{"id":1558,"date":"2020-08-11T17:42:44","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T15:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/virgo.auretto.works\/ismerj-meg-minket\/"},"modified":"2021-03-23T13:06:34","modified_gmt":"2021-03-23T12:06:34","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/virgo.auretto.works\/en\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Virgo story<\/b><\/h2>\n

Does the story of a bunch of high school friends starting a successful business in a garage sound familiar? You might have heard stories like this before. But not very many of them can say that their product has been used by almost every Hungarian. That\u2019s the Virgo story, our 20 years of history.<\/b><\/h4>\n

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Did we miss something?<\/span>\u00a0Tell us!<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The beginnings<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Virgo was born of a bunch of high school friends. \u00c1kos Gordon, P\u00e9ter Petrovics and Attila Szantner were studying software development and computer science when in September of 2000 they launched Virgo from a downtown apartment. It was unintentional, they claim, that they started an IT business with world changing plans at the turn of the millennium, at first they just took jobs and let things happen to them. They did it at the best time, right at the beginning they were working as contractors on enterprise level projects. Soon the demand for their work was so great they started to fill up Virgo with new employees coming from their friend group.<\/span><\/p>\n

The journeys of the three founding members later on departed. P\u00e9ter Petrovics left after the acquisition of iWiW. He lives in London now and is working on the development of a new, blockchain based, stable cryptocurrency as the cofounder and technological leader of Augmint<\/a>. Attila Szantner was technological leader at Virgo until 2011, you last could hear about him in relation to one of the international citizen science projects that involves gamers researching different proteins in DNAs. \u00c1kos Gordon is currently one of the owners of Virgo, a strategic leader and director of the e-commerce division.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\t\r\n\t\t\t

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\u00c1kos Gordon <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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P\u00e9ter Petrovics <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Attila Szantner <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The big firsts<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
2000-2002<\/h5>\n

One of Virgo\u2019s first projects was the Integrated Postal Network: Virgo working as Unisys\u2019 subcontractor participated in the development of integrated services that they still use in post offices and had a budget of almost 4 billion HUF. Not much after we contributed to the development of OTP Bank\u2019s loan management system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Virgo\u2019s first independent project was its first Java based development, a phone book project, MAT\u00c1V\u2019s online information bureau. That\u2019s a great story too, it was almost like we won the tender of Magyar Telekom\u2019s ancestor, Axelero as if we walked in from the street. The team promised to complete it in 3 weeks and through their insane efforts they delivered. Virgo System left behind a great reputation that resulted in further Telekom and Origo projects later on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Six years before Spotify was launched Index Radio was created that offered online radio services that combined online streamers based on users interests and taste.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the request of the ministry of finance we teamed up with T\u00c1RKI and made a special statistic based simulator software named T\u00c1RSZIM. The tax and affix calculator offers help in impact assessment to people making economic decisions.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\t\r\n\t\t\t

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Andr\u00e1s P\u00f6l\u00f6skei <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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G\u00e1bor Egri <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Andr\u00e1s Vass <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t[vc_single_image image=”1182″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The era of information bureaus<\/b><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
2002-2005<\/h5>\n

After the success of the online information bureau Virgo almost had a production line for systems transforming different information bureaus to digital services. That\u2019s how Telefonkonyv.hu, Telekom Online Tudakoz\u00f3 es Szakmai Tudakoz\u00f3, 197.hu and Telekom SMS Tudakoz\u00f3 came about.<\/span><\/p>\n

A truly fascinating project was the software we made for the ministry of education called Csal\u00e1di Eml\u00e9kezet. After registration anyone could build their family tree and upload pictures and data to it. The family tree could be downloaded to a file and if they wanted it could be printed. There were no such services in Hungary around then so this and the fact that it was easy to use made it very popular. Almost everything was given to serious success but the GDPR ombudsman shut down the whole initiative.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pesti Est was a weekly issued activity calendar that was known by every youngster in big cities before smartphones, wifi and mobile data became popular. The editors of the paper were using a Virgo created activity information backend system and we also made their website Est.hu.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other exciting Virgo stories: we made a vehicle stock finance application for Budapest Bank, we renewed the Invitel CMS portal. The F\u0151v\u00e1rosi Dug\u00f3figyel\u0151 was a map based browser app displaying traffic conditions that we made for the mayor\u2019s office of Budapest. We also made a tree planting planner and tree processor management system for Mecsekerd\u0151 Inc.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\t\r\n\t\t\t

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Zsolt B\u00e1nyai <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Gergely <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Korn\u00e9l Erhart <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t[vc_single_image image=”1186″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Are you on iWiW?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
2002-2014<\/h5>\n

The most popular Virgo story is iWiW\u2019s. Only a few people remember that it\u2019s previous version, WiW was launched in 2002, almost two years before Facebook. WiW started as an online Who is Who and connection network manifestation by Zsolt V\u00e1rady. WiW was the hobby project of a group of friends that with Virgo\u2019s support grew to a social media page visited by millions. WiW was successful in its own ways, ever growing group of browsing Budapest youngsters were finding old classmates, searching for their accointances, socialized, participated in group discussions and uploaded their first profile pictures to the internet. WiW unavoidably became a business and M\u00e1rton Szab\u00f3 was made its managing director.<\/span><\/p>\n

In October 2005 under the direction of G\u00e1bor Cseh the by then redesigned and renamed iWiW\u2019s services were relaunched in 15 languages, even then it was expected to be a huge Virgo story. So it happened, iWiW became popular beyond the wildest dreams, hundreds of thousands of Hungarians became internet users just because of iWiW. In March 2006 iWiW was the fourth most visited website in Hungary when T-Online, part of the Magyar Telekom group bought it but Virgo stayed part of its long lasting success by developing and managing the popular site.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

iWiW had its peak in February 2010 when 4.5 million users were registered on it, was visited by 1.46 million individuals and 3.3 million page downloads were made daily. Regardless of its fresh ideas and innovations it couldn\u2019t keep up with Facebook. On June 30, 2014 iWiW was shut down permanently, all uploaded content was preserved in time capsules.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\r\n\t

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iWiW applications and other social media sites<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/header>\r\n\t\t
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Looking back at it, transporting the servers in 2007 to only five kilometers away with a police escort for data security reasons may sound unbelievable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides iWiW API Virgo has made numerous other applications for the social media site, one of which is NetMS that made sending previously recorded video messages to friends possible. Z\u00f6lds\u00e9geim for Edz\u00e9sonline was also one of them, it taught us about sustainability and healthy lifestyle, as well as Nosalty\u2019s mini app that we made as part of their brand promotion.<\/span><\/p>\n

iWiW\u2019s success provided us with opportunities to work on some surprising projects like the exciting social media site Eml\u00e9kg\u00e9p that was based on Zsolt V\u00e1rady\u2019s idea in 2007. Its users could capture and share their memories through multimedia contents, then the system using different connection points would link it with other\u2019s memories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Renaissance iWiW was made for the Pet\u0151fi Museum of Literature in 2008 to commemorate the Renaissance Year. Museum employees were able to upload different content of Renaissance celebrities, artists, objects or groups to this site. The recycled function of iWiW provided the site with an exciting image displaying the shortest connection and relationship between the Renaissance’s greatest individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Zhoriben.net was also an interesting shot. The RomNet and Virgo collaboration project was starting an iWiW version translated to Lovari for the gypsies living in Hungary.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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Zsolt V\u00e1rady <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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M\u00e1rton Szab\u00f3 <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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G\u00e1bor Cseh <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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P\u00e9ter Seprenyi<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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D\u00e1vid B\u00edbor <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Kriszti\u00e1n Zachar <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Andr\u00e1s Benedict <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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M\u00e1rton Salomv\u00e1ry<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Bal\u00e1zs L\u00e9cz <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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G\u00e1bor Lendvai <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Dzs\u00f3 Peng\u0151 <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Enterprise projects<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
2006-<\/h5>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_column_text]In 2006 iWiW was connected to Origo, the news portal became iWiW\u2019s exit site so for a long time iWiW users were a great percentage of Origo\u2019s visitors. It was followed by making many new functions for Origo. The list of enterprise projects were started with backend systems and later the development of digital services for telecommunication and public sector enterprises and organizations. The list still goes on today.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the beginning of the year 2010 along with new projects a lot of new colleagues arrived. In 2012 a team of experts under Tam\u00e1s Szab\u00f3\u2019s leadership joined us and we opened our second office in Balatonf\u00fcred. Life didn\u2019t stop in central Budapest either, thanks to our PHP technology director, Tam\u00e1s Sz\u00edj\u00e1rt\u00f3\u2019s work, our PHP team expanded. They developed Virgo\u2019s continuously updated content and portal framework, the Virgo Spica and the e-commerce framework based on it, the Virgo Corbis.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\r\n\t

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2005-2010<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/header>\r\n\t\t
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Origo developments<\/h5>\n

The Origo Virgo collaboration started back in 2005 with the renewal of their forum engine. It was followed by the continuous development of Origo\u2019s photo storage service and the integration of Freemail. In 2008 we made an online music store the Track.hu, then in 2009 Komment.hu was developed as an independent column but its development made possible commenting on every other column as well. For the 2010 parliamentary elections we developed our own video poll product that was first introduced on Origo. This solution allowed viewers to instantly react to the viewed content. They could leave a review, read related comments and ask questions that could be answered by participants of the live video.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Klapp.hu dating site was an Origo-Virgo product made in 2012. The dating site was built on iWiW but their connection faded by time, soon it could be used with a Facebook profile and with an independent registration as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other enterprise projects from the era:<\/span><\/p>\n