From Cloud Visionary to European AWS Leader

When others were still debating whether cloud would catch on, Sven Ramuschkat was already building in it. As Germany’s first AWS Partner and the world’s first external AWS Trainer, he helped shape the public cloud ecosystem long before it was mainstream. In this exclusive interview, Sven shares how tecRacer was born from disruption, what defines its culture today, and where the journey is headed next.

Sven, you’re often described as a real AWS pioneer. How did this journey begin?

Life is full of unexpected turns. In the early 2000s, we had built a successful business as one of Germany’s leading Adobe Lifecycle and Flex consulting partners. But in 2010, Adobe decided to shut down or open-source those products. Practically overnight, our consulting model collapsed.

That was a moment of reckoning. Do we shrink or evolve? A former Adobe Partner Manager had just joined AWS and told me, “Take a serious look at this.” We did. In 2011, we became Germany’s first AWS Partner. One year later, I became the first external AWS Trainer worldwide. AWS in Germany really started gaining traction in 2014, when the Frankfurt region launched. That was the inflection point.

You’ve never worked for anyone else, right?

Correct. I got my first freelance business license at 18 and wrote software for Bosch while still in school. During my studies in Hanover, I met Markus Herrlich, and in 1990 we co-founded Herrlich & Ramuschkat GmbH. That company eventually became the launchpad for tecRacer, which we officially spun out in 2006.

How has your role evolved over the past 25+ years?

I started as a hands-on developer, writing in Clipper, FoxPro for DOS, and later ColdFusion. Then came project management and leading requirement analysis for custom software projects.

With AWS, I personally ran countless workshops and was among the most active official trainers in Europe. Over time, I shifted toward building structures. I launched our Managed Services team, set up our Amazon Connect unit, and created new leadership roles. I’ve always been good at starting things, scaling them, and then handing them over to even better people.

What have been your most important learnings as an entrepreneur?

A few principles have stayed with me through every phase:

• Always challenge your offering and never assume what worked yesterday will work tomorrow

• Stay humble, never feel above any task, and never underestimate others

• Know your blind spots and bring in people who are better than you in those areas

• Enable others by building trust and letting people lead

• Ask for help early, because the right perspective at the right time can change everything

What made you decide to bring in a growth partner like IT Capital Partners?

We’ve built tecRacer into a premium AWS brand in the DACH region. But going from medium to large, from German champion to European leader, that’s a different game. We wanted a partner who challenges us strategically, supports us operationally, and respects our culture. With IT Capital Partners, we found that partner.

Why them? What stood out to you?

From the very first conversations, Jörn and Eike didn’t talk about capital. They talked about culture, people, and shared ambition. They understand the dynamics of our sector. Their support is strategic, but also hands-on when needed. It’s enabling, not directive. That mindset was crucial for us.

What’s the next chapter for tecRacer?

We aim to become the go-to AWS partner across Europe. Technical excellence will always be our core, but we’re expanding into Data and Analytics, Generative AI, Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity.

We’re also building a selective M&A pipeline of like-minded companies. And just as importantly, we want to be the number one employer for AWS talent in Europe. Not just a project shop, but a true place for cloud careers.

Final thoughts – what do you want people to associate with tecRacer in five years?

If a company has a mission-critical AWS project and wants it done right, they should think of tecRacer.

We want to be the thought leader, the innovation partner, and the employer of choice in the AWS ecosystem.

We didn’t start tecRacer to follow the trend. We started it to shape the future.  And that hasn’t changed. Only the stage has gotten bigger.