About me
Data & AI Architect · Co-Founder, SAIN Labs
Daniel Wessendorf
I’m a data and AI architect from Bernried at Lake Starnberg, and since 2026 co-founder of SAIN Labs.
For about twenty years I’ve worked where business meets technology: as an IT strategy consultant at Accenture, as chief architect of an internal predictive-analytics startup at Allianz, as a solutions architect for global financial services at AWS, as an executive advisor for data streaming at Confluent, and most recently as a senior solutions engineer for the insurance industry at Snowflake. Along the way I learned to translate complex technology into clear, practical steps, and to have fun doing it.
In 2026 I left the big-vendor world to build something of my own. Together with my wife Tanja, I co-founded SAIN Labs, where we’re building privacy-first, personal AI. We’re still in stealth, so there isn’t much more to say yet. If you’re curious, get in touch.
I still believe IT is a lot like cooking: with the right recipes and some experience, anyone can create something great. That’s why this site has a blog and workshops full of data recipes you can re-cook and adapt. Please try this at home (or at work)!
When I’m not at the keyboard, you’ll usually find me hiking with our dog, skiing down a snowy slope, or outdoors with Tanja and our two daughters. Time outside is my best source of inspiration, and sanity.
Steps
- 2026 – today
SAIN Labs
Co-Founder · Bernried am Starnberger See
Building privacy-first, personal AI together with Tanja Wessendorf. Currently in stealth.
- 2025 – 2026
Snowflake
Senior Solutions Engineer · Munich
Data and AI platform work with some of the largest insurers in the German market.
- 2024 – 2025
Confluent
Senior Executive Advisor · Munich
Advised executives on becoming a data streaming organization. Speaker on the Data in Motion Tour 2024.
- 2019 – 2024
Amazon Web Services
Senior Solutions Architect · Munich
Cloud, data and AI architectures for global financial services customers. Author on the AWS Compute and Big Data blogs.
- 2019
Allianz SE
Enterprise Architect · Munich
Enterprise architecture at group level.
- 2014 – 2019
Allianz Technology
Principal IT Architect · Munich
Chief architect of an internal startup that ran up to ten predictive-analytics solutions on allianz.de from 2015.
- 2012 – 2014
metafinanz
Project Manager & Principal Consultant · Munich
Led IT projects as project manager and principal consultant.
- 2006 – 2012
Accenture
IT Strategy Consultant · Kronberg im Taunus
IT strategy for financial services clients.
- 2000 – 2006
Paderborn University
Diplom-Wirtschaftsinformatiker · Paderborn
Degree in business information systems (M.Sc. equivalent).