For this month’s installment of the TransfORming Our Globe series, we’re sharing the story of alumnus, Marc Seitz ’08, who discovered the world of computer programming and then made his mark in the industry by founding two software development companies that would change how corporations and programmers connect – Hackevents and Hackerbay.

In 2006, Marc made the trip from Germany to Canada, where he began his Ridley career. Marc made the most of his two years at Ridley; forming strong relationships with friends from around the globe, bonding with his teammates on the soccer field and the golf course, and ensuring his housemates were well taken care of. A Strongman from Merritt South (MSo), Marc was a House Captain and ran the MSo Tuck Shop with a friend. He also excelled in academics, and earned the Academic Tie (awarded to students who’ve earned an average of 85% upon graduating). Although he was only at Ridley for a short while, Marc’s shares that his time at Ridley had a big impact on his life.

“At Ridley, I made some of the most long-lasting relationships of my life. The strong community at Ridley really made it all worth it. I made friends that I now see once or twice a year but we are closer than ever.” – Marc Seitz ‘08

Upon graduating in 2008, Marc made the decision to travel to Hong Kong to study Economics and Finance at the University of Hong Kong. The challenging and competitive nature of finance and economics during the recession fueled Marc’s passion. After a short time working with exchange-traded funds, he decided he still had more to learn and explore. Marc returned to Germany, where he studied physics at Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München – the University of Munich. It was the study of physics that led him to where he is now. Marc says “physics opened my eyes to a new world and convinced me to learn how to program on the side.” Marc then began to take online courses on computer programming.

Since his studies, Marc has successfully founded two computer programming companies; both of which have heavily impacted the computer programming world. Hackevents was founded in 2014 and evolved into the leading search engine for Hackathons – which are collaborative and competitive events for computer programmers. Hackathons allow programmers to network with individuals and companies and demonstrate their programming skills. Hackevents does not only offer a database of hackathons occurring around the world, but also is the largest organizer of hackathons in Germany.

Marc’s second company, Hackerbay was inspired by the success of Hackevents. It was founded in January 2016 to enable computer programmers to connect with large organizations that lack a software development department. Through Hackerbay, programmers can provide their services – such as application, software and prototype design – to top companies. To date, Hackerbay has connected over 1,600 programmers and developers with companies like Twitter and Google.

“Being a founder, you have the unique ability to influence the success of your company… This source of power encourages me to be better and make a difference.”

Both Hackevents and Hackerbay are becoming increasingly popular, and Marc hopes to grow latter into the largest software solutions company. He also desires to return to the study of physics, as space exploration and technology continue to evolve.

Marc’s thirst for knowledge led him to a rewarding career, that continues to grow and evolve.

To past, present and future students of Ridley, Marc says this:

“Challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone. Test out different subjects and hold on to what does not let your mind rest.”

TransfORming Our Globe is a blog series where we share the exciting stories of alumni who are leading flourishing lives and changing the world. It is important to Ridley College to support our alumni and share the stories of Old Ridleians, who discovered their passion and found success and happiness down the path of their choosing. 

Do you know of any classmates that are living flourishing lives or transforming our globe? Email any suggestions for the TransfORming Our Globe blog series to development@ridleycollege.com.