From past to present

One entrepreneur’s life’s work

Michael Holm is the man who started Systematic. When he was growing up, he actually wanted to be a veterinarian. However, while at college and at the tender age of 20, he happened to see a poster advertising a training course in electronic data processing.

Just as he was reading the poster, the school’s career adviser walked by and said: ‘That is not for you.’ This made Michael Holm determined to prove the man wrong. Whatever electronic data processing actually was, he figured he could use it for something.

Michael Holm ended up by doing exactly that. In 1985, he set up Systematic Software Engineering, along with Allan Schytt (who left the company in 1992). Today, he is the President and CEO as well as holding the controlling interest in Denmark’s largest privately owned software and systems company.

From a two-man Danish company to an international player

One year after the company had started, Systematic received its first large contract – for a command, control and information system for the Royal Danish Navy. A new player had officially stepped into the Danish software market.

In 1992, the process of internationalisation began. Systematic Ltd was established in Camberley in the UK, followed by the establishment of Systematic Inc in Virginia, USA, in 1995. The number of employees grew rapidly. By 1996, the number had already reached 100.

In 2005, we celebrated both our 20^th anniversary and our achievement of CMMI Level 5 certification – the result of an investment of more than 100,000 man-hours ever since 1997.

Systematic celebrated employee number 400 in 2007. This year also saw the introduction of a new brand identity. ‘Systematic Software Engineering’ was changed to ‘Systematic’ to emphasise that we not only develop software but also provide our customers with complete solutions and products.

Our office in Tampere, Finland, opened in 2008, and in the following year there were more than 500 employees in the Group.

The future path of Systematic

The coming years look promising for Systematic, and we'll continue to focus on developing and strengthening the Group internationally.