Question 1

What contract types does Kai Hackbarth work under?

Accepted Answer

Werkvertrag for project-scoped engagements, freier Dienstvertrag for interim and advisory. No AÜG, no employee-style arrangements. Own EU-based legal entity with VAT-ID (reverse-charge supported); umbrella-company arrangements also possible.

Question 2

What is the day rate?

Accepted Answer

Senior-interim standard for industrial tech mandates; concrete range disclosed after briefing. Fixed pricing on productised audits (50% at kickoff, 50% on handover).

Question 3

Are agency commissions accepted?

Accepted Answer

Yes — standard commission and margin models of established interim placement agencies are accepted. Direct engagements equally welcome.

Question 4

What is the minimum engagement length?

Accepted Answer

Freelance from 5 days · Interim from 3 months · Advisory from 6 months (quarterly cadence).

Question 5

What is the lead time from contract to start?

Accepted Answer

Typically 2–4 weeks from signed contract. Faster on exception.

Question 6

Is the work on-site or remote?

Accepted Answer

2–3 days on-site per week in the first month, then remote-first with a monthly on-site day.

Question 7

Which industries does Kai Hackbarth work in?

Accepted Answer

Industrial IoT, smart home, automotive, smart grid and energy, workplace safety, edge / on-device AI. Adjacent: healthcare and Ambient Assisted Living.

Question 8

Which roles is Kai available for?

Accepted Answer

VP / Head of IoT, Head of Product, AI Programme Lead, or technical board advisor for boards and supervisory committees.

Question 9

When does it make sense to talk to Kai Hackbarth?

Accepted Answer

When a connected-product business has the technology but stalls in enterprise selling. When an Industrial AI roadmap needs a 12-month operator view rather than a strategy deck. When a board or supervisory committee needs an independent practitioner read before a capital decision. In all three cases: a 30-minute scoping call — no charge, under NDA.

Question 10

What does the first phase of an engagement with Kai Hackbarth look like?

Accepted Answer

On a 4-week audit: five to seven customer or stakeholder interviews, pipeline and architecture review, operations walkthrough. By week four, a written memo with current-state assessment and three to five concrete leverage recommendations. On interim mandates, the same first two weeks, followed by a plan, handovers and owner definitions before execution starts.

Question 11

Will I work with Kai Hackbarth directly or with a team?

Accepted Answer

Directly. No associates, no junior layer in between. On mandates that need specialised depth, Kai draws on a small trusted network of senior freelancers from the last 25 years (tech, product, security) — by exception with clear rationale, not by default.

Question 12

What is the concrete deliverable of a 4-week audit?

Accepted Answer

A written memo (typically 10–15 pages) with current-state assessment, three to five concrete leverage recommendations, and a 12-month roadmap. Plus kickoff and closing workshops. Optionally a briefing for the board or investors. Fixed price set after a 60-minute scoping call — you know in advance exactly what you get for the fee.

Question 13

Where does Kai Hackbarth work geographically?

Accepted Answer

EU-wide, with a base in Germany and Athens. Europe is where Kai knows the buyer landscape, the regulatory frameworks (NIS2, EU AI Act, CRA, UNECE R155/R156), and the industrial standards ecosystem best from 25 years of operating practice. Outside Europe on selection, typically through existing OEM or platform-vendor relationships.

Kai Hackbarth — Senior Interim Manager & Advisor for Industrial IoT & AI