Meet the team: Vini Livramento, senior software engineer

Meet the team gives you an inside look at the team behind Databento. If you're interested in joining us, check out our careers page!

Today, we're introducing Vinicius "Vini" Livramento, a senior software engineer based in the coastal town of Cascais, Portugal!

Growing up in Brazil, Vini didn’t take a direct route into the trading industry. After earning his Computer Science degree from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in 2008, he navigated a series of unexpected career paths.

During his post-graduation, he worked on an academic project designing integrated circuits, where he was introduced to the complexities of electronic design automation (EDA) tools. The challenge of these tools captivated him and became his M.Sc. and Ph.D. research topic.

After completing his Ph.D. in 2016, Vini took an internship in the U.S. related to his research in EDA. When the experience didn’t meet his expectations, he returned to Brazil and took a sabbatical at the end of 2017—coinciding with the crypto bull run. Intrigued by market dynamics, he began learning about trading and cryptocurrencies, experimenting with manual and automated strategies, though he had no plans to pursue it professionally then.

By early 2018, Vini decided to refocus on software engineering and moved to the Netherlands to join ASML, a company specializing in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. While working there, he continued studying trading in his spare time and became particularly interested in high-frequency trading.

Feeling constrained by the bureaucracy of his role, he prepared for a career change and landed a position at Flow Traders, a Dutch HFT firm. Over four years, he worked on order management systems and venue connectivity, focusing on ultra-low latency, an experience that ultimately led him to Databento.

At Databento, Vini enjoys the fast-paced and dynamic startup environment, which contrasts sharply with his experiences at larger organizations. Every day brings new challenges, far removed from rigid departments and silos.

"Here, things move fast. You're constantly stepping out of your comfort zone, learning new things, and taking on diverse responsibilities. A typical day might involve coding, troubleshooting production issues, monitoring metrics and alerts, participating in design discussions, reviewing code, and handling customer support."

Vini appreciates Databento’s openness and transparency. “There are no secrets here. All discussions—from prospective customers and closed deals to technical challenges and product roadmaps—happen openly on Slack. Anyone can suggest ideas, and leadership is genuinely receptive.”

Vini reflects on two defining moments in his career—one early on and one more recent. "After graduating in 2008, I was the technical lead on an academic project developing a digital integrated circuit to accelerate JPEG image compression for embedded systems. Despite my limited experience, I navigated the complex world of circuit design, from high-level modeling to FPGA prototyping, synthesis, and fabrication. Seeing my chip physically manufactured and our research published was an incredibly rewarding experience."

From his time in HFT, he’s especially proud of the impact he had on improving testing infrastructure.

"When I started working with the order management system, testing was a major challenge. The infrastructure was slow, and most testing was handled by QA engineers, creating bottlenecks. I took the initiative to implement new test frameworks and shift more responsibility to developers. Over time, we transformed our approach, significantly reducing time-to-market while improving software quality—two goals that often seem at odds but, in reality, go hand in hand."

Vini finds inspiration across the Databento team, particularly in the engineering culture. "It's hard to single out just one person because the company is full of talented individuals. The engineering team stands out with its diverse backgrounds and strong expertise, along with a deep sense of commitment and ownership. I'm especially impressed by our CTO—he's highly technical and hands-on, something that's surprisingly rare in the industry. When CTOs lack this depth, technology risks becoming a mere cost center instead of a driving force for innovation."

Outside of work, Vini is passionate about sports and staying active. He follows a structured exercise routine that includes weightlifting and cardio, paired with a balanced diet to stay energized. He also enjoys reading and cooking, valuing the creative freedom that comes with experimenting in the kitchen. "Cooking is fun because there aren’t many strict rules—you can rely on your senses, creativity, and intuition to try new things."

More recently, Vini has discovered a new passion: spending time with his newborn son. "Taking care of him and enjoying every moment we share together has been an incredible experience."

If Vini's career path interests you, check out our careers page for open positions. If you don't see the role for you, send us your resume—we're always on the lookout for outstanding talent.