It wasn’t really in the cards that I was going to be a software developer, but I have always been fascinated by technology. I played a lot of computer games when I was little – mostly by myself, since I didn’t know that many other girls who were interested in playing. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out all the codes!

WHERE?

Linkfire is a platform where record companies and others in the music industry can market their music. The company is growing wildly - when I was hired six months ago, there were 9 or 10 employees. Now there are 28 of us. It's very exciting to be part of a startup company. Our office is located in an open office environment that we share with other startups, so you meet a lot of interesting people.

WHAT?

I’m responsible for the backend and an architect of the product. Right now I’m working on creating scalable solutions so the company can continue to grow. In my job I draw a lot on the software development classes I took at ITU. That’s where I learned about the programming languages, patterns and IT architecture. I really like structuring code and creating beautiful solutions.

WHY?

I took a bachelor’s degree in business rather than ‘hardcore’ computer science because I wanted to keep my options open. But during the programme, I got a taste of software development and decided that this was what I wanted to do. I love the success experiences you get when you’re coding and everything just works. When everything is adrenaline and excitement. You can’t disentangle yourself from it once you get started. But programming didn’t come that easy to me in the beginning, so I needed to find a place where I could talk to others about code. I found that at ITU.

BEST ADVICE

It was a big advantage for me to participate in some of the many events that are happening at ITU. I tried to get as much input as possible, for example through ITU Innovators and hackathons. Three years later, I still meet up with people I know from there - including the guy who helped me to get the job at Linkfire.