It is a few weeks after our annual SimSummit event, and the positive feeling after such a company gathering remains. You can sense the energy – even in a virtual environment – after a fantastic team event. In 2024, it’s been the third time in a row that we have organized a company-wide event in Munich, and it was a great success again!
A Peek into the Past
Rewind the clock to 2020, when a majority of our team members were in the office, and we were around half of the number of employees. We also had very regular events and get-togethers. Seeing such a diverse group of people get together, have great conversations, and simply enjoy each other’s company has always been amazing.
With our growing team of 130 employees and more than half of them working remotely around the globe, the idea of an event such as SimSummit came to light in 2022. Primarily, since our team works from many different locations worldwide, it requires a lot of planning beforehand. Of course, there is a lot of event planning, which can come with many ups and downs, as you never know if everything works out as you planned and hoped for. And then, there are visa processes involved, government timelines we can’t influence, and all the hope in the end that we can have everyone join us from near and far. Much effort and coordination are involved to bring our international team together. But in the end, it’s all worth it.
3 Reasons Why We Organize SimSummits
Here are the 3 reasons that keep us motivated to organize such a fantastic event as a SimSummit:
1. Good People
If you consider applying at SimScale, you’ll have to expect a few steps for a good reason. Alongside a job-specific skill set that is always required, there is a certain mindset and mentality at SimScale that glues our teams together. We value diversity of personalities, opinions, ideas, and backgrounds, and we genuinely believe it helps us make better decisions.
Yet, one thing still unifies us: our curiosity – the desire to work in an innovative environment and team spirit. At SimScale, you won’t find big personalities but humbled people who are excited about our mission and what we do. We are proud of our accomplishments yet also don’t shy away from admitting when we make mistakes. You can sense this attitude when you work across different departments and teams; we always strive to work collaboratively and harmoniously.
2. Simulations
SimScale is the world’s first production-ready SaaS application for engineering simulation, and we are always excited about that! While SimSummit gives us a chance to reflect on what we have accomplished over the past 12 years and where we may have failed, we also come together to celebrate the future and keep in mind what our mission is: We dream of a future where engineers can optimize their designs better and faster, and that is what keeps us going.
We dream of a future where engineers can optimize their designs better and faster.
One of our values is always putting the customer first – we invest tremendous energy into truly understanding their needs and wants. We consider our customers’ success and problems to be ours. That’s why every year, it is exhilarating for us to invite a couple of customers to SimSummit and learn directly from them how they benefit from the SimScale platform.
This year, we had the pleasure to invite Martin Meingassner from Hirschvogel E-Solutions and Tilman Steiniger from RLE International Group and listen to them share in what ways SimScale contributes towards their goals (take a peek here if you want to learn even more about RLE International Group’s success story with SimScale and how they simulate vehicle aerodynamics in second).
3. Conversations
Then, there are all the conversations that happen during those few days, all those chats by the coffee machine or the lunch meetups that we may not necessarily be experiencing every day when we connect virtually for the most part. Working remotely is great, and having the ability to grow a team of talented individuals across the globe is what makes us incredibly proud. We strive for an environment of flexibility and the option to work from anywhere in the world. That being said, nothing in the world replaces face-to-face interactions and the energy that comes from them. Learning so much more about our colleagues, their culture, background, interests, and experiences, and so much more can be inspirational and motivational.
SimSummit Continues…
And just like that, after months of planning and all of the excitement everyone is experiencing before and during SimSummit, time flies by quickly when you are having fun. It’s always an intensive but enriching and exciting three-day experience.
Working for a company that is so flexible with remote work, we need to be extra sensitive and aware of how important it is for our team members to get together not just once but also a few times per year. Besides regular team meetups in Munich and other events we plan, SimSummit is the highlight of the year, as we want to ensure that everyone gets the opportunity to join and socialize in person.
“As a remote worker, I don’t have the opportunity to see my colleagues in person as often as I would like. That’s why I always look forward to SimSummit. Not only does it give me the chance to spend quality time with my colleagues professionally, but it also allows me to connect with them on a more personal level.
SimScale’s culture is built on values of support and collaboration, and getting to know my colleagues from around the world is always a delight. In addition to the professional and social aspects of SimSummit, there are also plenty of fun events and team exercises to participate in. It’s a great opportunity to bond with my colleagues and build stronger relationships. SimSummit is also a time for us to reflect on how far we’ve come as a company. Seeing the progress we’ve made with the SimScale product over the years is truly amazing.”
Aly Taleb, Senior Application Engineer
Getting to finally meet people you have only seen virtually for the past year or may have never met in person allows our team members to grow their relationships on a different level, make friendships, and learn something about others that a virtual environment just can’t replace. One thing is safe to say: SimSummit 2024 was another success this year, and we can’t wait to do it all over again next year!
Stay tuned for more insights into SimScale and see what the team has been up to on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!
