CV
Martin Gratzer | Staff+ Engineer | Klagenfurt, Austria
22+ years building software. 15+ years in mobile. Currently leading AI adoption at Meister while running my consulting practice.
At a Glance
- Current: Senior Staff Engineer at Meister (10M+ users)
- Focus: AI/LLM integration, system architecture, mobile platforms
- Education: Dipl.-Ing. (MSc) Computer Science, passed with distinction
- Award: Part of the team behind iTranslate Converse, Apple Design Award 2017
- Languages: German (native), English (professional)
Experience
Meister
Senior Staff Engineer | 2023 - Present
Leading AI adoption across Meister’s productivity suite. Building collaborative AI agents, architecting LLM integration patterns, and establishing infrastructure for AI features serving 10M+ users.
Previously led iOS/mobile teams (2023-2024), achieving 60% crash reduction and 40% performance improvement. Transitioned to Staff+ supportive role working across EMs, product, and engineers.
Key initiatives:
- AI Product Integration & Collaborative Agents (LangChain, FastAPI, MCP)
- MeisterNote Hybrid Editing (Kotlin Multiplatform, BFF architecture)
- Authentication Modernization (OAuth2/OIDC, threat modeling)
- MeisterTask Mobile (2015-2024)
Freelance Consultant | 2010 - 2022 | 12+ years
Built MindMeister mobile apps (7M+ users) and MeisterTask iOS/watchOS from its 2015 launch.
topmind GmbH
Managing Director | 2004 - Present | Klagenfurt
Staff+ engineering consultancy. 23 clients over 20+ years, from startups to established companies.
Scaled from solo freelancer to team of 8 (2017-2019), then refocused on high-value individual contributions.
Selected clients:
| Client | Period | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| iTranslate | 2017-2019 | Apple Design Award app, 50M+ downloads |
| StepsApp | 2025-2026 | Legacy modernization (strangler fig) |
| Alturos/Skiline | 2017-2020 | Full stack lead, white-label eCommerce |
| Bitmovin | 2018 | SDK architecture, used by HBO |
| Rocket Apps | 2022-2025 | Authenticator+ end-to-end |
| TIME MODE | 2003-2025 | 22-year relationship |
| SteadySense | 2018-2019 | femSense MedTech |
Earlier Roles
Flextronics | Technical Employee / Web Master | 2002-2003
Austrian Red Cross | Emergency Medical Technician | 2007-2008 Civil service, continued volunteering until 2009. Taught me about pressure, teamwork, and what actually matters.
TIME MODE | Webmaster and Designer | 1998-2001 First professional role. Still a client 22 years later.
Education
| Degree | Field | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dipl.-Ing. (MSc) | Computer Science | Uni Klagenfurt | 2013 |
| Bakk. rer. soc. oec. | Information Management | Uni Klagenfurt | 2010 |
| Bakk. techn. | Computer Science | Uni Klagenfurt | 2007 |
| Matura | Environmental Economics | HLW St. Veit | 2001 |
Master’s Thesis: “3MF - A Service-Oriented Mobile Multimodal Interaction Framework” Published at ACM Advanced Visual Interfaces 2012
Technical Skills
Platforms
- Expert: iOS (15+ years), macOS, watchOS
- Professional: Android, wearOS, Web, Linux
Languages
- Expert: Swift (10+ years), Objective-C (12+ years)
- Professional: TypeScript, Kotlin, Node.js, Ruby
- Working: Python, Go, PHP, SQL, GraphQL
AI-Assisted Development
AI tools are central to how I work today. Claude, Cursor, and Copilot are part of my daily workflow for exploring codebases, pair-programming, and accelerating through routine tasks. I build custom MCP servers to connect AI agents to internal tools and APIs. No interest in AI slop. The goal is higher quality work, not more stuff faster.
I help with AI adoption at Meister: architecting LLM integrations, building collaborative AI agents, and helping engineers integrate these tools into their workflows.
Technologies: LangChain, OpenAI API, Google Gemini, Vector databases, MCP Protocol, Agent Orchestration
Architecture
System Design, Clean Architecture, BFF Pattern, Kotlin Multiplatform, Local-first Design, Strangler Fig Pattern, Server-Driven UI
Technologies
SwiftUI, Jetpack Compose, React, Docker, OAuth2/OIDC, Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL, HealthKit, StoreKit
Notable Apps
| App | Impact | My Role |
|---|---|---|
| iTranslate Converse | Apple Design Award 2017 | Part of the team |
| MindMeister | 7M+ users | Lead Developer |
| MeisterTask | 10M+ users (suite) | Core contributor 2015-2024 |
| iTranslate Pro | 50M+ downloads | Mobile Architect |
| Bitmovin Player SDK | Used by HBO | SDK Architect |
Awards & Certifications
Part of the team behind iTranslate Converse, Apple Design Award 2017 (watchOS)
Paramedic Certification, Austrian Red Cross, 2008
Business Consulting License, Magistrat Klagenfurt, 2015
What Colleagues Say
“Your leadership style is unobtrusive but effective. You guide without overshadowing.” ML Engineer
“Having you on the team makes my job so much easier. Your performance, attitude, and impact have helped me understand what a staff role should look like.” Engineering Manager
“You’ve made an impressive transition from mobile-centric to Fullstack Engineer… you’ve evolved into a role model for using AI tooling.” Engineering Manager
“The respect he carries from other mobile engineers is a great sign of mentorship.” Staff Engineer
“From a product-perspective, it’s a great pleasure to collaborate with you since you’re always keeping the full picture in mind.” Product Manager
Get in Touch
LinkedIn | GitHub | topmind.eu