I’ve started programming and tinkering with hardware when i was 10 years old. I’ve written my first program when i was 12, and when my parents forbid me from using the computer and locked it with password, I hacked that password when I was 13.

I studied electrical engineering an have designed hardware since I was 15.

I also tinkered with guitar effect pedals — like distortion or reverb — which gave me further insight on how to be better engineer.

Since then, I’ve started to pursue music further and studied singing with for a while, which gave me an opportunity to utilize acquired skills in a band I’ve joined, which lead to me being the go-to person regarding mixing, and later I’ve spent some time as music producer. That gave me even further insight on signal processing and allowed me to merge my artistic and engineering talents into one.

During my brief time producing live events, I’ve met several people who’ve shifted my focus to how our brain works, and I’ve tried to merge my interests once again and spent a month in a Virginia Tech University lab, researching possibilities of reception of magnetic fields in vertebrates, but then I’ve shifted my focus to programming, since I got fascinated by Linux at the time and went on to study CVUT. Which sadly didn’t go well, since I was in a new city on my own, and I had to work as a Software Engineer since I moved to financially support myself — which ultimately lead to me dropping out.

Sounds bad, right? It actually wasn’t. I was a total trainwreck at the time, but learning to manage myself at my worst gave me outlook how to work with difficult people, and eventually became one of my strengths - working with the most difficult personalities available.

It also gave me opportunity to work on ERP system for one of the biggest insurance companies in my country, adhering to various standards, allowing for compatibility with up to 70 years old data.

After the project was done, the next step was to get closer to the silicon - I’ve taken a job for a European Space Agency supplier, and delivered software for radiation sensors for VZLUSAT2 mission, running flawlessly for it’s entire mission. I like to say to my friends “I’m the reason the satellites don’t crash into your house.” And jokes aside — That is the reality of my work for ESA.

After some time, when the project was done, I felt the need to shift from Real-Time Operating Systems to something else. I didn’t know what would be next, and since Ukraine-Russia conflict just broke out - I’ve spent two months overseeing volunteers helping the refugees — people who came with nothing — to get the essentials for their life. I remember one moment which got me absolutely stuck - women needed baby bathtubs - I didn’t know what to do… I called about a hundred people, if they can donate baby bathtubs in the volume needed — and the next-to-last had my back. I can’t express my relief when I’ve heard “Yeah we can do that, can someone come pick them up in 2 hours?” Those words still move me to this day.

I’ve felt social responsibility, and wanted to help on a systemic level, rather than healing the symptoms. I’ve joined Semantic Visions, company, which at the time provided OSINT resources for government security organisations, as well as our current president. I’ve gained insane insight on modern infrastructure, lessons how to(and how NOT to do) modern Software Development.

But it was exhaustive…

It was not company’s fault, my team lead(Thank you Lukas) was amazing till the last day, and I am grateful I’ve had the honor to work with them.

I had to move back to my hometown.

And then, when I’ve worked a mindless helpdesk job, it gave me time to heal and reach my dreamjob.

Right now, I’m cybersecurity architect, and I provide cybersecurity services to critical infrastructure of the state.

What’s next? Launching my own hardware startup.

Farewell,

V