Noel Ortiz (Vilanova i la Geltrú, 1981), a telecommunications engineer with an MBA from INSEAD and an occasional professor, built his career across Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, where he was the global head of digital services for Novartis, global director of digital transformation at Accenture Song, and held several other prominent positions at major international companies. After fifteen years living in five countries and gaining experience in technology, marketing, and digital transformation, Noel returned to Barcelona to create his third startup: Tinkery, a platform that unifies companies’ commercial operations and simplifies data management and analysis.

On a personal note: “I spend my free time running, writing fiction, and learning new things with my two children.”

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

NO: Tinkery is redefining how businesses grow by eliminating friction and empowering every decision with intelligence and automation. We believe in a future where marketing and sales teams operate with surgical precision, turning data into real impact. We don’t just optimize processes; we reinvent the way companies scale.

TB: Where is it currently, and where do you see it in two years?

NO: With a fully functional beta, we are signing our first paid pilots and are about to close a funding round. We will launch the commercial version of Tinkery this spring. In two years, we will have carved out a space in the market, with a recognizable brand within the commercial operations world and a team spread across three continents.

TB: What’s a good idea you’ve had?

NO: Diving into the entrepreneurial world full-time after two decades of mulling it over.

TB: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

NO: Professionally, developing the ability to reinvent myself and quickly adapt to new languages, cultures, roles, and ways of working every few years since I first moved to Germany two decades ago.

TB: What’s the best advice you’ve received?

NO: Something my father often repeated to me when I was young: “Don’t worry about the obstacles life throws at you, because if something can be fixed, it will be. And if not, why bother?”

TB: A role model.

NO: Anna Klebus, who led my department at Novartis. I admire her integrity and positive attitude even in tough situations, as she has advanced in her career not only because of her professionalism but also because of who she is—facing challenges “one step at a time” and never losing her smile. She taught me how to deal with bureaucracy and internal politics, how to be patient, and how to turn a “not now” into a “maybe later.”

TB: A technology that will shape the future.

NO: Genetic reprogramming technologies, such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), as well as the use of AI for discovering new drugs and anti-aging therapies, are capable of predicting molecular structures and analyzing large volumes of biomedical data. Their applications in regenerative medicine and gene therapies are transforming health as we have known it so far.

TB: In-person or remote?

NO: Hybrid! In-person for decision-making and solidifying the company culture, remote for deeper work.

TB: A startup or company.

NO: GitLab, for its transparency.

TB: What helps you disconnect?

NO: Sports. It completely changes the perspective with which I approach everyday life.

TB: A book to recommend.

NO: “La singularidad”, by my good friend Carlos Fenollosa.

TB: A series, movie, or song that defines your current life stage.

NO: Forrest Gump, not so much because I relate to the protagonist’s idea of “stupid is as stupid does,” but for his way of facing extraordinary situations where there are no limits or horizons.

TB: A recipe, a restaurant.

NO: Gyros from any Greek taverna, without a doubt.

TB: A place in the world.

NO: Tokyo, for its uniqueness. Basel, for the memories.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

NO: In our team, because they have been dedicated to Tinkery for many months with all the passion in the world, and they deserve it. This way, we could grow it with new faces and talent.

TB: If you weren’t an entrepreneur…

NO: I would be a writer.

TB: What is Tech Barcelona to you?

NO: It is a reference in the entrepreneurial world, a meeting place for restless minds looking to connect with others who are facing (and enjoying) the challenges of growing a small seed.