> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://kontango.gitbook.io/kontango/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://kontango.gitbook.io/kontango/getting-started/getting-started.md).

# About Us

Who are we? Whats our story?

## The History of Kontango

### Origins and Vision (2017)

Kontango was born from a shared frustration and a bold vision. In 2017, co-founders Dillon and Alex, both veterans of Siemens' enterprise technology division, witnessed firsthand the transformative potential of the emerging low-code movement. They saw how these platforms could democratize software development, empowering everyday users to build solutions without traditional programming barriers.

However, their excitement was tempered by a troubling reality: the digital landscape was rapidly becoming fragmented behind countless SaaS paywalls. Every tool, platform, and service seemed to require yet another subscription, creating barriers rather than breaking them down. For Dillon and Alex, this contradiction was unacceptable.

### The Founding Moment

"Enough was enough," became the rallying cry that would define Kontango's mission. Drawing from their deep technical expertise at Siemens and their understanding of enterprise user needs, Dillon and Alex made a pivotal decision: they would leave the corporate world and establish their Colorado-based company to build something fundamentally different.

The vision was clear—create platforms that wouldn't trap users behind proprietary product subscriptions or limit their potential with artificial constraints. Instead, Kontango would offer services to empower users with genuine ownership and freedom over their digital infrastructure, bridging the gap between highly technical solutions and everyday usability.

### The Journey Begins

What started as a reaction against the SaaS paywall proliferation evolved into something much more ambitious: a mission to rebuild the relationship between users and technology through services, not proprietary products. From their Colorado headquarters, Kontango began developing on-premise platforms that could operate at both industrial and residential scales—making powerful technology truly accessible to the everyman while maintaining the sophistication that technical users demand.

Central to Kontango's approach is a commitment to sustainability and resourcefulness. Rather than contributing to the endless cycle of technological waste, the company embraces recycling and upcycling existing technology. This philosophy ensures that robust solutions can be built from what's already available, reducing costs and environmental impact while maximizing the potential of proven technologies.

### Core Philosophy

From day one, Kontango has been guided by several fundamental principles:

**Services Over Products**: Rather than selling proprietary software products, Kontango provides services that help clients build and maintain their own on-premise platforms. This approach ensures genuine ownership and eliminates ongoing dependency on vendor subscriptions.

**Bridging Technical Divides**: Every solution is designed to serve both the technical user who needs sophisticated functionality and the everyman who requires intuitive, accessible interfaces. Kontango specializes in making complex industrial-grade systems comprehensible and usable at the residential level.

**Sustainable Innovation**: Technology recycling and upcycling aren't just environmental choices—they're strategic advantages. By maximizing the potential of existing technology, Kontango delivers robust solutions more efficiently and cost-effectively than building everything from scratch.

**On-Premise Empowerment**: True technological independence comes from owning your infrastructure. Kontango's platforms are designed to run where you need them—whether that's a factory floor or a home office—without external dependencies or cloud service requirements.

**Accessibility Without Compromise**: Powerful development capabilities should be truly accessible, not just in terms of technical complexity, but also financially accessible to individuals and organizations of all sizes.

### Looking Forward

Since 2017, Kontango has remained committed to this founding vision from their Colorado base—providing services that help organizations build something better in a world where SaaS subscriptions have become the default solution to every problem. Our journey continues to be driven by the same principles that sparked our creation: the belief that powerful technology shouldn't come with a monthly tax on innovation, and that the gap between technical complexity and everyday usability can and should be bridged.

The story of Kontango is ultimately about sustainable choice—the choice to build services rather than sell products, to recycle and upcycle rather than constantly rebuild, to serve both technical experts and everyday users with equal respect, and to prove that there's a better way forward that puts ownership and independence back in the hands of the people who use the technology.

***

*Founded in 2017 by Dillon and Alex and based in Colorado, Kontango continues to challenge the SaaS-dominated software landscape by providing services that bridge the technical divide, one platform at a time.*