Changes in the Team
At the beginning of the year our team consisted of six people a group that had joined us over the past few years. However, the start into the year was a bit bumpy: high salary costs combined with less-than-full utilization made the situation challenging. It was also clear that Marie would be joining us during Livia’s maternity leave — at a time shaped by uncertainty. But, as is often the case in life, things tend to sort themselves out: after a few months, Benj and Raffi decided to pursue new paths outside our team. What remained was a core team of people who stayed at the helm motivated, focused, and full of drive. In addition, Sarah decided to explore new internal opportunities and looked for a project management role. Shortly afterward, we received the news that Livia wanted to fully focus on her new family life. Fortunately, by that time, Marie had already become a permanent part of the team and stayed. A true win-win for everyone. Together, we worked our way step by step out of the spring slump. And today, at the end of the year, we can proudly say: we not only filled the gap from back then, but next year our team will grow again as a new member will be joining us.
KubeCon, CNZ, Meetups and “Fübis” – our community moments
Anyone who knows tim&koko knows: We love our community — and we rarely say no to a glass of beer or wine in great company. This year we threw ourselves into event organization multiple times: We ran our own OpenShift Virtualization Lab three times, transformed a cinema hall into a meetup location in just a few hectic minutes, and organized one or two “Fübis” with lots of love. Thömu also invested countless hours into organizing the Cloud Native Zurich event. On the day itself, the team was on site to support Thömu and the two other organizers. You can find a behind-the-scenes look at Cloud Native Zurich in this Blogpost. Of course, we weren’t just organizers but also enthusiastic participants. In spring, Thömu, Chrigu, and Sarah traveled to London for KubeCon — a conference that proves year after year how lively and huge the Cloud Native community is. Alongside talks, networking and deep technical dives, there was still time for what defines us: good conversations, shared laughter and the occasional drink at the SwissApero. And just like in previous years, we traveled in style with the KubeTrain and yes, it was legendary once again.
acend
There were also signs of change at acend. The founders who once brought the project to life were looking for a way forward. Thömu is one of those people from the first hour. After evaluating, sorting out and weighing many possible solutions, one proposal stood out: the takeover of acend. A way for the brand and accumulated knowledge to continue to exist. The proposal reached the team on a warm summer day during our team outing through the vineyards of Lausanne. Between grapevines, sunshine, and the occasional glass of wine, we discussed opportunities, risks and visions with enthusiasm. Several months passed before the takeover finally became official. We are currently working intensively on further development and reorientation. In short: acend lives on — in new hands, with fresh energy and lots of passion.
Let’s get Cloudy Party
To conclude the year, we gave ourselves (and the community) a gift: the “Let’s get Cloudy” Party, together with our startup neighbors from bespinian. The idea had been buzzing in our heads for quite a while, but spring didn’t feel like the right moment after all the team changes. In autumn, the time had finally come: friends, customers, and partners came together to celebrate the cloud and life itself. In the afternoon, we dove into exciting labs; in the evening, we celebrated, laughed and danced. It was exactly the kind of event that is close to our hearts: approachable, uncomplicated, inspiring, and full of joy in being together.
Conclusion
2025 was not a quiet year — but one that showed us what we stand for: cohesion, courage, humor, and the desire to tackle new things. With this spirit, we look ahead and look forward to everything 2026 has in store for us.
Your tim&koko team ☁️